Welcome to Ashendon WI website
We are a lively group of women of all ages and from all walks of life. Our members are not only from the village of Ashendon but also Bicester, Calvert Green and Fleet Marston.
If you are looking for something new to do why not come and join us at our interesting & fun monthly meetings which are held on the 2nd Tuesday of the month in the village hall at 7.30pm.
It's an opportunity once a month for all ladies to enjoy each other's company. We even have a glass of wine on offer! We promise you will be welcomed warmly and will join a proactive WI where you will make new friends.
In February we learnt all about the origins and present day workings of the R.N.L.I.. This is a wonderful organisation and even though you may think somewhat remote to us as we are miles from the coast they are in fact almost on our doorstep being involved in many rescues on the Thames.
In March we heard about the northern part of Ethiopia with Jenny Edmans. This part of the country supports subsidence farming and the people are welcoming and friendly. They were delighted to show their culture and churches to visitors and the photographs we were shown gave us a real flavour of their lives.
Our meeting in April was titled "Technology Fathomed". Unfortunately we are all still at sea as the speaker was unable to make the meeting. However we had a quiz at hand which probably muddled our brains as much as computers!
Later in the month we had our Group Spring Meeting hosted this time by Oakley W.I. We were wonderfully entertained by 'Cantlos'. Two very talented musicians who played a variety of instruments and sang traditional songs with a Celtic flavour.
At the beginning of May the Buckinghamshire W.I. Annual Council Meeting was held at the Waterside Theatre. There were many inspirational speakers and the 'top billing' Gyles Brandreth was highly entertaining. Our own May monthly meeting is always the Resolution Meeting when we have the opportunity to discuss and vote on the resolutions being presented at the NFWI Annual Meeting held in June. This year the resolutions are on "alleviating loneliness" and "the harmful effect of micro plastics in the oceans". Both these subjects provoked a lively debate.
June is our surprise meeting open to members only. Our President, Susan Rand, organised the entire evening and no-one knew where we were going or what we would be doing. In the event we had a wonderful evening at Chilton Grounds Farm where our hostess, Diana Bird, spoke to us about her business providing soft furnishings. She also displayed her passion for British wool by talking about the many breeds of sheep whose wool has different properties and showed us how to card and spin a fleece. Results were mixed when we tried this! Finally the evening finished with a delicious meal provided by Sue and served in the farm garden on a beautiful summer evening.
The vist to London on July 18th took 12 ladies on a 'Suffragette' walk led by a Blue Badge Guide and resulted in a rendering of 'Jerusalem' outside Downing Street to an embarrassed policeman who had issued them with a challenge!!
Film nights continue on a regular basis. In April we showed 'My Old Lady' which was most entertaining and last month we have shown "Gypsy" the musical starring Imelda Staunton which really was a 'tour de force'. On July 20th we are showing 'A United Kingdom' , a true story from 1948.
Finally, we have several organised visits in the pipeline. We are due to visit Bletchley Park, Aylesbury County Court and tour the London Sewers.
Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 12th September when we will be hearing about '40 Years of Catching Smugglers' with Malcolm Nelson and all are welcome.
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The Ladies Singing 'Jerusalem' Outside Downing Street during the Suffragette Walk in July
June Surprise Night
Greetings from Ashendon WI - making flower posies for the ladies of the Village
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Dinner at The Long Dog January 2017
Enjoying a Committee Meeting - June 2016
BFWI Walk in Westminster with a Blue Badge Guide and the Suffragettes
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Fund Raising for Denman College at Hill Farm
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Blewbury Manor Gardens
The Poppy Factory at Richmond
NFWI Annual Meeting Brighton
Visit to Ray Meadows BBOWT Heritage Site
An Evening at the Chilton Estate - June Surprise Meeting
Visit to the Royal Hospital Chelsea - March 2016
Christmas with Ashendon WI
Making Corn Dollies
Ashendon WI Visits Broadcasting House:
The 2015 BFWI Co-Operative at the Buckinghamshire County Show:
This year the theme was 'A WI Inspiration' and the Ashendon Ladies chose to highlight the campaign to save the Bees. The ladies worked hard with knitting, crochet, baking, flower arranging, jam making and accessorising. Our entry came second by 1/2 a point!!!
The 2015 WI Centenary Celebrations: The WI was founded in Anglesey in 1915 and after 100 years we are celebrating in Ashendon!! The flower 'Parterre' has been planted outside the church gate and our members have been present at the Centenary Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, the Centenary Annual Meeting at the Albert Hall and the Buckinghamshire Federation celebration at Waddesdon Manor. The WI Centenary Baton visited Buckinghamshire and Ashendon WI was involved in welcoming it to Winslow in 'Ethel', the 1937 Morgan driven by Geoff. We also visited the Judges Lodgings in Aylesbury for our June meeting which event was kindly hosted by the Chairman of Bucks County Council, Bill Chapple OBE and his wife, Sue.
The Centenary Flower Display
Ethel with the WI ladies at Winslow
Dressed for the Palace
Ashendon Ladies on site at the EFW Plant
On 4th August Ashendon WI made a site visit to the EFW plant at Calvert. The visit was very informative as well as being enjoyeable and we think we now feel a little more comfortable with the prospect of this huge operation so close to our village.
The Ladies in the Telegraph Media Offices
On August 3rd Ashendon WI took a bus up to London and spent the morning at the Palace of Westminster touring the Houses of Commons and the Lords and being guided through the history of the Palace courtesey of John Bercow, our MP. We also visited the Speakers House which was fascinating.
After lunch we walked (or taxied) down to Victoria Station for a private visit to the Telgraph Media Offices and we learnt a lot about how modern multi media journalism works.
ashendonwi@outlook.com
