Bicton & District WI (Women's Institute) was founded on 10th December, 1924. It included Bicton, Montford Bridge and Oxon. In 1947, Oxon formed its own WI and so we became Bicton WI. In 1995, Oxon WI rejoined Bicton WI and so became Bicton and Oxon WI.
Notes:
SFWI – Shropshire County Federation of Women's Institutes - (t/a Shropshire Federation) –
https://www.wi-shropshire.co.uk/
NFWI – The National Federation of Women's Institutes of England, Wales, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man –
https://www.thewi.org.uk/
Our information has been obtained from various sources, including: the Committee and Monthly Meeting minute books (unfortunately we don’t have them all); the Shrewsbury Chronicle reports held at the Archives Library in Shrewsbury; NFWI and memorabilia collected from members past and present.
2024 has been a busy year! Our membership has increased from 43 to 53 over 2024.
Our Centenary celebrations really started in April, when we hosted some 60 walkers on an SFWI spring ramble around the village, with a full afternoon tea in the village hall afterwards. We planned a long walk of around 8 miles and a shorter walk of around 4 miles. Our team of walkers started checking out the routes and terrain back in February – the fourth wettest February since 1871! To say it was muddy is an understatement – they waded at times. Then again in March more recces with a few very muddy puddles to contend with and in April our ladies strode out again, this time coming home for the first time without wet feet! A couple of days in advance, a few walkers walked the long route, clearing brambles and hawthorn, and hanging green hearts in trees to mark the route.
The walkers arrived and while they set off, other members were busy back at the village hall preparing a full afternoon tea. Some made sandwiches, others set the tables with beautiful cloths, crockery, cake stands and flower arrangements. Cakes had been baked and were cut into portions, dozens of homemade scones were paired with jam and cream. Our centenary walking group t-shirts - designed by Tanya - made us stand out!
In June, we celebrated the centenary with an afternoon tea at Refresh. There have been 19 presidents over the 100 years and as well as current president, Sara Johnson-Davies, five past presidents attended: Tricia Jones, Margaret Keighley, Carol Buxton, Jessica Pannett and Janis Crake. Tricia gave the welcome toast, and Janis and Margaret cut the beautiful centenary cake made by Sara. As well as members, guests attended including representatives from other local WIs. And of course there was a fantastic afternoon tea with prosecco!
Our July outing was to Llanfair PG, the home of the first WI in the UK. After a welcome cup of tea, we had a very interesting talk about the early history of the WI and learnt of the history of the building where we were sitting and the attached toll house. We had the chance to explore the tiny WI museum and then were served a splendid lunch by the Anglesey WI ladies – quiches and salads followed by pavlova. Retail therapy followed at the nearby James Pringle outlet at the station and again at Bettws-y-Coed!
We designed and made a tablecloth for our centenary, with flags representing our WI over the decades. A small group got together – Tanya, Cathy, Ann, Tricia, Mary and Rose – and each contributed different skills towards the final cloth.
We commissioned a wooden bench and installed it in front of the village hall. We wanted a unique design and Rustic Joinery fitted the bill. After lengthy discussions and consultation with the village hall committee, we decided on the location – next to the mountain ash planted for our diamond jubilee in 1984.
We created a logo for our centenary, and have adapted it to use from 2025. We chose the design with hands showing friendship and support to our members, and the many crafts, baking, art and sewing we do using our hands! The green heart represents support for the environment and concern for the climate crisis and the two-coloured hands show us offering the hands of friendship to everyone. The three colours of green, purple and white are the suffragette colours still used by the WI.
October was our Annual Meeting, and Sara was re-elected President for a 3rd term. One of the highlights of the evening was the presentation of certificates to four of our longest-serving members. Rose has been a member for 36 years, Margaret 41 years, Tricia 44 years and Ann an amazing 55 years! In November, certificates were presented to Janis who has been a member for 34 years and Ursula who has been a member for 37 years – the certificate was collected by her daughter Kandis.
We had 100 years of memorabilia on display, which included our 1940s canning machine, bought and used to can surplus fruit for the war effort.
Along with wonderful refreshments, the evening finished with a hilarious WI skit from Mavis and Maud – our own Chris and Carol!
In November we had our Centenary dinner at the Corbett Arms. Many members and partners attended, and we looked very glamorous! Past presidents Carol Buxton and Jessica Pannett were there, along with County Chairman Bridget Thurgood. The speaker was Calendar Girl Tricia Stewart – funny and inspirational, she talked about the making of the calendar, the film and the trip to New York. President Sara was there against the odds, having had surgery that morning!
We have had a wide range of monthly meetings – a beetle drive; the amazing Victoria Graham talking about ‘The Biscuit Club’; crafting flowers from tights; Brian Smith from Blood Bikes; making glass jewellery; ‘Spirits of Shelton’; Platform Children of India; the Women’s Land Army and Graham Short’s ‘Hands of Genius’.
As well as our monthly meetings, we have had monthly meetups for coffee. A ‘Supper Club’ was started in 2024, visiting a local restaurant each month, initially to enable working members to come to mid-month social events. The August Supper Club was an evening trip on the Sabrina along the river Severn.
The walking group continued each month, despite Kandis’s indisposition due to her poorly ankle. For those who preferred a brisker walk around the Quarry, Sara started a monthly speed-walking group.
Our New Year Party saw the usual fantastic array of food, with entertainment by our home-grown acting troupe giving a murder mystery play.
Tanya hosted our August garden meeting. Members brought a bring-and-share supper to her house and garden and enjoyed the ‘music through the decades’ to accompany lots of chat.
Members went on a variety of SFWI outings and events, including the Annual Meeting at Theatre Severn – the main speaker being current Black Rod, Sarah Clarke. Gilli Booton was congratulated on becoming vice chair of SFWI and Gillian won the Coronation Cup in 2024 with her knitted ‘Jerusalem’ cushion.
WI Day took place in the Abbey again, and we had success in the competitions with two ‘seconds’. Several members attended the 2024 Annual Meeting at the Royal Albert Hall and others attended virtually.
On 10th December, 100 years since Bicton & Oxon WI was founded, we met in the Bicton Village Club and raised a glass to our WI. Still going from strength to strength, we remembered the ups and downs of the century and toasted the next one hundred years!
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