Village needs help

A CHARITY which has spent 30 years providing Ukrainian and Belarusian children with respite holidays to the UK is helping a Ukrainian village after the Russian invasion.

Formerly known as Chernobyl Children’s LifeLine, CCLL - The Helping Hand For Ukraine has partnered with the council in the Ukrainian village of Myrcha, around 60 miles north-west of Kyiv, which was occupied by Russian forces last year.

After being extensively bombed, shelled, and the location for tank battles, the village school and kindergarten were looted and damaged by retreating Russian forces.

CCLL's Bristol Link is currently providing emergency equipment along with a Wi-Fi hub, laptops and printers to help the 130 children’s education.

The next phase will be to restore the school buildings, and set up a psychological support unit to help the children to cope with the trauma of what they have experienced.

The charity has set up an online fundraiser at justgiving.com/page/ccll-myrcha-ukraine, to "help bring light into children's lives during these very dark times".

Coalpit Heath WI

VERNA Clifford gave us a fascinating talk about the life of a blind VIP - visually impaired person - at our June meeting.

She shared with us some of the gadgets she uses in everyday life, like the liquid level indicator and the touch dots she can put on the washing machine, so she knows which setting to use.

After her talk we are all on the hunt for crossing lights which have a rotating cone underneath. It was a interesting and entertaining talk.

The fence on the Badminton

Road has recently had a makeover. This year we have added birds made from recycled milk containers. These were made by members during our meeting. Fortunately, considering the hot weather, we chose a project that didn’t need to be watered over the summer!

The Book Club’s current read is Mr MacGregor by Alan Titchmarsh, which we will review in July. After this meeting, those attending will be able to suggest a book for the group to read next and one will be chosen at random each time.

There was lovely weather for the afternoon tour of Highgrove gardens, and it was pleasing that the wildflower meadow was starting to bloom.

Other members had a fabulous afternoon tea at the Vintage Birdcage.

Plans are in hand for a return trip at Christmas to Highgrove, and a local Christmas meal is also being provisionally booked.

If you fancy coming along and seeing what we have to offer, you would be most welcome.

We meet on the first Wednesday of each month in St Saviour’s church hall at 7.45pm.

Search @WICoalpitHeath on Facebook or @coalpitheathwi on Instagram to find out any further information and updates.

Our next meeting on July 5 features a talk from Briony May Williams on life after the Bake Off.

Caroline Johnston

Winterbourne Down WI

We held this month’s meeting in Jill’s beautiful garden, on a warm and sunny June evening.

Our president, Margaret, welcomed our two new members followed by a short business meeting and then our committee laid on canapés, cakes and strawberries and cream.

We then played games on the lawn, including pétanque.

Unfortunately we lost our semi-finals game of skittles against the very friendly Old Sodbury WI team, who are last year’s reigning champions. Good luck to them in the finals!

A number of us gathered at the Forge & Fern, a refurbished and renamed old pub in Staple Hill, where we sat on the patio being served coffee and cake by the very helpful staff.

We hold our monthly meetings at All Saints’ Church Hall on the first Thursday of the month at 7.30pm –all are welcome.

Our speaker on July 6 is Jenny Bowen, who will talk about ‘The King and his 15 wives’.

We are all very intrigued by this title, and are looking forward to Jenny’s talk.

Victoria Goodman

Winterbourne Evening WI

THE Resolution 'Clean Rivers for People and Wildlife' was passed at the WI annual conference in Cardiff by 4,007 votes to 742 – an outstanding majority in favour.

This, plus the recent newspaper reports on the heavy pollution of the River Frome, made us decide to visit the Wessex Water Recycling Centre at Charfield in August.

These wetlands are able to absorb microplastics, phosphorus and harmful bacteria, as well as providing a habitat for birds, plants, insects and other wildlife before releasing clean water into the rivers and sea.

On a lighter note, we enjoyed some needle crafting at this month’s meeting.

Using carded sheep’s wool, dyed black, orange, brown, yellow and white, we stabbed it with our needles into an outline traced on fabric until we all managed to make a most life-like bumble bee, complete with wings and legs.

Then we framed our little creatures and mounted them on cards.

A big ‘thank you’ to Amy Grimsby for teaching us so expertly.

Our next meeting on July 13 has Mark Steeds entertaining us with a talk on 'Mr Douglass comes to Town, at 7.30 pm at St Michael’s School in Linden Close.

Visitors are always welcome. Margaret

Grazebrook

Frampton Cotterell WI

AS we went to press, we were looking forward to a next talk and presentation at our June meeting from Tim Fussel from Fussels Fine Foods in Somerset.

His visit was to talk to us about the farming and production process for the range of rapeseed oils they produce, followed by a product tasting.

June was a busy month for members, as there has also been a visit to Acton Court and a trip to the Bristol Botanical Gardens.

Other confirmed events for the coming months include Crime and the Serial Killer, a talk by Rob Jones on July 25 and an afternoon cream tea at Tortworth Court, on a date to be confirmed in August.

We have many other events lined up for the coming year, including visits to the theatre, local gardens and other group trips, as well as plans for a murder mystery evening in the Autumn.

We also have a monthly lunch club, open to all members and held at a different local venue each time.

Visitors and new members are welcome to our monthly meetings at St Peter’s Hall on School Road at 7.45pm on the fourth Tuesday of the month.

There is a charge of £4 for the evening and any new members can also join by paying a membership fee.

In the meantime, if you’re interested in joining us, please get in touch via our Facebook page at FramptonCottWI.

Special interest groups that meet separately including a book club, craft group, gardening group and our skittles and darts teams.

Celebrate 10k's 10th birthday

THIS year the Watermore 10k will celebrate its 10-year anniversary, and we'd love to have your support.

The race will be on Sunday September 17.

All money raised goes directly to the school, to help pay for extra supplies and experiences for the children.

We hope to have all the usual activities alongside the race: games, BBQs, an ice cream van and our portable bar!

As it's our 10th anniversary, it's going to be a cake-filled celebration!

Please come along and support the event, be it taking part, standing on the street corner cheering on the runners or joining us for a celebratory beer after the race has finished.

We also have our famous rainbow run open for the children, taking place after the winners’ presentation.

Tickets to take pat in the 10k (over 16s only) and the Rainbow Run are on sale now, online at www.watermore10k.co.uk.

We sold over 50% of the tickets within the first 24 hours, so please be quick to sign up if you would like a place.

The is is the organising committee's last year before we hand the task onto a new team.

We are all volunteers and parents from the school, and are so excited to be able to organise the anniversary race.

Laura Thomas Race Director

A tribute to Midge

My late grandmother, Midge Dando, lived in Winterbourne for over 20 years. I'd like to share the poem I wrote for her funeral with readers who knew her.

We’d walk in country lanes, and spend time talking about our days. Comparing books we planned to read, have you heard of them, you’d ask me.

Yes, I’d say, and we’d talk some more, our gardens, the weather, am I keeping warm?

I’ve not really done much, you’d say and then recount all the social visits of your day.

You’ve got this dress you think I might like, never mind it’s about three sizes too tight.

I live in Clevedon now, and you know it well, you spent many years here, and have lots of stories to tell.

I remember days at the beach with you, when I was young, you took me to the museum, there was a competition I almost won.

We spoke on the phone, as the years went by, as I say this, I’ll try not to cry.

I’m not sure I told you enough, so I’ll tell you today, thank you for everything Gran, and I’m really sad you’ve gone away.

Lydia Dunford-Anderson