A Summer Bluebell Walk - 26th May 2008

Helmdon  WI is certainly not all  “jam and Jerusalem”.

On Wednesday, May 9th  a group  of fifteen members went to Hazelborough Woods to see the bluebells.   Yes, we did find some!  Then it was off to the King’s Head in Syresham  for an  enjoyable  evening meal.

The WI is as much about making friends and socialising as any other aim, and we have happy evenings whilst learning something along the way. Our programme is on the WI page - why not come and join in with us one Wednesday? We will quite understand if you decide we are not your scene - we love to welcome visitors at any time.

Cottage Crafts At Meeting - 11th April 2008

The WI welcomed nearly thirty members and friends to their meeting on Wednesday 9th April. 

The occasion was a visit from Peter and Margaret Whittle. For thirteen years they had opened their house once a year to sell the crafts they made in aid of the Katherine House Hospice.  In time the event became too overwhelming to manage and it was their eventual decision to cease the open days, and to go “on the road”.

Peter and Margaret gave a unique presentation. They told us what it was like to have 9,026 people through their home at Tadmarton in order to raise the magnificent sum of £74,091 – Margaret described, for instance, the hundreds of jars of jam, the moving of furniture, the catering needed for hundreds of people.   And all the time they were unpacking their stock, talking about it, and displaying beautifully made hand-made articles, cards, jewellery, soap, and painstakingly carved traditional and original wooden toys.   Their enthusiasm, hard work and commitment showed through, and it was obvious why they were Banbury Guardian Millennium heroes in 2000 and Banbury Guardian Fundraisers of the Year in 2005. 

The WI are pleased to report that the sale of crafts at the end of the evening added another £209 to Peter and Margaret Whittle’s fund for the Katherine House Hospice.

Visit to Stowe School - 12th July 2007

In June WI members visited Grafton Regis, and had the pleasure of being shown round the village and church by costumed guides.  The July meeting was a contrast.  The venue was Stowe School and this time time our party of twenty members and friends were guided through the grand house by the retired school matron, who was passionate about her subject.

Stowe was known in its heyday as Stowe Place and  it was almost continuously rebuilt and refurbished by the Temple-Grenville family until the time of the 2nd Duke of Buckingham, whose expensive tastes led to bankruptcy from which the family never really recovered.  However, it was rescued from almost certain destruction by the creation of Stowe School in 1923.  We were able to see, amongst other rooms, the neo-classical splendour of the library and the Blue Room, and were fascinated, in particular, by the wonderful ceilings still existing in the part of the building that is open to the public. It is good to know that the Stowe House Preservation Trust is in the midst of a restoration plan for the building.  

A convivial meal at a nearby hostelry rounded off the evening in great style!

Eighty Five Years Young - 8th March 2006

From left to right: Christine Farmer, Diana Birch, Ann Harman and Mildred Cockram.

On March 8th, over twenty members of Helmdon WI celebrated its eighty fifth anniversary. Ann Harman, the President of the branch, welcomed to the Reading Room visitors Diana Birch, Chairman of the Northamptonshire Federation, and two past Federation Chairmen, Mildred Cockram and Christine Farmer, who have become friends over the years.

On display were handicrafts which have won prizes for members over the years, and a wonderful array of scrapbooks detailing WI events.

The evening began with a fascinating talk by Janice Johnson on the making of a beautiful Quaker tapestry. This was followed by light refreshments, and then came the ceremony of cutting the anniversary cake, with the occasion culminating in a toast in champagne to the next eighty five years!

A selection of handicrafts were on display.

The anniversary cake celebrates 85 years.

Massage At WI - 8th February 2006

And... relax!

From left to right: Jack Harman (who came along for the meal!), Jean Brookhouse, Louise Stothard, Celia Terrey, Ann Winch, Pauline Payne, Pauline Butler and Zena Balch.

Members of the WI busy getting ready for Christmas

Mrs J Saunders
Helmdon WI

Dear Mrs Saunders

This is just to thank you and your fellow ladies of Helmdon Women's Institute for the really excellent tea you provided for the Buckingham Probus Club yesterday. There was much talk on the coach afterwards about how everybody had enjoyed themselves and the Women's Institute and Helmdon in particular are now held in the highest regard by many people who did not realize what you and your friends could offer.

I would like to add my personal thanks for the welcome you gave us when we arrived with colourful flowers on the table etc. and it was a delight for me to discover I had a namesake in your village.

Doreen England and Jenny Saunders model some of the hats on show.

The WI had an excellent evening on 14th May. Their speaker was Hillary Hammond of Hillary's Hat Hire, Bodicote. She deftly led sixteen WI members through the history of the hat industry, which had it beginnings in seventeenth century Luton, illustrating her talk with actual examples of different hat styles through the ages. Then, in the interval before refreshments, members had the opportunity to try on over ninety hats which she had brought which could be worn at low key or more fashionable weddings, or at prestigious events such as Ascot and Henley.

The WI Players - L to R Sue Mantle, Audrey Forgham and Ann Smith.

More was in to follow! Twenty branches of the WI in Northamptonshire had signed up to take part in a drama competition, their brief being a conversation between a woman in history and a woman of the 21st century, and two judges arrived to see a duologue presented by Helmdon branch members. Ann Smith wrote the text (inspired by a WEA, adult education course Helmdon had in the spring), and she and Sue Mantle ably performed it. The audience were very appreciative of all the time and effort which had gone into the production. Thanks are due to Conrad Woolley, who had recorded the singing of "The Vicar of Bray" which served as an introduction, Jan Harrold, who helped with the 18th century costume, and Audrey Forgham, who provided moral support during rehearsals and acted as "noises off"!

Christmas Party 2002 - 4th December 2002

WI members sit down to a scrumptious meal

An eagerly awaited event in the WI calendar is the Christmas lunch, so on 4th December 2002 sixteen members of the Helmdon branch of the WI sat down to another delicious Christmas repast. Ann Harman cooked the turkey and ham, with other committee members contributing to the scrumptious meal. After games the evening ended with traditional carols.

80th Anniversary Celebrations - 14th March 2001

Members celebrating their 80th birthday at the Red Lion, Brackley.

In 1921 a group of ladies got together to form "Helmdon Women's Institute".  Eighty  years later, on 14 March, 18 members and 3 guests got together to celebrate the occasion with  party at the Red Lion Public House in Brackley.  

A warm welcome was expressed to everyone by the President, Ann Harman, and flowers were presented to the guests.  

Gay Wallis,  who is leaving the village, was given a gift of garden tokens from the members. Business was kept to an absolute minimum, and an excellent 3-course meal was enjoyed by all.

A gift of a water carafe and glass for the speaker's table  at Helmdon Reading Room (the usual venue for the meetings) was made by Mildred Cockram,  and Christine Farmer  toasted  the future success of Helmdon WI.

Click here to see gallery of photos from the evening!

Northampton Carers - 10th January 2001

At a meeting on 10 January 2001, Denise Mawby of the Princess Royal Northampton Carers Centre (01604 232500) spoke about her work, and the continuing search for carers who needed support and information about the issues that concern them most, including welfare benefits advice, carer's support groups, emotional support to carers who are feeling distress, and information on taking a break, respite care and practical help at home. Members were impressed by the amount of help that the Centre could provide and will in future be on the lookout to point carers in the direction of the help and advice that is there for them in many different ways.

Cookery Demonstration - 8th November 2000

Margaret Reardon making a peach and marzipan tart.

Members of the WI crowded into the kitchen of the Reading Room on Wednesday, 8 November 2000 for a cookery demonstration by Margaret Reardon, assisted by Jan Harrold.

Tasters for those present included mulled red wine, canapés, pumpkin soup, pork stir fry and homemade truffles. In spite of the vagaries of one of the ovens, Margaret also demonstrated salmon and cucumber quiche and peach and marzipan tart, which made for delectable raffle prizes.

(A quick tip for all those weight watchers. Margaret suggested making and slightly cooling a non-calorie jelly, then mixing in a Müller Light yoghurt. This makes the equivalent of three Müller Light containers , at ½ point each).

AGM 2000

The Helmdon WI AGM in the Reading Room

Nineteen members of the WI attended the 2000 Annual General Meeting, which reported a successful year. The meeting was followed by a harvest supper, which was enjoyed by all.

We were pleased to welcome VCO Pam Farrington to the meeting.

Doreen England won the cup for the most points for competitions over the year, and Jenny Saunders won the cup for winning the most "flowers of the month" competitions.