LONGWELL GREEN WI
It has been lovely to be able to get out and about on the sunny days we have had and the flowers in the gardens are looking very colourful.
We have had a busy time at Longwell Green WI. Our President attended the NFWI Annual meeting at the Royal Albert Hall in London and found it to be very moving with speakers talking of their experiences of domestic abuse. Also, with about 4,000 ladies singing Jerusalem it is definitely something to experience. The resolution put forward this year was Dental Health Matters and was passed with a 95% majority.
We have had some very interesting talks – Treading the Wards – a Nurse’s Tale by Lottie Dale. Lottie started her nursing career back in the 1960s at St Bartholomew’s Hospital when things were very different. It was interesting to compare then with how nursing has changed today.
We also had a talk from Katie Bell – Behind the Curtains at Bristol Hippodrome. A fascinating virtual video tour around the Hippodrome front of house and back stage. We shall certainly see the interior of the theatre in a different light when we next visit and look for all the nautical themed additions dating back to when the theatre was built in 1912.
Members have taken part in local and slightly further afield walks and some members enjoyed a visit to Windsor including a boat trip on the Thames.
We are now looking forward to our Summer Strawberry Lunch and are hoping for a sunny day for this get together.
We have lots of groups that our members can participate in. There are book clubs, walking groups, knitting group, skittles and social suppers. On the first Thursday of the month, we meet at The Chapel Coffee Shop in Longwell Green for Tea and Chat.
Longwell Green WI regular meetings are on the third Friday of the month at 7.30pm at Longwell Green Community Centre and new members are always welcome. If you are interested in visiting, please get in touch by email at longwellwi@gmail.com, telephone 0117 9864782 or come along on the meeting evening. We shall look forward to meeting you.
Linda Muller
Barrs Court Probus Club – Social Club for Retired Men
Since last writing our club has continued to be very busy. We have enjoyed a D-Day cruise (see photos) and we have tucked into pub lunches and a more formal meal marking our anniversary (28 years and still going strong). Our Wednesday meetings remain our core activity and men have enjoyed a diverse range of subjects ranging from life in the NHS to being a radio operator in the merchant navy at the time of Kennedy’s assassination. A quiz and recollections of South Africa in the 1970s have been other events.
In the next few weeks we have talks on coal, Devon and cycling across the Holy Land. Add to this more pub lunches, a day on the Severn Valley Railway, a week’s holiday in Yorkshire and another formal lunch in September and you can see how active we are.
Meanwhile our sister club for our ladies thrives also and they join in all of our activities except our Wednesday meetings.
Pop in and see what we get up to at Longwell Green Community Centre. Wednesdays 10.00 to 12.00. August meetings on 14th and 28th. Contact 0117 9324104
David Priddey
CLEEVE SINGERS
CLEEVE Singers’ 2023-2024 season came to an end with their summer concert on July 13.
Those who couldn’t attend missed an amazing treat, to hear the violin and piano playing of a very talented young musician, Conrad Van Wyk.
He also accompanied his young sister Amelia playing the recorder – another rising star.
Conrad, who is already at a concert pianist level, and Amelia were loudly applauded. A comment was “a good concert with two young people the icing on the cake”.
Conrad was pleased to play in support of Motor Neurone Disease, for which our summer raffle was run. This choice was a personal one for the choir, due to one of our bass men suffering from the disease.
To enable Cleeve to continue and maintain its standard we appeal to singers to join us in our music making.
We rehearse on Wednesday evenings at Lincombe Barn, with no auditions and two free trials. Contact the secretary via the choir Facebook page or email cleevesingers@gmail.com.
Patricia Holmes
CLEEVE SINGERS
BRISTOL u3a (East & North-East Bristol group) has a brand new painting and drawing group, which started in May.
Meeting monthly at Warmley Community Centre, members work on their own projects, with a break for tea and conversation.
Everyone is welcome to join, whatever their level of expertise, and any drawing or painting medium can be used.
To find out more, email janey.m.edwards@gmail.com.
Bristol u3a (you in your third age) is for anyone with some free time for themselves. There’s no lower age limit but most of our members are retired or semi-retired.
Once you’ve joined you’ll have access to over 150 interest groups across greater Bristol and around 25 local to East & North East Bristol.
Almost everything else is free (you’ll have to pay for personal expenses such as travel, refreshments etc).
Google “Bristol u3a” and you’ll find the full list of groups and how to join.
Bristol u3a has no staff and does not provide a service – everything is by ordinary members for other members. This means that very easy to get a new interest group started.Curious to find out more? If you are free on Wednesday August 21, from 2pm onwards, why not come along to the Bean Tree Café in Page Park, Staple Hill for an informal social?
We’ll have our Mӧlkky game with us (Finnish skittles, no skills required) and you’re welcome to join in or just watch and have a good laugh.
You’ll meet some existing members and have a chance to find out more about u3a, including what we’re up to in East & North-East Bristol.
You’ll also find us at the Warmley Flower Show on Saturday August 3.
Contact learnlaughlive@bristolu3a.org.uk to find out more about u3a.
LIndsay Gough