Category: SFWI

June 16, 2023 Member Events, Member's News, NFWI, SFWI, Trips

And the new Skittles Champions for 2023 are ….

..Team 3! …aka  Gaye, John, Carrie-Anne, Ann, Robert, Jean, Jackie & Graham….

Now, what was the secret of Team 3’s success? Who was their secret weapon?

Was it John, the overall points winner?  OR was it Ann who just happened to be o the winning team last year?????  OR was it down to alcohol (or not), laughter & ‘having a go’???

Anyway, they all had fun, as did everyone else!

It was a lovely summer evening for our annual Skittles meet at The Shoulder of Mutton public house n Hamstall Ridware.  The good weather held – as did the light – & the atmosphere was friendly.  Knocked them all down?  Then you were greeted with a cheer & a clap, no matter which team you were playing for!

But competition was fierce, make no mistake, with only a few points in it all told!

Thanks to The Shoulder of Mutton team for a fabulous Buffet & for hosting us all in the Beer Garden.

Thanks also to Alan & Karen for organising the teams, prizes, medals & winners cup & especially to Alan for keeping score – although he did knock off a number of  points from Team 3 at one point … only to remedy his mistake by another announcement a few minutes later….  That’s what comes of being a retired maths teacher (to paraphrase Karen)!

Thanks also to Bob & Kent, ably assisted by Kath & Graham, for the putting up of all those skittles… & finding those that made their way into the hedge whilst also diving from the ‘bouncing bombs’….!  Thanks also to Chris Ewing, our ever-helpful ‘ball boy’!

And the proud winner of the wooden spoon?  Well that was Meryl!

A great evening – full of fun & friendship!

 

 

What’s next for us in this busy summer?

Learning about the history of Gin (‘Mothers Ruin’ ) with BYO Gin ..& tonic/mixer ( & special glass etc) for our June monthly meeting….

Supporting the Village Fete – stall & ‘Guess the Number of Balloons in a car’, with the chance to win a mega hamper! …

Tractor tour of Fisherwick Farm – a lovely evening out compete with buffet..

‘Tasting Summer’ at our July monthly meeting – doing the taste tests , so you don’t have to  ….

Supporting Menafest with our fabulous, & famous, Jarbola stall ….

Interested in joining us?  Then contact Karen Wakefield (01543 492136) for further information.  New members always welcome!

June 12, 2023 Community Events, Member Events, NFWI, SFWI

Summer & Strawberries….

Our Summer Afternoon Tea was earlier this year, partly  due to a busy month (or two) ahead! But the sun did come out (although wasn’t too hot) so the strawberries were rippened & ready for us all to eat.  This Afternoon Tea is always a popular event in the village calendar & so proved to be yet again. It was lovely to see the Village Hall full of happy smiling faces & to welcome friends old & new.

Everyone enjoyed our Summer Menu of 2 sandwiches & crisps, followed by a strawberry cream scone & cake (all homemade) … & bottomless tea & coffee throughout the afternoon.  The Hall looked amazing as ever – particular thanks to Alan W, Bob T, Chris E, John, Martin & John for their invaluable help in the morning to get all the bunting up … & then for their help in getting it down again at the end!  No mean feat…

Wendy & Kath P manned the Trade Table which included homemade jams & pickles as well as some more cake if you needed to take some home!  And then there was our famous Raffle – over 40 prizes were up for grabs, with an amazing choice of items to choose from. Phew!

 

And then there was the clearing up to do after an amazing afternoon, full of fun & friendship…  which the WI ladies still managed to find joy & laughter in!

 

 

 

What’s next for us in this busy summer?

Skittles evening at The Shoulder of Mutton Public House, Hamstall Ridware …

Learning about the history of Gin (‘Mother’s Ruin) with BYO gin & tonic/mixer etc at our June monthly meeting…

Supporting the Village Fete – stall & ‘Guess the Number of Balloons in the Car’ with a chance to win a mega hamper!

Tractor tour of Fisherwick Farm – a lovely evening out complete with buffet….

‘Tasting Summer’ at our July monthly meeting – doing all the taste-tests so you don’t have to!

Supporting Menafest with our fabulous Jarbola stall ….

 

INTERESTED IN JOINING US?  CONTACT Karen Wakefield.  New members always welcome!

 

December 12, 2022 Member Events, Member's News, SFWI

Let’s get crafty!

October  is ‘Have a go craft month’ for The Ridwares WI – a chance to sit , craft & natter – or just sit & natter!  This is in preparation for World Kindness Day in November (where we distribute small gifts of kindness throughout the village) & our Tinsel & Trimmings event in December  (to create items for the craft stall).  Marrianne also was inviting members to create poppies out of the ends of plastic bottles for display in our garden outside the village hall for Remembrance Sunday.  So our ladies also had the opportunity to knit/crochet Christmas trees & Santas – to ‘hide’ a chocolate orange…. with Wendy & Meryl – or to make felt birds with Carrie-Anne.  Gaye was leading the card making efforts & Christine S was encouraging the budding artists to paint as many stones as possible….

Phew!  We always say that we have a lot of talent amongst our members, but also the willingness to ‘have a go’ & ‘try something new/different’ from those ladies who don’t consider themselves crafty at all!

AND is Alan, trying to make a point? – along with all the other WI husbands/partners, who work so hard to help us with events …????

December 12, 2022 Community Events, Member Events, Member's News, SFWI

‘Say Cheez’ & other news …..

‘SAY CHEEZ’ ……. An extremely popular community event in September was our Cheese tasting evening. The hall was packed with members, family and friends all enjoying the delicious range of cheeses provided by ORSOM hand-made cheeses.  Hannah, from The British Food Box’, worked very hard all night explaining how each cheese was made and ensuring each person had a taste of no less than14 different cheeses.

People were encouraged to bring their own drinks to help cleanse the palate between each tasting… at least that’s what we thought the copious bottles of wine adorning each table were for.
Members had worked hard decorating the hall,  & laying tables with fresh flowers, crackers and grapes. The harvest festival themed raffle went down a real treat.

‘When’s the next one?’ was the retort from a number of villagers, some of whom had not attended a community event in the Village Hall before.  |So we’ve got to put our thinking caps on now …..

‘WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS’ was another proud cry from us in The Ridwares WI, as we won not 1 but 2 awards from SFWI this year!  The first was the Press Report Shield which was won by our Press Officer, Kath Parson, who also collected these awards on our behalf.  The Ridwares WI were joint first for this award along with Haughton W I.
The Judge’s comments for The Ridwares submission: –
“Well-written, with a good flow, and plenty of photos showing what is clearly a very lively and active group. The way the words flow around the photographs creates a nice, easy
read. And its lovely to see so many different age groups represented in the photographs, as well. A really decent effort and very pleasant to look at. ”
The second award was the Freda Houldcroft Trophy for the best WI programme. The Judge’s comments: –
“There was a good use of colour and the photos added and extra dimension to explaining the speakers’ subjects. Perfect size for the handbag and robust enough to last a year with clear information on how to contact the president.”
Both awards came as a complete surprise – a lot to live up to for 2023!

July 12, 2022 Member Events, Member's News, SFWI

A new Champ is crowned ……

… a new Ridwares WI Skittles Champ that is…. – Kath Parson!  Congratulations Kath!  Chris Ewing was awarded the wooden spoon – both were fiercely contested awards on the night!  The winning team was captained by June Ewing & included Jackie L, Kent P, Ann A, Betty H & Angela L.  Well done all!

So many amazing individual  (& team) performances – what a laugh.  A lovely way to catch up with eachother.  The sun didn’t come out for us, so thoughts of playing skittles on a warm, balmy summer evening in a pub garden, were quickly banished.  Fleeces & multiple layers were the order of the night.

Thanks to Kate B for booking the event, & to Alan & Karen W for all the organisation on the night.  A big thank you also to the team at The Shoulder of Mutton, Hamstall Ridware, who warmly welcomed us & set everything up for the evening.  The BBQ was wonderful as well!  Thanks also to Bob, Kath & Kent who were on ‘skittles’ duty at the far end  – all that bending to put all those skittles upright must have done them some good.

Another lovely, enjoyable evening, full of fun & friendship.