Bicton & Oxon WI Centenary: 1924-2024

Monthly Meetings

Bicton & Oxon WI had a wide range of speakers over the decade.

These included speakers on local subjects: the Wenlock Olympics; Jessica Pannett on summer perennials – hostas in particular; the best of Shropshire heritage and landscapes, and Martin Wood’s ‘have bell, will yell’ – an entertaining evening with our local town crier.

There were speakers on charities and issues: Penny Butler of The Movement Centre with ‘an interesting insight into her work with disabled children’ and Joy Blizzard of Love Food Hate Waste – ‘She gave us much food for thought about food waste and some frightening statistics’ – and again one on Rubbish Campaigns. Steve Worrall from Operation Sabre – a small charity who deliver fire engines to Romania with other supplies – had a big impact and members helped supply items to be taken to Romania.

We had travel talks including villager Roy Bound who gave an interesting talk about his time on a South Georgia whaling station – ‘we now know why he won't go on a cruise!’  then Hazel Griffiths, a self-confessed  cruise-oholic on how she came to be a cruise port speaker.  

There were arts and crafts – John Parkinson ‘professed to know nothing about art but kept us laughing and mesmerised as the painting of mountains and lake took shape using the Bob Ross technique’; Sue Mellor brought tools and materials to teach us to make a necklace and ring ‘quite a fiddly job, the local jewellers need not fear a drop in trade!’; Julia Baron gave a fascinating talk and demonstration on creating scrapbooks for family and events; Sarah Evans spoke on Silk Painting, and ‘all members were able to contribute to painting a silk scarf in beautiful shades of pink, blue and purple, won by Elizabeth in a raffle much to the envy of all others!’; Malcolm Whittall provided an entertaining evening trying to turn our members into cartoonists, and we all tried making Christmas flower arrangements – as Elizabeth and Ann in this photo.

We had speakers on pampering and fashion such as Neal's Yard on stress and sleep – ‘we were all relaxed by the diffuser before we started!’; Kerry Mason of Thighs the Limit gave an entertaining evening on tights and legwear ‘and ably demonstrated getting them on and off with her display leg’; Professor Lalage Bown talked on the fabrics and fashions of Africa, and members modelled various outfits.

Other varied speakers were Peter Dunhill talking about his great aunt Peggy’s 1915 diary together with photos from the time; Sam Gray on Doing it in Wellies telling us about her smallholding of Soay sheep, British lop pigs and chickens; Professor Simon Leather on ‘Aphids are fab!’; Idris Evans on the Cattle Drovers of North Wales ‘who kept members and visitors enthralled and amused’ and Chris Davies of the Weird and Wonderful Cheese Company – ‘we had copious amounts of the wonderful cheese to sample’.

Not all speakers were quite so good – in 2016 a speaker came from Wyevale Garden Centre ‘he planted up a hanging basket, giving us hints and tips as he went. He was not best prepared, and luckily he brought his brush and dustpan! It is fair to say that our speaker was not up to our usual WI standards’. We later received a £15 Wyevale voucher.

There were beetle drives and members’ poetry evenings ‘poems varying from classics by Hardy and Masefield, the serious war poetry of Wilfred Owen's, to amusing poems including the sequel to 'Stanley and the Lion' and Pam Ayers’ take on '50 Shades of Grey'! It was a relaxed evening with much laughter’.

In both January and December 2010 there was no meeting due to extreme wintry weather. In July 2010 – usually a garden meeting –we met in the village hall with a last-minute speaker from the Coalport Museum demonstrating porcelain flowers. ‘With so many members away on holiday or having other commitments, it was a very select band of 6 who sat down for the meeting’.

Social half hour and ‘extras’

During the 2010s, the July meeting was usually held in a member’s garden. In 2013, ‘we adjourned to Margaret's garden and enjoyed the opportunity to chat while the kettle boiled. We all brought refreshments, to the usual high standard and Margaret entertained us with a quiz of 'Know your man'.

In 2014, the garden meeting was at the home of Rose Overton. ‘Members enjoyed wandering through the garden and field and looking at the pool while attempting Ivan's quiz about the garden’. The 2018 garden meeting was at the home of Gilli Booton. ‘The weather was fantastic and we enjoyed the garden with goats, ducks and chickens’. There was a competition for our starters-and-canapés-recipe for the Shropshire Federation centenary recipe book. ‘We had an excellent array of entries, and we all enjoyed tasting to decide our favourite – Margaret won with her cheese sables’.

In August 2015 there was an outing to Derwen Garden Centre. Carol Doyle gave an excellent talk followed by afternoon tea. Carol invited us, wearing our hats, to her garden, and we went there the next year for our June meeting. Here we are looking splendid in hats!

Viv Marsh of Praise Bee was due to talk to us in 2017. He was unable to attend the meeting but gave details of the campaign to increase mason bees. We installed a nest-box on the church, with permission. Members were invited to his nursery at Walford Heath for our July meeting to see his bee-friendly plants.

2014 saw Bicton & Oxon’s 90th birthday. For the first time, the foundation of our WI was given in Shropshire Federation’s Yearbook as 10th December 1924, rather than just 1925, and so the celebration took place in 2014. The anniversary dinner was in November, at the Wroxeter Hotel. Calendar Girl Moyra Livesey was the after-dinner speaker and there was excellent coverage of the evening in the Shropshire Magazine. Past Presidents Mary Fowles, Carol Buxton, Jessica Pannett, Tricia Jones and Janis Crake attended. Here is Mary cutting the anniversary cake with President Margaret Keighley.

For the birthday December meeting we had a champagne reception with cava, orange juice and nibbles and displayed Bicton & Oxon WI memorabilia. Ann collected our 95th birthday certificate at the Annual Meeting in 2019.

The Committee and Formalities

In 2012, Bicton & Oxon WI had 22 members, 28 by 2019. Subs were £30 in 2011 increasing to £39 in 2017.

The average cost of speakers in 2011 was £41, ranging from £20 to £57. In view of the rising costs of speakers, it was agreed to charge 50p per person to cover tea and a raffle ticket. There was no charge for visitors as Gift Aid was in place, but a donation of £3 was suggested.

A major change took place in 2011 – rather than being hand-written in minute books, minutes were recorded by computer, and copies kept in loose-leaf folders. Digital communication was used increasingly over the decade within our WI and from SFWI and NFWI.  From 2013 a Bicton & Oxon WI newsletter was provided to members by email or hard copy in June and December and monthly posters pinned on the WI board in the village hall. We created a Facebook page and a website. The new data protection rules meant that we had personal information and photo consent forms. Committee members had ‘fit & proper person declarations’ to sign. We were soon receiving an email version of the Shropshire news each month as well as paper copies. Shropshire Federation decided that we should have a clear policy on allergens so we had a list of allergens to be completed for any event where we provide food, apart from monthly meetings. From 2018, members’ name badges were available at each meeting.

In 2010, Ann retired as Treasurer and the role passed to Sue Pearson. At the 2011 Annual Meeting Jean stood down as secretary. Cathy Swan joined the committee after a plea for more members and was welcomed as the new secretary, with the hand-over of the secretarial briefcase. 13 members attended the 2012 Annual Meeting and Margaret was elected President. In 2015 Margaret stood down as President and Tricia was elected.

A short discussion took place in 2010, on whether to continue to sing ‘Jerusalem’ at each meeting. ‘Tradition won the day and a show of hands indicated to continue as usual but to try to sing in a lower key’. In 2015, a possible name change of Bicton & Oxon to Bicton WI was discussed. The members voted against pursuing the change. Following a request from SFWI in 2018 the date of our annual meeting was changed to October.

Also in 2018, there was a discussion on how to support ACWW – Associated Women of the World – and it was agreed that instead of a themed competition each month, there would be a competition of  ‘a flower stem from my garden’. Members would vote by placing a coin of at least 5p by their favourite, and the proceeds would go to the ACWW Pennies for Friendship fund. Also, if a member did not want her share from the trading stall, it would go to ACWW. However, in 2019 it was discussed again and decided to revert to themed competitions rather than flowers.

Bicton & Oxon had various items of WI crockery taking up room in the cupboard, which were no longer used. After looking at various options of selling it, in 2017 much of the crockery was sold through Facebook to various individuals and WIs across the country. Including those bought by our members, we received £57 which was sent to Shropshire Women’s Refuge.

Outings

Outings took place each August instead of a meeting. These included The British Ironworks with the highlight of the Knife Angel sculpture; Hampton Court Castle and Gardens; Chillington Hall; Mulberry Alpacas; Fordhall Farm and chocolate making and tasting at Glansevern. In 2015, there was an evening trip on the Sabrina, with a meal at Paolo’s. Here we are at Stokesay Court in 2012.

However, the most memorable outing was the 2013 visit to Upton Cressett, home of Bill Cash. It won’t be forgotten easily and led to us featuring in the Daily Telegraph. Mr Cash had double-booked us with a Townswomen’s Guild group. One of their ladies needed the loo but his public toilets were locked so she used the house toilet and shut the front door when she came out. Disaster – Mr Cash and his staff were locked out, he had to get in through a window then lost his temper... The full saga can be read on our occasional blog.

Christmas Dinners and New Year Party

The New Year parties continued each January. The 2010 party ‘had been a success with the usual delicious food and a couple of challenging quizzes’. Entertainment was provided by ‘Of One Accord’; harpist Eleri Lloyd; and magicians Sonny and Jack Dent. Here is a typical new year spread!

The 2011 Christmas meal at the Football Club was a success. ‘The meal was good and service excellent, and the complementary bottles of wine appreciated although the room was a little cosy’. On other occasions the meal was at the Four Crosses, and Yockleton Arms, Radbrook College and The Bothy at Hadnall.

People

Several members died during the decade and a minute’s silence was kept for them – former President Connie Davies, former secretary Jean Brown, members Gladys Emberton, Marjorie Sernberg, Rosemary Boliver and Brenda Fone.

In 2017 Mary Fowles reached 90 and a birthday card painted by Mary Buckle was sent from our WI members.

Shrewsbury West Group, Shows, SFWI and NFWI

Bicton & Oxon took part in the Group activities each year.

In 2013,  the speaker was Dorothy Nicholl on Shropshire Oddities. The competitions were a humorous home-made get-well card; a 7" coffee and walnut Victoria sandwich cake with decorated top and a basket of flowers not to exceed 24” by 24” on the theme ‘Autumn Glory’. We came joint first with Yockleton ‘thanks to Tricia, Ann Malpass and Janis’. We were in charge of the tombola in 2014, with a chocolate theme – the spare chocolate was sent to the Refuge.  Tricia’s lemon curd came first in 2018.

The overall opinion of the 2017 meeting was ‘a shambles!’. The guest speaker, auctioneer Charles Hanson, cancelled at the last minute ‘putting his substitute (an auctioneer colleague), under a lot of pressure. He travelled from Derbyshire and his talk on decorative artefacts left a lot to be desired. The limit of 100 was exceeded, 122 turned up making savoury refreshments a bit thin on the ground, although there was plenty of cake.  A faulty tea urn tripped the electricity off, so urgent attention was required at the fuse box delaying our tea making.  A few more offers of help from members, not just the committee, would have allowed everyone to participate in the evening more’.

Members enjoyed various events and outings provided by SFWI. There was a Driving with Confidence course; oil painting workshop; a sherry tasting evening; a Polish evening; Port Sunlight; the Salopian Sleepover; Morris dancing workshop; Birmingham Jewellery Quarter and Christmas market, and Hat Museum and Staircase House in Stockport among many others.

The Annual Council Meeting at Theatre Severn was always worth attending, with interesting speakers. Martin Bell, Giles Brandreth and Christine Walkden were some of the speakers during the 2010s. For the 2015 meeting hats featured again as members were asked to wear hats – and here are Bicton & Oxon’s members in their finery.

SFWI continued with fundraising ‘Dinners with…’ including Jenny Bond and Jane Robinson. The office moved from Claremont Bank to Abbey Foregate.

In 2010, Shropshire WI were invited to exhibit at the Flower Show. The WI had a dedicated marquee and Bicton & Oxon were soon regular stewards and exhibitors in the competitions.

In 2016, we were well represented with 9 entries in total with Carol winning 1st prize for her savoury tart, Mary coming joint 3rd for her painting, and Cathy coming 2nd for her photograph. By 2017 Carol was part of the SFWI organising committee.

The NFWI centenary was in 2015, and there was a WI Buckingham Palace Garden Party on 2nd June. Both Tricia and Sue Cooper attended on our behalf. Carol attended the National Annual Meeting at the Royal Albert Hall and three members attended the Centennial Fair in Harrogate. We planted our Centenary tree, a crimson spectre acer, in the corner of the Bicton playing field. Ten years later, it is flourishing.

In 2019, members attended the SFWI centenary Tea for Two at Concord College – ‘A delicious tea, good company and great to be part of a chapter in Shropshire WI history’.

Bicton & Oxon proposed a resolution in 2013 to ban Chinese lanterns. This was backed by Shropshire WI and went forward to National Federation but unfortunately it did not make the shortlist.

NFWI resolutions were discussed and voted on. We agreed on resolutions on clearer labelling of food products to indicate country of origin; encouraging organ donation; avoid food waste and avoid food poverty; appropriate care in hospitals for people with dementia; alleviating loneliness and plastic soup.

Involvement in local & national affairs

We sponsored a Christmas Tree for the Bicton Church Christmas tree festival in 2013 and decorated it on the theme of 90.

As from 2013 the December competition was for gifts for mothers and children at the Church Stretton refuge, rather than gifts for the elderly.

Members were knitting twiddlemuffs – knitted muffs with items attached to keep dementia patients’ hands active and busy. Meanwhile, Elizabeth was knitting blankets for Nepal.

The wider WI

On 1st January 2010, the new WI logo was launched. Out went the familiar tree, and in came a neat ‘WI’ with the strap line ‘inspiring women’.

As ever, a wide range of resolutions were brought to the NFWI Annual Meetings and the campaigns were used for the following years.

The More Midwives campaign was launched after the 2012 AGM. Working with the National Childbirth Trust, the NFWI talked to 5,500 women about their maternity experiences and used this information to push for improvements in care for pregnant women and their families and action on staffing gaps. Since the launch of the campaign, new guidance has been commissioned on safe staffing for maternity.

Following the SOS for Honeybees campaign, the government launched the National Pollinator Strategy, a major action plan, in 2014.

Other resolutions tackled the decline of our high streets and the damaging effect this has on local communities; raising awareness of the causes and impact of loneliness; raising awareness of the importance of cervical screening and stopping the accumulation of microplastic fibres in our oceans.

Snailbeach WI proposed this resolution in 2016 – ‘The WI calls on all supermarkets to sign up to a voluntary agreement to end waste, thereby passing surplus food onto charities thus helping to address the issue of increasing food poverty in the UK’.