Women's Club News Archive 2014-2017
- Women's Club 45th Anniversary (2015)
Photo Gallery - (Link not working on www.helmdon.com)
Make A Christmas Table Centre Decoration – posted 14 November 2017
Our own Lynn Walmsley is going to show us how to make a Christmas table centre decoration... so a fun and creative evening for us all
Please bring a small bowl ...so you can create your own decoration to take home
Membership
If you were not able to attend last month's AGM please bring along your cheque books so you can renew your membership and get the programme for next year events.
Christmas Party Dinner 13th December 7.30pm
We have booked the Saracens Head in Towcester in a private Room.
Please sign up if you would like to join us. I need £5 to secure the booking which I need to collect at this month's meeting
We will have a choice of menu for you to choose from which will be circulated at the meeting
If you cannot attend the November meeting but want to come to the Christmas party dinner please email me.
Theatre Trip
Sue has organised a half price theatre trip to see Mamma Mia on Thursday 25th January 2018 at Northampton. This irresistibly funny show has been thrilling audiences all around the world and now the party continues in Northampton, so there's never been a better time to see this unforgettable musical. Whatever age you are, you can't help but have the time of your life at MAMMA MIA!
Price £26.50
Please sign up and let Sue have your money at this month's meeting to secure this great deal.
Sad News
It is with great sadness that Ann Harman has passed away after a short illness. A much loved and respected lady, a great loss to all in the village.
Our condolences to her husband Jack and her family
AGM Reminder – posted 13 October 2017
Just a quick reminder it is that time in the year for our Annual General Meeting.
The club's AGM will take place at the Reading Room Wednesday 18th October at 8pm
Please bring along your cheque books so you can renew your membership and get the programme for next year events.
This year we have had some sporadic attendance at some of the meetings but we really do need all our members both current and lapsed to come to the AGM meeting next Wednesday.
It will give us an opportunity to discuss the future of our club so we can keep it going to reach the 50th Anniversary.
We also need to make a final decision on Christmas and elect committee members as well as the usual Chairman's, Secretary and Treasurer reports
The meeting will be followed by a light supper and refreshment ... pate, cheese, salad, bread, wine and soft drinks.
Look forward to seeing you all there...All Welcome
Angela Goodall
(On behalf of the Committee)
Bottles Wanted For The Fete – posted 17 June 2017
BOTTLES BOTTLES BOTTLES...WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT THIS MONTH
The Church Fete is on 1st July and we need your bottles ...please help us raise money this year at the Women's Club bottle stall... so please can you bring your bottles of alcohol, soft drinks, bubble bath, olive oil, or anything else that comes in a "bottle" as well as attractive bottle / gift bags to this Wednesdays meeting
DATE FOR YOUR DIARY SUMMER BBQ...JULY 19th at Angela Goodall's House...Richard on the bbq
May Meeting On Wednesday 17 May: Silk On Sundays – posted 16 May 2017
Yvonne Bell is a Christian artist whose speciality is painting onto silk. She designschurch vestmentswith painted silk panels. She paints banners, chasubles, stoles, copes, mitres, lectern and pulpit falls and altar cloths. She will be giving a talk and bringing a variety of hand painted items to pass round. She has many stories of past commissions which promise to be both interesting as well as amusing.
Angela Goodall
February Talk & Other Matters - posted 6 February 2017
David Willats on Anaesthesia - past, present and future.
It promises to be really interesting so please come and join us at the Reading Rooms on Wednesday 15th February. Doors open from 7.30 pm for a prompt 8.00 pm start.
Theatre Trip
Sue is organising a trip to Northampton Royal to see " Death of a Salesman" on Thursday 20th April, cost £20.
Please check your diaries and put your name down on the list that will be circulated on Wednesday 15th February.
Nearly New Books for Northampton General
Please bring along to the next meeting any paperback books you are finished with that we can donate to the hospital for their mobile reading library.
Saving The Horton Hospital
As many of you know Horton Hospital near Banbury is threatened with extensive cuts in the near future, leading to the closure of its A&E unit, the specialist Maternity unit, the special Baby Care unit, Children's ward and its Intensive Care facilities. For all these needs, residents of Banbury and local villages would have to drive over 40 minutes to hour to the John Radcliffe in Oxford.
There is a supporters group trying to prevent this but they need funds and more supporters. Sue will talk to us about this at the next meeting on how we can help. See attached which lists some of the things we can do like writing to our local councillors / MP.
Look forward to seeing you all at the next meeting.
Angela Goodall (on behalf of the committee)
Carole Peters At January Meeting - posted 16 January 2017
Our first meeting of 2017 promises to be a real eye opener.
The guest speaker is our very own Carole Peters, the Rector of the Astwell Diocese.
She is going to speak to us about her life pre being ordained.
Just to wet your appetite Carole Peters, has produced TV documentaries for all five main UK channels, including Time-Team and Changing Rooms and written a book on serial killer Harold Shipman, she also has described herself as " Bridget Jones meets the Vicar of Dibley"
It promises to be really interesting so please come and join us at the Reading Rooms on Wednesday 18th January. Doors open from 7.30 pm for a prompt 8.00 pm start.
Angela Goodall
Speaker From British Cycling At Next Meeting 21 September - posted 14 September 2016
I hope you all have had a great summer and are ready for the return of our Women's Club monthly meeting.
Catherine Ruffley from British Cycling is our guest speaker, so please come along to the Reading Rooms on Wednesday 21st September at 8pm.
Guests welcome.
Other Topics:
- Collection of milk bottle tops have now stopped
- Potential trip to Towcester on a Friday to be decided to see grey hound racing with food. A list will be circulated at the meeting to ascertain interest.
- We would like nominations for joining the Womens Club committee, please let me know if you are interested.
Look forward to seeing you all next week.
Angela Goodall (on behalf of the committee)
Summer BBQ On July 20 From 7 pm onwards - posted 06 July 2016
We have another fabulous evening planned for this months entertainment.
It is that time of year for our summer BBQ. It is being hosted at Angela Goodall's House.
My husband will be on the bbq...sausages, chicken and vegetable skewers with lots of delicious salads and potatoes and many desserts.
Soft drinks ,wine, lager and beer for sale
Price £4 members and £7 guests
Please let me know if you are able to come and if you are bringing a guest
UPDATE ON BOTTLE STALL AT THE CHURCH FETE
Firstly thank you to all of you who very kindly donated bottles for our bottle stall. WE MADE A FANTASTIC £120. The church fete overall made an amazing £2516
Look forward to seeing you all on Wednesday 20th July
Angela ( on behalf of the club)
Conributions Asked for - posted 28 June 2016
We really need your help with providing the bottles for the proposed Women's Club Bottle stall.
The Church Fete takes place this Saturday 2nd July...and as usual we will be manning the bottle stall. Last year we made a little over £100 for the Church, and we sold out very early on in the afternoon.
As it stands at the moment we only have 15 bottles for the stall...so we need bottles in bottle bags dropped off to Sue Lidgley by this Friday lunchtime so we can run a worthwhile stall. If Sue is not in the bags / contents can be left in the porch.
Any bottle is welcome whether it is wine, Prosecco, spirits (full size or miniatures), shampoo, bubble bath, olive oil, cans of lager, orange juice, lemonade etc etc
Please help us raise much needed funds for the church
Thank you in anticipation
Angela (on behalf of Women's Club Committee)
Christmas Party - posted 17 December 2015
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The Helmdon Women's Club held their annual Christmas party on Wednesday, good food and great fun were had by all.
This was capped by the unexpected visit of Santa (minus reindeer) who handed over sumptuous gifts to all members.
The evening concluded with games and laughter before carriages were brought around.
Danielle Jackson.
45th Anniversary Celebration - posted 11 December 2015
 Past and present members |
The Helmdon Women's Club celebrated its 45th anniversary on Saturday 10th October. Sixty members past and present, some travelling from faraway places such as Somerset, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire and Co. Durham came to the Reading Room to share fond, memories, and enjoy a lavish banquet.
The Helmdon Young Wives and Mothers began in 1970 when a group of feisty and fearless Helmdon women decided to set up a club to enable them to get out and about, socialise, hear from speakers on a variety of subjects, and basically have a good time away from domestic life without spending a lot of money or having to travel out of the village (many ladies didn't have cars anyway).
In 1992 the club changed it name when it became the Helmdon Women's Club, but its ethos remained unchanged and long may it continue providing members with good fun and interesting events.
Danielle Jackson, Secretary
Bring me Sunshine - Morecombe Moments with Eric Morecombe's daughter Gail Stuart - (posted) 02 December 2014
There was a capacity house in the Reading Room for the talk by Gail Stuart on life with her father Eric Morecombe. She told us about his early life in Morecombe, how his devoted parents coped with his mischievousness and encouraged his ambition as a performer, how he met Ernie Wise and the start of their careers. There were many stories about Gail's childhood and teenage years and how much fun and embarrassment her father created for the family.
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The hour sped by as Gail talked freely and without notes and answered questions from the audience.
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After the talk the audience was invited to look at the extensive display of family photographs which Gail had brought along, and to buy cards Gail had made. Below is a photo of Gail and Sue Lidgley, vice chair of the club.
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Garden Party - posted 10 August 2014
The Women's Club garden party was held in Margaret Reardon's Garden, July 2014
Women's Club Enjoys Exciting Spring Programme- posted 23 April 2014
We started the year in January with a wonderful talk from Val who owns Nimble Thimble in Buckingham. She brought in several patchwork quilts and it was also a chance for many members who also do quilting to show their quilts. Val told us about a very old family quilt which is now over 100 years old and shows her family history. She has now designed a quilt linked to this design but showing her family now. The stories around the quilts that were brought in were very interesting, some developed from old children's clothing that have taken 10 years to complete, 1 designed in the States with Amish material and 1 that was done and then entered in to the local craft fair and was given first prize. The many varied and wonderful designs was great to see and provided a very enjoyable evening.
Photography talk with Charles Binns  |
In February, Charles Binns, a Helmdon photographer, came to talk to us, letting the group know how he got in to photography and how his interest has developed so that now he is a very keen member of the Banbury and District camera club. Charles showed us many beautiful prints, a number that he has taken around the village from very different angles and in different light. He showed us how he does his own prints and explained how we could get similar prints even by the novice photographer. A number of members had brought in their old cameras for Charles to have a look at and value. There were a number of gasps around the room when he explained that some of the cameras especially the Leica camera is worth hundreds!!! Charles will be coming to talk to us again next year and we hope to see many more of the prints that he has taken from around the village.
March was our annual food demonstration and tasting evening which is always a popular eveing with our members. This year the demonstration was given by Jaky Austin who used to work for Pampered Chef. Jacky showed us a number of quick and easy party recipes which took less that 30 mins to prepare and cook so that you can also share time with your guests. There was more than enough food to go round and Jacky was a very jovial and laid back cook who got a number of the members to help with the chopping and preparing of the ingredients. A great evening.
The warm weather has inspired a number of us to go out in the garden and our April meeting was held a Hilliers Garden Centre in Banbury. They allowed the group to have a look around and buy many of the lovely plants and then we had a demonstration on Hanging Baskets. The hanging basket was then raffled off and the money raised given to Hilliers charity. Clare the manager, was a great host and hopes to see many of the members at the centre in the future. Her tip on what to do with your spare pots was great and I am sure that many members will be using this in the their gardens.
In May we have our quiz and chilli with John Coatsworth. Everyone is welcome to join us for this on Wednesday 21st May.
Denise Green
