Centenary Celebrations

 

Poringland WI Celebrate.

Poringland WI members celebrated Centenary plus 1 in style with lunch at Dunston Hall.  This was our first full gathering for 18 months and 39 members and invited guests were welcomed with a glass of wine or soft drink on the terrace before sitting down to lunch in the bunting bedecked La Fontaine room.  There was a lot of catching up, with chatter and happy smiling faces.   We were especially pleased to welcome Margaret Collingwood ,

not only was it her birthday (yes we did sing) but her own WI garden party, in her garden!  After lunch members watched a photo montage of WI events from the past before being entertained by the Black Cats Saxophone Quartet. 

The group got all our feet tapping, and a few members dancing, to tunes from Ragtime to the Beatles.  There was much light hearted repartee and a singalong session caused some hilarity.  Hiring the group was inspired by the early days of Our WI, when they would be regularly entertained by a local jazz band at social events:

In 1924, ‘A Social and Dance took place in the Parish Hall in aid of the Local Funds – and a very pleasant evening was spent thanks to the Jazz Band and other performers.  Clare and Margaret spent the morning in beautifying the Room with flags borrowed from Rev H Smelt of Brooke.’ In 2021, Pam and Lesley spent the evening before decorating the room with Centenary bunting made by the members.

1924, ‘Mrs Page very kindly gave the Doll for Competition.  Mrs Mitchell the sweets, Mrs Burgess the Cake – all the members contributing to the refreshments an ample amount being forth coming’.  Expenses came to the grand sum of £1/18/6 which included hire of the hall, prizes, lemonade and sweets.  

This year, Pam kindly donated the cake made by Nina, I donated compensation from Denman to pay for the band, and Dunston hall kindly allowed us the use of the room free of charge.  The cost of the event was rather more than £2, but a good time was certainly had by all.

 

 

 

August Newsletter

 

Poringland Newsletter August 2021

 

Hi everyone, In July our walk took us around Bergh Apton from the church through woodland and over what was once a landfill area but is now a pleasant open space and what we don’t always get, a seat at the farthest point with a view back to the church and across the valley towards Brooke.  Once again we were lucky with the weather as the heavy rain held off until we were safely in Green pastures for lunch Posers by the dancing men sculpture, relic of one of the Bergh Apton Sculpture Trails.

Dear All
It’s PARTY TIME. Get out your best bib a tucker (whatever that is)and don a bit of bling, it’s a long time since we have had the opportunity to dress up, so I hope you will all go for it and put on a good show.

Just a reminder of the agenda for Dunston Hall lunch on August 18th.

Arrive at 12:30 for 1pm lunch, welcome drink and pick up your place card, to select your table

The room is booked until 6:30pm and we are hoping to have live music, so we do hope you will be enjoying yourselves so much you will be able to stay.  If the weather is kind you can sit outside, or take a stroll around the gardens.

Hopefully you all have lifts as I have only made arrangements for 2 people to be picked up.

All that is left to do now are last minute WI decorations to be delivered and last minute arrangements and trust that everything goes fine on the day, menu’s have been checked 4 times but I am still keeping my fingers crossed you all get the correct food.

Carry on taking care so we can all be together to celebrate 100+ years.

See you all soon.

Pam.

And what other events are coming up?  For those of you who cannot make our Tuesday morning walks, we thought we would reinstate the Wednesday afternoon sessions once each month. 

Next date is Wednesday 2pm on 11 August outside the Community Centre, either to have a stroll around, or sit and chat, weather permitting, or if the cafe is open have a cuppa.

The next Tea/coffee pm is on Wednesday 25 August 2pm in the Oak or in the garden.

 Our next mornng walk will be Tuesday 14 September.  Venue in September Newsletter.

Next and first WI meeting will be on Wednesday 8 September 7.30pm when the speaker will be Cindy Brooks on her journey to British Citizenship.  Many of you will remember Cindy as Federation Secretary, and she was also a member of our WI for several years.

If like me you had a sort out during lockdown, I know the charity shops have been over whelmed by the amount of clear out items everyone has been trying to get rid of, but I hope you have saved some of your  items for our jumble sale which hopefully we will be able to hold on 22 October.

Birthdays for August

Happy Birthday to Ann Beckett Nina, Judith, Joan Porter

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Federation Events are getting started- its all systems go!  See Save the Date for full list

Nosh and Natters are restarting in August – first Friday of the month at HQ on All Saints Green.  Phone Helen on 01603 634580 for details/availability

Garden Get Together – Fairhaven Woodland and Water Gardens Tuesday 7 September

Bridge Day Wednesday 15 September, and Canasta Day Tuesday 26 October -  both in the office.

Jigsaw races in the Office Tuesday 14 Sept  5pm, Saturday 16 October 1.30pm,  Light supper/afternoon tea included.

Murder Mystery Evening Hempall Village Hall Friday 8 October 7.30pm £15.  Ploughman’s supper included.  Individual or group bookings.

Singles scrabble Afternoon at the office Friday 22 October 12.30 – 4pm £6.

Craft Day at Bacton –Saturday 23October 10am – 3pm, take a packed lunch. Craft workshops on Sashiko (embroidered notebook), Cards, Fabric Art, Sweet making.  £20.

For newer members, the Office is Evelyn Suffield House on All Saints Green (near to John Lewis)       Contact me for more information or application form if you areinterested in any of these.  Lesley

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Quotes from VanGogh –

Be clearly aware of the stars and infinity on high, then life seems almost enchanted after all.

For my part, I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream. 

I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night. 

We have nature, art and poetry, if that is not enough, what is enough?

Rhyme Time quiz. 

The Idea, but not the questions, pinched from Richard Osman’s House of Games.

It’s simple - The questions are in pairs, and the answers rhyme!

1a           what an elephant has. 1b           Sailors sleep on one. 2a           A Salmon 2b           A Bowl 3a           A ruler 3b           A Gold band. 4a           The head of a City Council 4b           A strata of rock. 5a           a digit 5b           to hang around 6a           Part of the hands 6b           a book of the Bible

7a           Hole in rock 7b           Rescue 8a           Elizabeth 1 was reputedly 8b           A fish 9a           Composer 9b           We are all 10a         a nomad 10b         an English Port 11a         Fat school boy 11b         Prowling lion 12a         Hot weather cooler 12b         Comic book character

 

July Newlsetter

Poringland Newsletter July 2021

Dear All

Thankfully the weather has been kinder the last 2 weeks and several members have met up for a walk or chat outside the Community Centre.  (Pam wrote this before the weather turned back to autumn!)

Unfortunately we are unable to meet inside the CC for our meeting on 14 July as we could only have 6 people together and unless there is an announcement before July 19th we will still be limited on amount of people meeting inside. 

Dunston Hall Lunch August 18th

Please can you contact me asap on 01508 491674 if you did not receive a menu for the above event, I sent a copy either by email or I delivered a printed copy to your house during the last 2 weeks.  If you are still deciding on your choices can you please do so and send back to me as soon as possible.  If any of our members require transportation to get to Dunston Hall and home after please let me know and I will try and arrange a lift for you.

In the June newsletter I asked if any members were interested in me arranging a private viewing to a Garden in Shotesham, as only 3 members contacted me to say they were interested I am sorry to say I will not be organising this event.

In March Jeanette sent me a photo of her dad with his card for his 100th birthday, I thought it would be a lovely story for our newsletter so Jeanette kindly sent me the following for you all to enjoy and congratulate him.

Pam

Clifford (Cliffy) Bardwell, my lovely dad.

Here are two photos, one when Cliffy had just turned 19 years in April 1939 joining the Army and when he turned 100 on March 15th 2021.  Dad is the eldest of 11 siblings, many have passed away now. He met my mother in 1946 on a blind date in De Haan, Belgium.  He married my mum in De Haan, she became a British citizen and moved to uk.

During the war he served in Germany, France, Italy and Africa.  During those years he was an army medic, and became a fitness instructor.
He built the house which he has lived in since the early 70’s.  He was a self employed builder and bought this very old two up, two down cottagein Happisburgh and transformed it into a 3 bedroom house.  It was supposed to be a project to sell but my mum liked it so they moved from council housing in Norwich to their own home.  In recent years he gave up driving and I bought him a road worthy mobility scooter.  He goes up the lane with his dog Roxie, neighbours smile when they see him go for his little trips.  He truly is a remarkable man.

 Jeanette.

Birthdays this month

Happy Birthday to Zelia, Shirley Gray and Pauline Sharpe

Events off:

I apologise for raising expectations about starting singalong and scrabble days, Pam Lack suddenly remembered that we would be breaking regulations by starting before further restrictions are lifted.  Will start again in September.

EVENTS ON:

 

You are welcome to join the following groups.  Contact Lesley (492155) if you are interested:

Gym.  taking place each Thursday pm, as energetic as you want to make it.

Darts evenings first and third Tuesday evening 7.30pm in the back room at the Oak

10 pin bowling jolly sessions – second and fourth Friday morning 10am at Namco in Bowthorpe.

Tea and Chat afternoons at the Oak next date is 2-4pm Wednesday 28 July.

 

The next walk will take place at 11am on Tuesday 27 July – why not join us for a gentle stroll round Bergh Apton, optional extra of lunch at Green Pastures, contact Lesley or Pam for meeting instructions.

The walking group in June we had a pleasant stroll around Dunston Common and the large field on the opposite side of the river Tas from Caistor Camp.  This is planted with a sea of colourful wildflowers – a lovely sight.  I set a challenge to the party to count the number of different flowers they could spot, they came back with a total of 26 different varieties, luckily I didn’t ask for identification!  After the walk we enjoyed lunch in Joan’s garden, fish and chips from the Stoke chippy and pudding supplied by Pam.  Why not take a stroll there yourself from the Car park at Caistor you can walk over the bridge, and the field is worth a look.

FEDERATION EVENTS:

Sunday 1 August 10am – 3pm.  Evelyn Suffield House, All Saints Green.  Walking Treasure hunt £3 per team and Free open day to welcome members back, family and friends welcome

Saturday 21 August: rededication of The Harnser Wood at Elsing that we helped to plant in 2000.  Unveiling of a new plaque and time to enjoy a stroll and picnic.

Wednesday 15 September BridgeDay and Tuesday 26 October Canasta Day – Lesley has the flyer if you are interested.

18 to 22 January 2022 at the Theatre Royal – The N&N Operatic Society present the Sound of Music.  10% discount for group bookings, so let Hilary know if you would like to attend.

Plant update

How have your bee friendly plants grown?  I would love to see a picture.  I have a large pot full including the first thing that flowered which looked like rapeseed, then came Corn Marigolds, cornflowers in various shades, something I think is called Mayweed with feathery leaves and daisylike flowers and just this weekend a couple of field poppies opened.   I scattered the remaining seeds around the Shotesham rd and Carr lane area. 

I have lost count of the number of little Oak trees I am growing – at least 24.  Plus a couple of birch and hazel trees that just sprouted in the garden and I didn’t like to kill them.

Answers to June quiz. 

If you didn’t know the answers, then some dates may surprise you.

1      The D Day landings took place 1944 2      The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth ll  1953 3      Coronation of Queen Victoria 1838 4      Prince William was born  1982 5      Fred Astaire died  1987 6      Research established smoking causes lung cancer.  1957 7      Credit cards were introduced 1966 8      Pedestrian crossings with Belisha beacons first installed.  1952 9      We had a Referendum about staying in Common Market. 1975 10   Female ministers first ordained in Methodist church.  1970

11   Alcohol limits introduced for drivers.  1965 12   Third class carriages abolished on trains.  1956 13   Cash machines introduced.  1967 14   Billy Butlin died aged 80.  1980 15   Superman first appeared on screen.  1978 16   A Pope visited Poland for first time.  1979 17   TV licence was introduced in Britain.  1946 18   Charles Dickens died.  1870 19   Work began on Christopher Wren’s St Paul’s Cathedral.   1675 20   Thomas Becket was consecrated as Archbishop of Canterbury.  1162