The Clifton Women's Institute

Well that was good, wasn't it? Lots of lovely women in hats, and many in costume - the AGM conducted in exactly 15 minutes - some lovely home-made food - and an amazing review of the first 100 years! More pics to follow.

We're looking forward to the review of the first 100 years of the WI, presented by a small group of Clifton members and directed by Amanda Webb and Gill Loates. As well as the entertainment there will be a nod to the Calendar Girls with an appropriate photo opportunity, so bring your camera for some fun pics of the evening. Bring a friend too! We encourage everybody to wear a hat of some sort - there will be a Hat Parade for those who wish to enter, and a prize for the best hat. And don't forget, we'll be serving a light buffet during the evening.

Patsy, who is a Trustee of this charity which befriends, feeds and entertains lonely elderly people in the Clifton area, reports that The Corner Club have been successful in getting onto Waitrose's Henleaze branch fundraising appeal for November, so we're hoping that members will collect lots of tokens to put in The Corner Club's box!

Last year's Christmas party was so successful that we've again booked the skittle alley at the Eastfield Inn, Henleaze, on Wednesday 16 December. As before we'll be organising a skittle tournament and there will be an excellent and generous buffet, all for £10 per person. We'll be taking bookings at the October meeting so please come with a £10 note ready for Lorna to sign you up!

Don't forget there's an Avon FWI Bursary up for applications, to attend the Avon weekend in April. Go over to the Denman page for details, applications close soon.

We have taken a stall at the Christmas Fair to sell cakes and produce and to recruit new members. We're appealing for contributions as well as assistance on the day.  So if you're making autumn pickles and chutneys, mincemeat or Christmas puddings, please make some extra for Clifton WI - and we'll be looking for offers of cakes (large and small), biscuits etc as well, or maybe you'll be baking some edible Christmas tree decorations ... ? WE NEED JARS (WITH LIDS) FOR JAMS, PICKLES AND CHUTNEYS   so please bring any you have to the October or November WI meetings for others to take home and fill. They just need to be washed, not sterilised at this stage.

October is AGM month, and Clifton WI is famous (notorious?) for speedy dispatch of the business. Once that's done and dusted - hopefully in ten minutes or so! - and you've charged your glasses, the fun bit begins. HATS ON FOR THE WI CENTENARY is a review written and performed by members of Clifton WI under the direction of Amanda Webb (founder member and past President of Clifton WI) and Gill Loates, who between them have been masterminding the annual Hotwells Panto and many other productions for quite some years. HATS ON FOR THE WI CENTENARY  is a hilarious account of a series of imaginary (and real!) WI meetings through the last 100 years. Despite the humorous treatment, we bring some real history in introducing some of the landmark WI campaigns and resolutions that have transformed women's lives over the years - some of which were quite inflammatory and well before their time, but eventually the world caught up with the WI and our campaigns were at last absorbed int...