On the 15th December the walking netball group had their final session before the Christmas break. Tinsel and Santa hats were the order of the day and we all had an enjoyable session to finish the year (and what a year!).
The group is going from strength to strength with numbers slowly creeping up. The overall standard of play has greatly improved and players have a greater understanding of the rules. The shooting has been really impressive and everyone has been successful in scoring goals. The joy on their face when a goal is scored is amazing!
The game is always good natured and fun and I’ve immensely enjoyed the group who are full of energy and humour. Thank you all for making it all happen. We look forward to the new year with enthusiasm. Special thanks go to Sue G who does all the boring stuff like collecting money and booking the venue, and also to Manuela who religiously washes the bibs each week and brings to extra balls to the sessions. Thank you so much.
If anyone would like to join us we start again on the 12th January 2022, 6-7pm at Arena Centre, Westloats Lane PO21 5JD, so come along!
As a WI by the sea, it’s inevitable that some members may swim. Our yearly swimming social was this year named A Dip and A Drink or Two. Gina once again invited us to her home on the prom in Felpham and members braved choppy waters to swim before enjoying Gina’s wonderful hospitality. The Foodbank also benefitted from generous donations of food and money.
Sue Harris
Here are a few photos of the event, more can be found in our photo album.
In summer 2018 a number of us attended ‘women go wild’ WI camp weekend in East Grinstead. We had a blast abseiling, hula hooping, zip lining , learning new things and making new friends, chatting and generally having a break. We vowed to continue our camping trips with the WI every year!
In 2019 a slightly different gaggle of us attended ‘Tents in Kent’ and, although we had a great time together, we spent the majority of it debating how we would have done it better, and we started planning what WE would do if we hosted a camp!
When we returned home, we set about finding a local – ish campsite that would accommodate a number of our Bognor Regis WI ladies, along with some crafting, talks, activities, walks and just general fun.
Jack found us Furzefield scout camp in Angmering. We knew it would be a perfect venue and we booked for a weekend in the summer of 2020!
Obviously, we all know what happened in the early part of 2020 and our camp, along with so many other plans, was postponed.
So over two years after our last WI camping experience, a small number of us met for a one night ‘test’ camp mid-week in August.
setting up our camp
Our original band of about 13 was reduced to 7 in the end. We were completely blessed by the weather and arrived Tuesday morning to a beautiful woodland scene with the floor dappled in sunlight and the sounds of nature all around us. The campsite is perfectly sectioned into a number of camping and social areas as well as having a car park, large open gazebo, camp fires, outdoor woodland church, toilets, shower and one plug! But that was all we needed.
We pitched our tents – expertly! Even though a couple of ladies hadn’t even done a dry run at home!
It was wonderful just to sit and relax, reacquainting, chatting and mixing with friends and having a cup of tea, courtesy of the one plug.
After lunch we went on a walk. Jan (who had been due to join us) had originally planned a walk and would have been proud of us (not) as we got completely lost and ended up having to squeeze ourselves through a barbed wire fence! We all escaped the landowner’s field unscathed and without being shouted at or arrested for trespassing (Gina was visibly disappointed.)
We rewarded ourselves after the (five – ish) walk with a trip to the pub for a drink while we waited for the fish and chips in the village.
Once we were back in camp, we ate our chippy tea, lit our camp fire and listened to music whilst roasting marshmallows and chatting. The beautiful day had turned into a stunningly clear night and through the trees we could see the stars before we settled down in our tents for bed.
When we woke up the next morning we had a continental breakfast courtesy of Jack, before we started to break camp and clear the site.
We had all agreed that we felt as though we had been on holiday even though we’d only been 11 miles from home for one night only.
We left with plans of future camping fun, getting back to nature, fully planned walks, workshops and relaxation for 2022’s camp and we hope you’ll join us there. I promise you all, one plug is enough!
As we approach our first winter zoom I am reminded of our zoom at the end of June.
Jen took us through transforming a plastic bottle into a brooch. An example of upcycling in true WI fashion.
Zoom proved an asset to this project which required a lighted tea light heating needles, and sharp scissors with no risk assessment required for the hall.
Five members of the BRWI walking group went for a walk on the 11th November. Due to technical difficulties, Manuela’s alarm didn’t go off, so we observed a two minute silence at 11:05. Jakki commented how looking at the English Channel, all she could think was “all those young Boys.”
We proceeded to walk towards Pagham beach, low tide, inspired by the natural beauty of the area as Ann looked longingly at the thistles which would be perfect for Sarah’s next art class.
Under Mandy’s expert map reading and Jan’s voice in our heads, reminding us to take care, we walked on to Haven Church Farm Holiday Village, where Jan used to dance in her youth.
The highlight of the walk was standing on the bridge of the Lagoon looking at the teenage swans, just look at the joy in Lorraine and Ann’s faces.
As we parted Lorraine observed “It was nice to have a walk and a chat.”
Another step towards normality when our WI attended the Remembrance Day Service.
The service was understandably not held last year and we were very proud to be able to take part in the service this year as one of the local community groups.
In true WI fashion our very talented secretary Jen Tompkins has crocheted and crafted our wreath,
Bognor Regis Women's Institute 