Newsletter – September 2026

Have you had a wonderful summer break? Did you enjoy the heat? Some people found it a bit too hot, but the sun-lovers should be well satisfied. 

Welcome back to Whitchurch WI with a full programme up till July 2027. 

We are very sad to report the recent passing of Jean Bendoui, a longstanding member of our WI. She had been unwell for several years, but still attended our meetings whenever she could. 

May we remind members that we are in need of a new treasurer. Our WI is not allowed to continue without a treasurer and will simply be closed in May if no one comes forward to take over the role. 

September 14th meeting: 

The speaker is Ted Richards who will be talking to us about 'Captain Scott'. 

Events:   

The trip to Duffryn Gardens to view the costumes from the recent television production, 'The Other Bennett Sister', was a great success. 

A trip is proposed to the RWCMD to see 'Christmas on Broadway'. It will be on Friday 11th December at 2 pm. Tickets are £23. Sandra can reserve 20 tickets but only has a week to confirm that number. So to guarantee a place, please pay the full amount at the September meeting, or at least half and the rest by 21st September. There will be a tick list at the meeting. 

The Bus Pass Group is back! There will be a trip to Penarth on Friday 25th September. Meet at Cardiff bus station at 10:30. 

Our charity: 

Please remember to bring your Smartie Tube' filled with cash to the September meeting. This is a major fundraiser for our charity, Parkinsons UK Cymru. If you forget in September, please bring it to the October meeting at the latest. Thank you. 

The committee has decided not to take a stall at the Christmas Fair at Ararat this year. Instead, we will have a Bring and Buy sale at the January meeting. Hang on to those unwanted Christmas presents until then! 

Another way to help raise funds for our charity, is to put a donation in the pot on the refreshments table if you have a drink and a biscuit. We do not ask for a payment for refreshments, but the charity will appreciate a donation. 

Groups: 

    Book Group: Wednesday 16th September / 11.00 am / La Cucina da Mara 

    Family History: 7th September / 2.00 pm / 113 Pantbach Road 

    Poetry and Prose: Monday 28th September / 10.45 am The Ark coffee bar, Ararat
    Topic: favourite poems and poets 

    Craft: Monday 21st September / 2 pm / 18 Heol Stradling 

    St Mary's Gardens: Tuesday 13th October / 10 – 12; this meeting will also be the
    AGM of Friends of St Mary's Gardens over lunch at the Fox and Hounds. 

    Sunday lunch group: 27th September / 1 pm / Butcher's Arms, Rhiwbina 

Following meeting: 

    Monday 12th October; Ararat Church Hall, Whitchurch Common, 2 pm. 

    Speaker: Fauve Birch: 'Sewing, and The Great British Sewing Bee'

Newsletter – July 2026

July 13th meeting:

This is the last meeting before the summer break. At the meeting there will be a quiz, a beetle drive, and cake to enjoy at our summer party. Please also pick up a copy of the new programme of meetings for this September through to July 2027.

Events 

The trip to Duffryn Gardens to view the costumes from the recent television production, 'The Other Bennett Sister', will take place on August 3rd. Thank you to those members who have offered the possibility of a lift to those who need one. Sandra and Sheila will organise who is travelling with whom. There is no charge for the exhibition itself, but there is an entrance fee to Duffryn Gardens. It is a National Trust property for those who are members. It has been suggested that we arrive around 1 pm.

Our charity:

We will be doing the fundraiser 'Fill a Smartie Tube' again this year as it is such a successful and simple way to raise funds for our charity, Parkinsons UK Cymru. Please take a Smartie tube at the meeting, eat the sweets, and bring the tube back to the September meeting filled with cash.

Information

    Link to the Glamorgan Newsletters.

    MyWI site (registration and log in required)

Groups:

    Book Group: Wednesday 15th July / 11.00 am / La Cucina da Mara

        NB this is a week later than usual.

    Family History: TBC / 2.00 pm / 113 Pantbach Road

    

    Poetry and Prose Group: Monday 27th July  / 10.45 am

    The Ark coffee bar, Ararat / Topic: wild animals

    Craft Group: Monday 20th July / 2 pm / 18 Heol Stradling

    St Mary's Gardens: Tuesday 24th July  / 10 – 12; Open Day 18th July / 10 - 3 pm

    Sunday lunch group: 26th July / 1 pm / Butcher's Arms, Rhiwbina

 

Following meeting:

    Next meeting: Monday 14th September – no meeting in August; Ararat Church Hall, Whitchurch Common, 2 pm. Speaker: Ted Richards on 'Captain Scott'.

Newsletter – May 2026

 May 11th meeting:

The May meeting is our AGM and so there is no speaker. One of our members, Corina Walker, will give a demonstration of Tai Chi Shibashi while the new committee convenes with the advisor from Glamorgan Federation.

Events 

The next outing will be to Brecon for a boat trip and afternoon tea. This is on June 29th so we need payment for the trip straight away please. The cost is £35 included transport.

Our charity:

The summer fete on Whitchurch Common is our main fundraising event of the year. This year we are fundraising for Parkinson's UK Cymru. The theme for items to sell is  ‘All things Welsh.’ This can include cakes. If you are bringing Welsh cakes to sell, please put 4 or 6 in a bag with a label listing the ingredients.

Information

    Link to the Glamorgan Newsletters.

    MyWI site (registration and log in required)

Groups:

    Book Group: Wednesday 13th May / 11.00 am / La Cucina da Mara

    Family History: Monday 1st June / 2.00 pm / 113 Pantbach Road

    

    Poetry and Prose Group: Monday 1st June  / 10.45 am

    The Ark coffee bar, Ararat / Topic: humour 

    Craft Group: Monday 18th May / 2 pm / 18 Heol Stradling

    St Mary's Gardens: Tuesday 19th May  / 10 – 12

    Sunday lunch group: 24th May / 1 pm / Llanishen Golf Club 

 

Following meeting:

    Next meeting: Monday 8th June in Ararat Church Hall, Whitchurch Common, 2 pm.
Speaker  :  Nor'dzin Pamo about Period Dancing 

Newsletter – April 2026

 April 13th meeting:

We are delighted to welcome Blaenavon Cheese to tell us about their company and offer samples of their products to taste.

Are you making an Easter bonnet? Hopefully there will be an vast array of members wearing Easter bonnets at the meeting. There is a prize for the best one.

Membership Fees: Membership fees are now due for renewal. The cost is £54 for the year's subscription. You can pay by bank transfer or give Liz cash or a cheque at the meeting.

Our charity:

A table has been booked at Whitchurch Festival on Saturday July 4th to raise funds for our charity. Our charity for this year is Parkinson’s UK Cymru. Do please let the committee have your suggestions for this event and fundraising ideas.

Events:

On Wednesday 22nd April we will be celebrating our 21st anniversary. This is an afternoon tea at Llanishen Golf Club at 2:30. A VEST bus has been booked for transport and there are still a few spare spaces available.

Information

    Link to the Glamorgan Newsletters.

    MyWI site (registration and log in required)

Groups:

    Book Group: Wednesday 15th April / 11.00 am / La Cucina da Mara

    Family History: Monday 27th April / 2.00 pm / 113 Pantbach Road

    

    Poetry and Prose Group: Monday 27th April / 10.45 am

    The Ark coffee bar, Ararat / Topic: food and drink

    Craft Group: Monday 20th April / 2 pm / 18 Heol Stradling

    St Mary's Gardens: Tuesday 5th May  / 10 – 12

    Sunday Lunch Group: Sunday 26th April / 1 pm / Pendragon

 

Following meeting:

    Next meeting: Monday 11th May in Ararat Church Hall, Whitchurch Common, 2 pm.
This meeting is our AGM where members vote in the new committee.

        There will be a demonstration of Tai Chi by Corina Walker during the time that the committee have a short meeting with the Glamorgan Federation representative. Corina teaches a set of movements called Shibashi on Wednesdays through Age Cymru.

Newsletter – March 2026

March 9th meeting:

We are delighted to welcome back the accomplished singer, Christine Purkiss. Her topic this time is Gilbert and Sullivan.

There will be feedback on the questionnaire. Thank you to the 52 members who completed a one.

A good number of people have signed up for the 21st anniversary celebratory afternoon tea. It is not too late to add your name, but all payments must be paid this meeting please. The cost is £15. There will be a VEST bus to transport those who need it.

Our charity:

We will present a cheque to Emma from Velindre, for £750.

We will also vote on the selection of our new charity to support. The short list is: RNLI, Salvation Army, Parkinson’s UK Cymru, Crisis and Banardo’s.

Information

    Link to the Glamorgan Newsletters.

    MyWI site (registration and log in required)

Groups:

    Book Group: Wednesday 11th March / 11.00 am / La Cucina da Mara

    Family History: Monday 30th March / 2.00 pm / 113 Pantbach Road

    

    Poetry and Prose Group: Monday 16th March / 10.45 am

    The Ark coffee bar, Ararat / Topic: women writers

    Craft Group: Monday 16th March / 2 pm / 18 Heol Stradling

    St Mary's Gardens: Tuesday 7th April  / 10 – 12

 

Following meeting:

    Next meeting: Monday 13th April in Ararat Church Hall, Whitchurch Common, 2 pm.
Speaker  :  Blaenavon Cheddar

There will also be an Easter bonnet competition, so get busy with your creativity.

 

Newsletter – February 2026

 January 12th meeting:

We have two speakers at the January meeting. First is a short talk by Dr Briony Latter of Bath University about Climate Change and Social Transformation. This will be followed by our main speaker, Michelle Michaelis, who will be talking about Spies. Suffragettes and Stewardesses.

Also at this meeting will be voting on the National WI Resolutions for this year (see at end of this post). Committee members will introduce each resolution, and voting taken by then members a show of hands. Please note that a) only members can vote, and b) you can only vote once.

Our charity:

We were due to present a cheque to Emma from Velindre, but unforeseen circumstances have postponed this until our next meeting on March 9th.

We will also vote on our new charity next meeting. The short list is: RNLI, Salvation Army, Parkinson’s UK Cymru, Crisis and Banardo’s.

Many thanks to all members for your contributions to our charity fundraising. 

Information

    Link to the Glamorgan Newsletters.

    MyWI site (registration and log in required)

Groups:

    Book Group: Wednesday 11th February / 11.00 am / La Cucina da Mara

    Family History: Monday 23rd February / 2.00 pm / 113 Pantbach Road

    

    Poetry and Prose Group: Monday 23rd February / 10.45 am

    The Ark coffee bar, Ararat / Topic: love

    Craft Group: Monday 16th February / 2 pm / 18 Heol Stradling

    St Mary's Gardens: Tuesday 3rd March  / 10 – 12

 

Following meeting:

    Next meeting: Monday 9th March in Ararat Church Hall, Whitchurch Common, 2 pm.
Speaker singer : Christine Purkiss – Gilbert and Sullivan 

WI Resolutions 2026

1. Accessible public toilet facilities to promote dignity, health, and social inclusion.

This resolution is a call for accessible, clean, free public toilets which are fundamental to inclusion and wellbeing, especially for women, older people, disabled individuals, parents and carers. It invites WI branches to take meaningful action—through advocacy, partnership, and community engagement—to support local authorities and civil society in reversing the closure trend and ensuring dignity for all.

2. Action on women’s homelessness.

The NFWI echoes the calls of homelessness charities and urges all levels of government to take action to reduce women’s homelessness, reduce the number of women at risk of homelessness, and improve the quality of temporary accommodation. We call on WI members to support homelessness organisations in their communities and campaign to ensure that all women have a place they can safely call home.

3. Every child needs a friend.

We call on all WI members, the care system, and government to raise awareness of the independent visitor system for children in care in order to increase the number of volunteer Independent Visitors and the children in the care system who are befriended by them. We want every child in care to be offered the opportunity to have an adult figure in their life who chooses to spend a few hours a month with them.

4. Nearer to Nature.

There is a growing body of evidence that getting closer to nature is of great benefit to physical and mental health as well as to the environment. This is called ‘green health’. We call on WI members to work locally to improve access to local green spaces and support others to access it too. We call on health promotion services to increase public awareness of the use and benefits of ‘green health’, and health and care commissioners to support ‘green social prescribing’ in every GP practice.

5. Love Your Vulva.

Self-checking is your best defence against vulval cancer. Self-checking your vulva is important in ensuring the earlier detection of vulval cancer and to enhance survival chances. We call upon WI members to work together to raise awareness of the importance of self-checking and seeking medical advice as early as possible, to help highlight this rare cancer to GPs to promote prompt referrals to medical specialists when needed.

Newsletter – January 2026

🎆 🎇 🎉 Happy New Year! 🎉 🎇 🎆

January 12th meeting:

Our new year speaker is Pat Adams who will be talking to us about Circle Dancing. There will be an opportunity to join in and try it out.  We will also enjoy our celebratory buffet postponed from the December meeting.

The repairs being undertaken to the roof of the hall are not completed, so once again the meeting will be held in the coffee bar area.

Our charity:

It is time to start thinking about which charity we will support in 2026. A cheque will be presented to Velindre next month for the 2025 fundraising. Thank you all for your contributions. 

Information

    Link to the Glamorgan Newsletters.

    MyWI site (registration and log in required)

Groups:

    Book Group: Wednesday 14th January / 11.00 am / La Cucina da Mara

    Family History: 26th January / 2.00 pm / 113 Pantbach Road

    

    Poetry and Prose Group: Monday 19th January / 10.45 am

    The Ark coffee bar, Ararat / Topic: communication

    Craft Group: January 19th / 2 pm / 18 Heol Stradling

    St Mary's Gardens: Tuesday 13th January / 10 – 12

 

Following meeting:

    Next meeting: 9th February in Ararat Church Hall (hopefully!), Whitchurch Common, 2 pm. Michelle Michaelis will be talking to us about ‘Spies, Suffragettes and Stewardesses’.