Our year in pictures: 2023

Click or tap the <  symbol to view the most recent pics or > to start from the beginning of the year

Our president and one of the flower show trophy recipients
Our first meeting of 2023 got off to a good start with the presentation of the SFWI Flower Show 2022 trophies...
Our president and two of the flower show trophy recipients
...Including the "Best in Show" trophy! (right)
Two images, one showing our speaker and members from behind, with the screen at the front, and an overlay with our speaker facing us at the end of his talk
Our first speaker of 2023 was Shropshire tour guide and author, Nigel Hinton, telling us all about Shrewsbury's Ghosts
Five members of the monthly walking group by one of the many Openreach cabinets that have been painted by local artists. This one features two penguins wearing bow ties and carrying white napkins
About half way along our walk, it started to drizzle, but it didn't put us off
Walking club members on the Welsh Bridge, Shrewsbury, where the river level has risen to just a few feet below the top of the arches
There was an awful lot of water flowing very fast under the Welsh Bridge!
Members of the monthly walking group on the steps at the beginning of The Mount, Frankwell
The steps at the bottom of The Mount, Frankwell
Flooded fields near Shrewsbury Showground
We might go for a walk down there... in the summer when it's dried up!
Our president standing with the raffle tickets in front of the Shrewsbury Male Voice choir
How did our president know to wear a matching dress? Shrewsbury Male Voice Choir were great and even sang a special arrangement of 'Jerusalem' for us.
Servers and diners at a long buffet table crammed with food
What a wonderful spread - as always - was available at the New Year party.
Members and guests seated and listening to our president
What a good turnout we had for our New Year party.
The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra on stage at Birmingham's Symphony Hall taken from the second circle
A nearly packed house for the CBSO's matinée performance of Holst's 'The Planets' - trip organised by Shropshire Federation
Our speaker and a colleague standing behind a table of Cuan Wildlife Rescue merchandise
Cuan Wildlife Rescue gave a fascinating talk of their work and brought some goodies for us to purchase, too
A baby hedgehog wrapped in cloth and held in a carer's hand whilst being fed pup milk formula via a pipette
Cuan Wildlife Rescue: Did you know hedgehogs are lactose intolerant? These babies are fed using milk formula for puppies
Five juvenile owls perched side by side on a branch in a holding barn
Cuan Wildlife Rescue: these unrelated owlets are doing well
A felt green heart hangs from a tree in a churchyard with snowdrops on the ground
Members have been hanging Green Hearts for climate change in our local churchyards
Seven ladies sit around tables after coffee
It's a regular monthly event to meet for coffee and chat at Refresh - the cafe at our local hospice
Nine ladies well wrapped up by a stone pillar on top of the hill
Our February walk was from Cardingmill Valley up to Pole Bank - hard work but a fantastic view from the top as the weather cleared!
Four ladies laugh together as they eat ice cream
The faces say it all! The samples of Nanny Janny's Jersey Ice Cream went down very well at our March meeting!
A lady smiles as she eats ice cream
What could be better than ice cream on a cold March evening?!!
A selection of sausages and ice cream displayed with daffodils for St David's day
A lovely display for St David's Day - and the chance to buy at WI!
Several ladies and a dog walking in the woods
We wrapped up well for our March walk in Attingham Park
Nine ladies sit in deckchairs wrapped in winter woollies
Who doesn't love a deckchair, even in March!
Ladies sit outside around a table with hot drinks
Refreshments are always great at a National Trust cafe!
Eleven ladies with three dogs stand at the bottom of a stone pillar with blue skies behind
On top of the world! Our April walk up to Rodney's Pillar saw blue skies after heavy rain the previous few days
Several ladies are sat around a table eating a meal
What better than a meal after a strenuous walk!
Several ladies sit around tables chatting and eating
Our Coronation party involved plenty of cake, much concentration for the quiz and plenty of chat!
Ladies decide what to choose from a table of cakes and other food
There was plenty to choose from for our Coronation tea...
Several homemade crowns
Our competition was 'a homemade crown' - several to choose from!
Several ladies sit around a table with coffee and cake
Our May get together at Refresh - plenty of very good cake!
Eight ladies seated in the theatre
We had a good presence at the Shropshire Federation annual meeting this year
A man in a bright jacket stands at a podium
The highlight of the SFWI annual meeting was our main speaker, Chris Lubbe. An amazing speech, he thoroughly deserved his standing ovation!
Eight ladies with dogs sit on a wall in front of a view of the Shropshire hills
Fantastic weather again for our May walk - this time to Haughmond Hill
Several ladies sit in the sunshine
Some of our ladies had a pottery day at Wenlock Pottery on a beautiful June day
A lady makes a clay pot on a potters wheel
Great fun to create a pot - and very messy!
The potter helps one of the ladies create a pot on the wheel
Helping hands on the potter's wheel
A woman stands massaging the face of a seated woman
Our June speaker, Andi Hall of Tropic Skincare, found a willing volunteer for a demonstration!
Several ladies stand around a marker stone at the top of the Wrekin
After a sunny week it rained, but it didn't dampen the spirits of our walk up the Wrekin!
A large group of people stand outside a coach
Our summer outing was to Trentham Gardens this year - members and friends had a great time!
Two ladies stand under umbrellas
Despite the bad forecast, we didn't get wet
Lots of sculptures of fairies
The fairies at Trentham were amazing!
Four ladies pose with skittles before a game
Our team did well at Shropshire Federation's skittles event!
Several ladies sit around a table chatting
Our garden meeting was inside as well as out due to the changeable weather - but plenty of chance to chat
Our President serves desserts to four ladies waiting
Sara provided delicious refreshments at our garden meeting!
Five ladies pose for the camera
Our members enjoyed the evening!
Three ladies stand on top of a hill
Some of our ladies joined the Shropshire Federation walk from Bayston Hill - on top of the world!
A lady stands in Shrewsbury Abbey with WI stalls around her
We enjoyed taking part in WI Day at Shrewsbury Abbey
Third prize winner for Fiesta with flowers, a decorated bowl and painted sign
...and we came third in the Fiesta class in the WI Day Show!
Three ladies at a dinner table pose for the camera
We became 'ladies who lunch' for the day at Shropshire Federation's Handbags & Gladrags event
Two ladies smile for the camera
Great to spend time with friends at 'Handbags & Gladrags'
Two ladies hold vouchers and a trophy
Our competition winners received vouchers and a trophy at our Annual Meeting
Images of a floral arrangement, a pie, a handmade bag and a jar of chutney
Our entries for our Group Meeting competitions
Ladies queue to buy cheese from a laughing man
Chris from the Weird and Wonderful Cheese Co gave us a great evening all about cheese!
Knitted, crochetted and paper poppies decorate Shrewsbury Abbey
A wonderful display in Shrewsbury Abbey for Remembrance Day - several of our members helped make the poppies and set up the display
A group of ladies and dogs are ready for a walk in Shrewsbury's Quarry
A glorious day for a November walk in Shrewsbury Quarry
A lady holds the WI wreath to lay for Remembrance Day
We are always proud to lay our wreath in Bicton Church on Remembrance Day
A lady stands behind a stall of handmade crafts
Members were busy all year making items for our craft stall
People sitting at tables puzzle over a quiz
Our Christmas dinner was a great success - but the quiz took a lot of thought!
Several ladies sit around a table with hot chocolate to drink
A festive visit to Refresh with excellent hot chocolate!
© 2025 Bicton and Oxon WI 

View our privacy policy