Around the Women’s Institutes

BENSON

BY tradition we did not meet in August but work behind the scenes continued with some planning for our centenary next year and the spending of our bursary award, which we received from the Oxfordshire federation earlier in the year.

In making use of our bursary award, members are booked on to a River Readings boat trip organised by the Henley Literary Festival in September.

Also in September, the Oxfordshire federation will celebrate 110 years with an open invitation to WI Day at the Tackley HQ. One or two of our members hope to be visiting.

Our September edition of the Oxford Inspires magazine contains lots of very interesting outings options as well as activity updates from other WI groups. It is always good to hear what our neighbouring groups are up to.

Our next meeting will be in the afternoon of Wednesday, September 24 in the parish hall. At this meeting we shall welcome a member of the Benson Nature Group to talk to us about its projects.

Visitors are always welcome (£5). For more information, call 07789 303905 or email bensonwi@oxfordshirewi.co.uk

Sue Brown

CAVERSHAM

WE always meet informally over August. This year Doreen organised a boat trip for us with Hobbs of Henley.

We have met up twice for garden parties, which is a fabulous way to share our green gardens, a slice of cake and socialise on the warmer days.

To explore conservation of records, we also visited the Royal Berkshire Records Office, which was a fascinating visit looking at old maps and records, and the temperature controlled storage of old and precious documents. We also saw how they conserve and restore old documents.

In the coming months, we are looking towards the next set of speakers and serving refreshments to the visitors to Caversham Court Gardens, from the kiosk there.

After our meeting on Tuesday this week (learning about how your balance, brain and fitness are related), we meet again on October 7 to hear from Terry Dixon, who will talk about interesting things you can discover just walking through Reading.

Visitors are very welcome (and entirely free for the first three visits). After this, there is a set fee but it is less than £5 a month and includes local, Berkshire and national events, activities and resources.

We meet on Tuesday evenings, the first one each month. Holding a weekday evening meeting (7.30pm) enables members with daytime commitments to join us and those looking for a mid-week distraction to get out of the house.

Feel free to reach out on Facebook, or by email caver shamwi@berkshirewi.co.uk. Meetings are held in central Caversham, in a fully accessible venue, for about two hours including tea/coffee, biscuits, a small raffle and, of course, time to learn something new, and discuss local and national issues.

Claire Elliott

CLEEVE-BY-GORING

ALTHOUGH we do not hold a formal meeting in August, we always have a social evening.

More than 40 members had a bring and share supper with the usual wide array of savoury and sweet finger foods.

Champagne was provided by the family of a past president, Jenny MacLeman and a toast was raised to her memory.

We were entertained by Anne Sherwood, who sang us songs through the decades, with members joining the chorus, and a lot of arm waving and clapping to keep us involved. August 17 was a beautiful day for our annual teas at Goring Lock. Goring and Streatley Concert Band played a varied programme, and members sliced and served more than 30 cakes.

A profit of £724.66 was made, some of which will be shared with the band, and members will decide where to donate the balance at our next meeting. Our thanks to the Environment Agency for its continued support.

Our September meeting will speaker Jane Robinson talking about how women won the vote. This is a subject close to the hearts of WI members. Visitors are also welcome at Storton Lodge, Icknield Road, Goring, on Wednesday, September 10 at 7.30pm.

Chris Cox

COCKPOLE GREEN

FRIENDS and members took to the water on the afternoon of Thursday, August 21 for our annual summer outing.

Organised by our treasurer, Sheila Williams, we went aboard The Waterman, provided by Hobbs of Henley. First, we went through Marsh Lock and before we reached Wargrave we turned around travelling back to Henley and then onwards towards Hurley.

We were given an excellent commentary by a Blue Badge Guide, Bobby, who was most informative. It all added to our knowledge of the area. We were extremely lucky with the weather and the two-and-a-half hours whizzed by.

Judi Rowlands

HOT (HENLEY-ON-THAMES)

AUGUST is our chance to get together with a more casual meeting. After our regular business was completed, we sat together to share a delicious selection of nibbles with lots of chatting.

Four of our members had attended the Henley branch of the Royal British Legion VJ Day tea at the Henley Business School that afternoon and shared the quiz questions with the group.

Our September meeting we shall be supporting the National Women’s Institute resolution “Bystanders can be lifesavers” by learning about the use of defibrillators and CPR.

We meet every third Friday at 7.30pm at Sacred Heart Church hall. New members always welcome.

Nicola Taylor

REMENHAM

IT was a glorious sunny day for our meeting and were delighted to welcome Lorna Dunlop to their meeting. Lorna is the proprietor of the Henley Florist and she arrived with a large container of beautiful flowers and greenery.

She introduced each stem with its growing area and tips as to how to display and prolong its life. Lorna then proceeded to form the most beautiful bouquet while at the same time explaining how she got into floristry, her move to Henley, her shop in Hart Street and her thriving flower school.

Irene Parker was the lucky recipient of the bouquet and she also won the flower competition. Madeline Baynes won the raffle. Frances Plowman was congratulated on the knitted blankets she is continuing to make from the many knitted squares being produced.

Daphne Austen was also congratulated on winning the Berkshire photographic competition for a photograph for the front cover of the 2026 Berkshire Handbook.

Another delicious tea concluded the afternoon.

The book club met to discuss the latest read, A Plague on Mr Pepys by Deborah Swift which proved to be an enjoyable choice, giving vivid descriptions of the period.

Daphne Austin

STOKE ROW

THERE was no official meeting of our group in August but instead our members, some accompanied by partners and friends, took a trip to Kintbury where we boarded a canal barge for a sail along the Kennet and Avon Canal.

It was the most leisurely and tranquil cruise we had ever been on as the boat was pulled along by a beautiful heavy horse called Monty.

No hum of an engine, just the occasional sound of the horse’s hooves on the flinty towpath and the rustle of the reeds as the tow rope cut through them.

The horse pulled us through beautiful countryside to Dreweatts Lock where the majority of us disembarked and Monty was released from his rope to graze on the lush vegetation at the side of the path.

We then watched as the barge was manually pushed through the lock and skilfully turned for our return journey.

After the cruise our group then split up to pursue various activities. Twelve of us stayed for a late lunch at the Dundas Arms. Another group headed off to the farm shop in Hampstead Norreys for afternoon tea at the café there. Others headed into Hungerford. What a wonderful day out we all had!

At our September meeting members will try a new craft with a number of techniques being demonstrated on the night. There will also be regular meetings of our craft, book and drama groups, swimming, theatre trips and coffee and chat sessions via Zoom. For more information, email stoke
rowwi@oxfordshirewi.co.uk

Denise Stanworth

WOODCOTE

SALLY Lambert welcomed members to our garden meeting at the Maker Space at the Crown, Nuffield.

We had a delicious afternoon tea, amazing sandwiches, scones and cakes served on beautiful china, with lovely tablecloths and lots of flowers. Thank you to Kay and everyone who kept the tea and coffee flowing.

Celebrating their birthdays this month are Ann Larden and Jenny Cotter. We hope they have a lovely day.

In September we will be back in the village hall and our speaker will be Stuart Cummins on “Victoriana”. The competition will be “for your oldest kitchen utensil”.

In October we will be playing skittles at Hithercroft Sports Centre, followed by lunch and then more skittles!

Come and join us on the third Wednesday of the month for a 2.30pm start. You will be very welcome.

Judy Williams