This newsletter has been edited for our website – the full version is sent out in a monthly mailing to our members. If you would like to join, please get in touch via our contact form.
Hello!
What a treat we had at July’s meeting listening to the stories of the Lady Poisoners of Victorian London! It was lovely looking round the room and seeing how captivated everyone was by David’s lively storytelling! We also welcomed our newest member, Paulette. As mentioned a the meeting, Derinda is setting up a Cribbage Group, see the ‘Your BWI Groups’ section for details of how to join.
Looking ahead to the August Annual Summer Outing, details were sent out last Friday, so if you’ve not signed up yet, do email Alison so we know who’s coming. We’ll send a final reminder/info the week before the outing. If you know of any member not receiving mailings, please ask them to check junk folders and let us know if their email address has changed.
Campaigning is a key aspect of any WI, and BWI regularly supports several local organisations – if you’ve not checked out the Campaigns page on our website, please do. Little Village HQ has launched an urgent appeal for nappies and wipes for newborns as their nappy banks across London have run out of supplies, so if you can donate, please do. On the Climate front, there’s a report in Offshoots about the 9th July Mass Lobby from our newly signed up Climate Ambassador Elaine, as well as a write up of the Future Threads workshop attended by Jennie. And in September, Wandsworth Council is bringing back Sustainable September. There are plenty of ideas for events and activities on their web page, so I would like to set all our subgroups a challenge to come up with a sustainable activity or action for Sustainable September and we’ll include them in a future newsletter.
Surrey Federation is gearing up for the annual Edenbridge & Oxted Show. Details of this year’s event are in the SFWI section below. The entry date for submissions has been extended to 8th August. If you’ve not been to the show, it’s really worth going as it’s one of the biggest in the South of England (and one of the last of this kind still going.)
NFWI is celebrating 110 years of the WI in September. Some of our members are getting together to organise a special celebration to mark the occasion. More information and date to follow! On the 16th (which coincides with our monthly meeting), there will be a webinar to celebrate WI Day 2025 by looking at the history of the organisation and showcasing its legacy – see our NFWI section below.
And finally, please be aware of this scam alert concerning winter fuel allowance which has now been reinstated by the Government: the Guardian published this article about a current sms text message scam telling people to re-apply for their winter fuel allowance. Please ignore these messages. The DWP says: “We never send text messages or emails requesting your bank details for winter fuel payment purposes.”
I look forward to seeing you all very soon
Jane, President Battersea WI
E: presidentbattersea@surreyfedwi.org.uk
Contents:
- Your BWI Groups
- Coming up:
- Group meet up dates in August
- Forthcoming speakers for 2025
- Offshoots – activities inspired by BWI groups and Campaigns
- Surrey Federation
- NFWI news and information
Your BWI Groups
Keep up with the latest date BWI news via our Instagram feed 
| Battersea Bookends update by Danielle This month we read The Garden Party and other short stories by Katherine Mansfield. These stories, written in the 1920’s, generated a lot of discussion. Whilst we all agreed that they had dated, there were still so many current issues highlighted in her gentle style, coercive control being the one that stood out. When Mansfield died aged 36, Virginia Woolf wrote what was the point of writing now that Mansfield would no longer read her work. She viewed Mansfield as her chief rival. We all saw the stylistic similarity of one of her stories to Mrs Dalloway and were surprised to note that Mansfield’s story was published first. We all would have liked to see Mansfield’s maturer work. |
| Boozy Books update by Amanda The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris begins as a charming child-like story sprinkled with magical fairy dust which does make you feel as if you have strayed into a sort of homage to Chocolat. There’s even a Roma element which Chocolat has, with the riverboat gypsies. The plot becomes entangled with the past as Compiègne has a fascinating history. However, as it progresses the book becomes a bit predictable. Overall, it’s an easy read for a rainy or chilly day when pâtisserie and hot chocolate are required. |
| Chapter One Reading Group update by Jane H In July we read The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde which was exactly the novel we were looking for: a story about decadence and sin. As is well known the essential element of the story is of a young man enthralled by his own exquisite portrait. In exchange for the eternal youth and beauty shown in the portrait he sells his soul to the devil. The progress of Dorian Gray’s life and his descent into immorality and depravity is told exceptionally well. Despite the subject matter there is a lot of fun in Oscar Wilde’s witty text. The book led us to some great discussion subjects including the extent to which the experiences in our lives are reflected in our faces and (shockingly) the examples we currently see in public life of individuals behaving in immoral, selfish ways that destroy the lives of others. |
Coffee Morning – update by Clare GH
We had 2 coffee mornings in July this is one of them – we sat inside as it was hot outside. All welcome to join at 11 am at The Duke of Cambridge, Battersea Bridge Road, SW11.
Craft Group update by Sarah W
Elaine, Jennie and I went to Carry on Crafting on the 12th August: a sunny, hot Saturday at the South of England Showground, West Sussex. The site was large with all sorts of crafts for sale as well as creative sessions to attend. All of us opted to attend a Batik workshop run by Maggie Brand: it was well organised, and and we were taught how to use Tjanting hot wax pens to create designs, some of which we later coloured in with fabric paint. We were very impressed with a craft stall run by Morphed By Mandy, who describes herself as a Random Recycled Artisan: she produced
fabulous metallic flowers from drinks cans and seed heads repurposing a knitting needle in the centre with wonderful wirework including buttons and beads. We all bought something from her. Before heading home we enjoyed delicious ice creams from the Bay Ice Cream van. There will be a Christmas Festival 6/7 December which is tempting, and the dates for 2026 are already on the website, so hopefully we’ll be back next year. Most of all we all had a fun and enjoyable day: many thanks to Elaine for organising and Jennie for being our chauffeur.
****New Group***
Cribbage update by Derinda
♣️ Cribbage is a card game most commonly played between two players. The game is scored at a number of stages and by moving pegs around the cribbage board. The first to score 121 points is the winner!
♦️ A cribbage group will form from September with the intention of meeting once a month. All comers are welcome – beginners will be buddied with experienced players.
♥️ If you would like to join please contact Derinda stating whether you have played before or will be a newbie.
♠️ A WhatsApp group will be established for members and venue with date will be confirmed once numbers are assessed.
Film update by Rachel
July’s Film Club meeting was a bit different. We couldn’t find any films we fancied at local cinemas but one member, Julie, kindly offered to host whoever was free at her house for chat, drinks and snacks. This was a tempting offer and there were nine of us in the end! Films and theatre shows were discussed as well as general catching up. Thanks again to Julie.
Our next rendezvous will be on Bank Holiday Monday, 25th August. Clare has kindly offered to choose a film but we’re aware there might not be much to see at the cinema, plus it can be an expensive viewing on a Bank Holiday. In which case, we may again meet at someone’s house, possibly to watch a film via a streaming service, depending on space. I’ll message updates nearer the time.
Foodies – update by Amanda
In July our theme was “Summer Bites” of the food, not insect, variety. The food selection on offer was fantastic ranging through cucumber sandwiches, savoury pinwheels, smoked salmon mousse, mozzarella and tomato salad, herby shrimp dumplings, blackberry tarts, meringues and chocolate dipped strawberries. Wow we certainly ate well.
If you are in need of inspiration, Jamie Oliver has a summer recipe section on his website and they all look delicious. https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/summer/
Swimming – update by Rosemary
It is the season to be swimming; we have all been to the Tooting Bec Lido regularly over the last couple of months. On a fine sunny morning in July, three of us visited the Kenwood Ladies’s Pond on Hampstead Heath. The water was so warm, and incredibly soft to swim in, it was a really lovely morning, and surprisingly not too busy. After a walk back across the Heath we stopped off in Hampstead for a bite of lunch before the train home. The perfect outing for a summer day.
Walking Group update by Clare
Eleven of us and three dogs turned out on a sunny morning for a fifteen-minute train ride down to Mitcham Junction, where the Wandle Valley’s Beddington Farmlands Nature Reserve is right next to the station. Created from old farmland and a former sewage facility, it’s become a haven for birds, insects and plantlife but remains largely inaccessible to humans. We followed the one permissive earth path right through it, visiting a birdwatchers’ hide but almost nobody else until emerged into the more manicured grounds of Beddington Park. Here we enjoyed visiting the pretty Grange and Memorial gardens before pausing for coffee at a little café enterprisingly established by parishioners within St Mary’s Church. After that we walked up past Tudor Carew Manor (now a school) and its big Georgian dovecot to join the Wandle Trail, following it upstream as far as Waddon Ponds.
This was a really pleasant four-mile walk, almost entirely offroad and offering lots of welcome shade; its only downside was our ten-minute dash at the end, to catch a train home. (Waddon station is handy for the Ponds but only offers a half-hourly service!)
Sadly we ended up having to postpone our plans for an extra July day out walking the beautiful Mole Gap Trail down in Surrey, as the weather was so hot. But we’re looking forward to doing that on a new date in September.
Meet our Guest Speaker for September
September 16th Fermentation – Clare Heal
Would you like to learn how to make delicious and gut-friendly krauts, kimchis, kefir and kombucha. All the Ks basically. Plus other stuff like pickles, preserved lemons, vinegar, mead and natural sodas? Have you made some of those things but want ideas about how to eat them? Are you interested in boosting your gut microbiome, reducing food waste and preserving the seasons? Then this is for you. You can read more about it in Clare’s blog
Forthcoming speakers for 2025
(subject to change if the speaker cancels or rearranges):
August Outing 19th August, Folkstone
October 21st Lighting the Pyre – April Lewis For hundreds of years women were persecuted for witchcraft. Explore the reasons behind the witch craze, interrogation techniques, meet the infamous witch finders and explore the key witch trials in the UK.
November 18th AGM – Get ready to vote for your new committee for 2026. If you wish to stand please talk to our current committee and we can explain what is involved. All are welcome.
December – Christmas Party Bring and share seasonal food
Offshoots – a round up of members’ activities inspired by the WI
Celebrating Wandsworth London Borough of Culture: self guided walks and photography competition
As you know, over the past couple of months our Walking Group leader Clare has been busy putting together a series of free downloadable online self-guided walks through local open spaces for the Battersea Society, to mark Wandsworth’s London Borough of Culture year. Numbers 3 and 4 have now been published, Two Commons and a Victorian Cemetery and St Philip Square to the Skylark The walks of course always end with a refreshment stop to hand, and there are two more to come. You can find links to the other walks here.
Climate Coalition Mass Lobby 9th July update by Elaine
The NFWI is a founding member of the Climate Coalition, working to ‘urge policymakers to take decisive action to tackle climate change, and to encourage community networks to come together on climate action projects in their local area.’ They had arranged a preparatory webinar the week before. Having not been to an event like this before, this support was invaluable. (You can read more about some of Battersea’s climate change issues such as clean air, on the Local Intelligence hub.)
The day itself was hugely enjoyable. I met a number of other Battersea residents at the lobby meeting (unfortunately our MP was not able to make the meeting) and we’ve set up a WhatsApp group to stay in touch with a view to meeting with her locally at a future surgery. The WI had a big stand and I snaffled a few badges to share with BWI members. Inspired by the day, I’ve signed up as a WI Climate Ambassador and will be reporting back on the SFWI quarterly meetings. If you are interested in getting more involved, let me know. There’s plenty to get involved with in Battersea, including Battersea Beach Clean and Community Litter Pick on Clapham Common. If you know of any local groups looking for volunteers for this sort of thing, please let me know and I’ll include their details in future updates.
Poppy appeal – Corsham WI
Following a plea which featured in this BBC article we’ve been in touch with Corsham and they shared their pdf pattern for knitting or crocheting poppies. Knitting group crocheted and knitted nearly 30 poppies and sent them off to Corsham earlier this week. Their aim was 10,000 and so far they’ve been sent nearer 30,000 so the whole town will be a sea of poppies. We’ll share some photos as soon as we get them. The display will be in situ for 3 weeks from 26th October, so if you’re Wiltshire way and get to see them, please share your photos.
Redefining fashion: Future Threads at the NHM Review by Jennie
Inspired by the Remaykit fashion show in June, Jennie signed up for this workshop at the Natural History Museum. The aim of the workshop was to discuss easy upcycling ideas and look at how fashion can help us care for the planet. What you wear can be a form of climate action. The finished item resembles a tactile piece of moss. It was not quite what we were expecting but it was great to enjoy the Museum after closing.
Editor’s note: NHM has a regular Climate Action podcast where you can discover the interconnected issues facing our planet and explore what we can do about them together. There is also a handy Climate action tool full of ideas.
Surrey Federation
Battersea WI is a member of the Surrey Federation of WIs. The Surrey Federation website has all the latest news about events and links to their monthly newsletter. BWI Members receive a copy of the newsletter automatically. SFWI runs a number of events and workshops on their
events page, with everything from literary lunches with authors to group visits to the theatre (Kinky Boots next March.) They are setting up Christmas Crafting workshops too, so you can get ahead for the Festive Season. You will have to pay for workshops and outings but they have kept prices as low as possible and they are good value. There is also a random member bursary – each month someone will be selected to attend the workshop/event/course of their choice!
National Federation of Women’s Institutes
Current Campaigns
The NFWI campaigns on a wide range of issues from Climate Change to ADHD in Women and Girls. Read all the latest news on the Campaigns page
110 years of the WI
As part of the celebrations, WIs and Federations are encouraged to join in the celebrations through activities, from tree planting and having a ‘party in the Park.’ On the 16th (which coincides with our monthly meeting), there will be a webinar to celebrate WI Day 2025 by looking at the history of the organisation and showcasing its legacy, thinking about it has transformed the lives of women over the last century. The session will be recorded and you will be able to locate it under the Access Anytime course list to watch it in your own time for the following 7 days.
Your WI membership includes full access to the resources available on the NFWI site, including the Learning Hub. We’d love to hear your recommendations. Online courses are free when you are logged in to your account. You can sign up for the newsletter for weekly updates about what’s on.
This newsletter has been edited – the full version is sent out in a monthly mailing to our members. If you would like to join, please get in touch via our contact form.