WeyBay WI

Remembering Ann Widdecombe

We were deeply shocked and saddened to hear of the sudden death of Ann Widdecombe.

Many of us will remember with great warmth the lunch in September 2023 at the Crown Hotel in Blandford, organised by the Dorset Federation, where Ann was our guest speaker. She was not only interesting and amusing, but also generous with her time, speaking to guests around the tables and making the occasion feel especially memorable.

It was a delightful event, enjoyed by everyone who attended, and it gave us the chance to see a warmer, more personal side of Ann than the one often seen in her public and political life. She will be remembered with affection by those of us who had the pleasure of meeting her that day.

As the heatwave continues, Weybay members have continued to enjoy a variety of activities, including cycling, walking, lunches, and other social events, alongside our regular monthly meetings.

Each month, the Dorset WI magazine provides opportunities to learn about upcoming events and to catch up on news and activities from other WI groups across the county. The events team this month are advertising a canal trip, the opportunity to get involved with Camp Bestival and a 5 day tour in Kent.

The latest magazine also announced the result of this year's WI resolution vote. Members gave a clear majority in support of the resolution, "Accessible Public Toilet Facilities to Promote Dignity, Health and Social Inclusion," which will now be taken forward to the national WI

A huge well done to our WeyBay members who recently raised £270 with a coffee morning in support of Macmillan Nurses and £150 for Cycling Without Age.

Cycling Without Age is a wonderful charity that offers free trishaw rides to people of all ages and abilities. Founded in Denmark in 2012, the initiative has grown to 52 countries worldwide, with the Weymouth chapter launching in 2019.

On Saturday, 27th September, a rally to promote Cycling Without Age took place in Weymouth. The group stopped outside the Angling Club, where WeyBay proudly presented Jane Renton, Trustee of the Weymouth Group, with the raffle money raised. The pilot in the first photo is none other than the founder of the charity himself!

If you’d like to learn more or get involved, visit the Cycling Without Age website for details.

What’s not to love? A trip through the beautiful Dorset countryside on a glorious summer day, followed by a meet-up with friends for a guided tour of the recently renovated Georgian gem The Sherborne.

Formerly a substantial country estate and later a school, Sherborne House had fallen into disrepair. Now wonderfully restored and reimagined as The Sherborne, it houses an art gallery, café, and restaurant. A true highlight is the magnificent staircase, featuring a mural by Sir James Thornhill, as well as the exhibitions that bring fresh perspectives with each visit.

A heartfelt thank you to WeyBay WI for arranging this outing—many members commented that it was an experience they wouldn’t have thought to try on their own. The WI always aims to offer something for everyone, and this visit was truly a gem.

Looking forward to the annual summer party and a couple of new groups - a new book club and a craft club. Details will be sent out to members.

ANNIVERSARY ALBUM

The celebrations for the ten-year anniversary of WeyBay WI in April 2020 were suddenly and very disappointingly put on hold (it is still hoped to have some celebrations in 2021) but it was decided to put together the memories of the first ten years into a photo book. What a lot of memories and a lot of work to put them together into a coherent format to reflect the diverse activities, and the fun that everyone had. The photo book is now published and will be available to see when the WI is able to have its next meeting. But reminiscing over the past years has reminded us again of how important WeyBay has become for so many members and the certainly that it will continue to provide this support to members again as we come out of the pandemic.

Photo shows the original poster in March 2010 inviting everyone to come to the first meeting and a memory of the first venue at The Clipper in St Thomas St.

PRIVACY NOTICE

Your privacy is important to WeyBay WI. This privacy notice provides information about the personal information that we collect and the ways in which we use it.

When do we collect personal information about you?

We will collect personal information from you when you join or communicate with us by any means.

What happens to your personal information?

a. Contact details will be input into the NFWI Members Communication System (MCS) which is password protected.

b. We will also hold details of current members for administration and communication purposes.

c. For non members we will only capture the minimum amount of information that we need in relation to your visit or enquiry.

Who will hold the information?

Information will be held securely by designated person/s, usually an Officer, who requires it for administration purposes. Electronic files will be password protected and paper copies will be held securely.

How do we use your personal information?

There are legitimate reasons to hold personal information for running the WI, to comply with legal obligations or to carry out a contract to which you are a party. For any other purposes we will request your consent.

Do we share your personal information?

We will not sell, rent or lease your personal details to a third party but reserve the right to disclose personal information for legal or regulatory obligations or proceedings and for auditing purposes.

How long do we keep your personal information?

We will erase your personal information immediately when you cease to be a member, hold office, your enquiry is complete or you wish to withdraw your consent, other than for that held for administrative and financial purposes.

What are your personal rights?

You are entitled to ask us to see your personal information, correct it or have it deleted. You have the right to be forgotten. You can also ask us to restrict how we use it.

What about personal details on websites?

We will not use your personal information on our website or within any form of social media, without your consent, but we will not be responsible for the privacy practices of the the web or content of linked websites.

Who do I contact about personal information that has been collected?

Firstly contact our WI Secretary and/or DFWI Federation Secretary about your concern. If they cannot resolve it you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commission’s Office at www.ico.org.uk/concerns

Our contact email: reception-dfwi@uwclub.net

We couldnt resist putting this lovely autumn photo onto our website. WeyBay hosts a Country Fayre every October meeting with members submitting entries for several different classes including craft, baking, photography, chutneys and jams and even poetry. It's always a fun evening starting with a quiz while the judging takes place and ending with tasting the produce. Check out photos of theother entries in the Gallery.