The village WI started in 1924 and at the beginning met in members’ houses. By the 1930s it had outgrown that and met in the Court House, a fourteenth century building. When the Village Hall was built in the 1970s the WI moved its meetings there, where they still take place, on the 3rd Thursday in each month at 7.30 pm. The programme of meetings for 2010 is:
| February 18 | Mr George Parker | Advanced Motoring | |
| March 18 | Lunch at the Lime Kiln Inn | ||
| April 15 | Mr S Davis | The (Thames) River Police | |
| May 20 | Discussion of WI National Resolutions | ||
| June 17 | Mr David Taylor | Light Entertainment at the BBC | |
| July 15 | Mr Joe King | Bees | |
| August 7 | Village Flower Show | ||
| September 16 | Mrs Aileen Hayse | Chinese Food | |
| October 21 | Open meeting Mr J Ericson – The Shakers | ||
| November 18 | AGM | ||
| December 16 | Christmas Party |
We now have about 30 members and would like more. The annual subscription is £29.50, payable in January. Members receive a magazine, WI Life, published by the National WI Executive, 10 times a year, and a Somerset Federation County Newsletter, monthly.
Most meetings start with a business agenda, which takes about ½ hour. This is followed, usually, by a talk given by a visiting speaker. We run a small competition, for fun, often related to the speaker’s subject, and we hold a raffle as a contribution to our own funds for which three members have contributed small prizes. The meeting concludes with refreshments and some socializing.
The WI is a charity and is restricted to fund-raising in aid of local community causes Each Spring we hold a function in aid of the Somerset Hospice and in September a Macmillan coffee morning. Members also earn money for the WI by providing teas for Parish Council meetings and for other Village functions on request.
We arrange outings for members, such as a visit to the American Museum in Bath and a Pamper Day in Yeovil College Beauty Department. We get together several times a year at members-only coffee mornings in the Devonshire Arms, on the Green.
We have a skittles team (which won its group last year) and a Scrabble team which competes in the annual County competition.
There are opportunities to join with other WIs’ in classes in crafts, cookery and other hobbies, organized by the County WI Federation.
Contacts for further information: Mrs Jenny Trood President 01458 241368
Mrs Marjorie Dams 01458 241797 chd34@btinternet.com
January 2010