Carol Service/Christmas Tree Festival

This years Rockley Group Carol Service was once again held at Holy Trinity Thorpe Hesley.  Each WI group chose a 'favourite' carol and provided a member who read a Christmas Biblical Reading.  Sue Dunigan from Thorpe Hesley WI played the organ beautifully and the choir from Holy Trinity led the singing.  The church was still decorated with trees from the recent Christmas Tree Festival and looked really welcoming.  After the service led by local Methodist Preacher Morag Walder,  we all enjoyed seasonal refreshments as well as as a good chat with members from other WI groups. 

Jayne, Marjorie and Cynthia with our WI tree representing the Czech Republic (2nd place)

Jean, Ruth, Marjorie, Jean, Sybil, Margaret, Cynthia and Sheila ready for their Christmas Lunch


2014 really has been a year of wonderful WI friendship - and wishes were shared at the end of the service for a 'Happy and Healthy 2015' to all members and their families.

1940's Christmas Party

This year our amazingly hard-working committee decided to change the format of our Christmas celebrations and organised a 1940's themed evening in recognition of the centenary of WW1.  Many members turned up beautifully dressed for the 'era' and Dorothy put together a 1940's quiz as well.

Don't they all look fantastic!!

Joan presenting December 'babies' with their cards

Cheers!!

                   

Enjoying a toast to 'friendship'

What a couple!

                                                 

Next weeks washing on display!!

              What an amazing                                buffet!!

   Good job none of us has to watch our weight!     
            

'Enjoying a sing-a-long'

Sue Delaney was the well-deserved winner of the 'best-dressed' award.

A toast was given to the committee for organising a really enjoyable evening.

'Songs from the Shows' with Thorpe Hesley Village Choir

'Oh What a Night' as the song goes ........ and what a night it was!  The evening started with the business part of the meeting with Sue Dixon welcoming a number of visitors - from the Village, the South Yorkshire Federation and even as far away as America!!  Jean Alcock then spoke about the success of our involvement in putting shoe boxes together for Operation Christmas Child in conjunction with Holy Trinity Church and then details of activities in the run-up to Christmas were discussed.

Sara Parish (Musical Director) of the Village Choir then introduced the evenings entertainment and we were not disappointed with songs from all our favourite shows - 26 in fact!!

Sara inviting us to join in!

Soloist Andrea Blackett

After an hour of the highest quality singing, we were all rewarded with a well-earned cup of tea/coffee and refreshments provided by Linda Simpson and Joan Corker.

Opportunity for a chat wasn't wasted either!!

Tea Ladies - Linda and Joan

Rockley Group AGM - All Things Yorkshire

Who says AGM's are boring ....... this one certainly wasn't!!

Sue Dixon chaired the meeting which started with a review of finances, followed by a summary of this years activities and a look forward to the events organised in the year ahead.

Wentworth WI then 'kicked off' the entertainment with an entertaining guide to the 'patois' spoken by the natives of nearby Barnsley.

Sue Dixon enlightened us with 'interesting' facts about Yorkshire in between each WI giving us their insight into GOD's COUNTY!  The 'flat-capped' ladies of High Green certainly didn't disappoint!!

Jean Alcock read out her award-winning poem on the WI followed by Mary Wilman and Jean Newbold singing us a 'reyt ditty'.

Jean -A natural story teller!!

After the excellent entertainment the raffle was drawn then down to the real business ...... tea, coffee and Cake!

Operation Christmas Child

  Throughout the last year at WI Wednesday meetings, members have generously donated items                         suitable for inclusion in 'Shoe Boxes' as part of the fundraising for the 2014
                                                        Operation Christmas Child.

The boxes were put together by Committee members and then added to those put together by the young members of Holy Trinity Thorpe Hesley Church.  Not only a great cause but a great example of the 'Communty' working together.

Brenda, Jean and Sybil with completed Boxes

'Vision' Youth group collating their Boxes

An Evening with Gervase Phinn

Wentworth WI welcomed us to their October meeting to enjoy 'An Evening with Gervase Phinn' and we were not disappointed.

The 'man' himself

Professor Gervase Phinn taught in a range of schools for fourteen years before becoming an education adviser and school inspector. He is now a freelance lecturer, broadcaster and writer, a consultant for the Open University, Honorary Fellow of St. John's College, York and the Fellow and Visiting Professor of Education at The University of Teesside. He has published many articles, chapters and books and edited a wide range of poetry and short story collections. 

He entertained us for over an hour with a wide range of stories - from his own childhood in Rotherham, his teaching days as well as his visits to schools as an inspector.  He is fiercely proud of Rotherham and is very 'angry' at how children in the Borough have been 'let-down' by those who should have cared for them - something we all agreed with.  We all loved his poem dedicated to his much-loved Mother and many members were moved to tears.  

The evening finished  with us being able to buy signed copies of his new book as well as back copies of others.

Many thanks Wentworth for a really enjoyable evening of hospitality  - we had a fantastic evening  listening to a 'born raconteur!'

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AGM/Pie and Peas

The evening started with a minutes silence in memory of member Ann Siemianowicz who died recently following a long battle with illness.  She will be sadly missed.

We unanimously decided to enjoy our Pie and Peas first. followed by tea and coffee and a good chat before we got down to the business part of the evening.

Sybil - Service with a smile!!

Brenda and Marjorie enjoying their supper!

Well done Pam  -  Our resident chef.

President Sue Dixon then reviewed another busy and successful year, and put forward suggestions for next year.  Thanks were given to Jean Alcock for her hard work whilst on the committee who had decided to step down, and invitations for new members to join the committee were offered.  Brenda Allott spoke on behalf of all when when she gave a heartfelt vote of thanks to all members of the committee for all they do to organise such a varied programme of meetings and activities.

A happy raffle winner!

Although it was only October 1st we then discussed Carol Concerts,  Christmas tree festivals and decorations and Christmas parties!  We went home with our diaries full of exciting things to look forward to.

Amparo Jewellery - Women in Conservation

Sue Dixon welcomed everyone back after the summer break and thanked members once again for the success of the Rockley Ralley - as such the committee had provided the nights refreshments of Cheese and Crackers, Pate and French Bread plus cakes and other 'goodies' for us to look forward to.  Lots of September 'babies' received their birthday cards and Jean Alcock received a round of applause in her absence for her nomination by the South Yorkshire Federation for the Lady Denman Cup - we wish her well. 

Elizabeth Salaman then gave us an inspirational presentation about her business which supports the poor of Columbia by offering women the chance to earn a living by exploiting the natural products in the area where they live.  Women for Conservation which uses an image of Elizabeth's mother Maria Amparo Hernandez as its logo was founded in 2008.  The Jewellery  is made from the sustainable material Tagua - also known as vegetable ivory - which is the fruit of a palm tree which is polished and cut into the many items which were on display for us to admire and buy.

We really enjoyed looking at the hand-made items, each one of which was labelled with the name of the person who had made it and many of us treated ourselves to a bit of early 'Christmas shopping'.

Rita Hewitt with Elizabeth and her display

Once again, we'd had another really enjoyable evening thanks to our hard-working committee.  We were reminded about next weeks luncheon club at the Masons and the AGM next month plus lots of other trips and items of interest to look forward to.

Summer Outing to Winthrop

Once again Sybil excelled herself by picking a wonderful summers evening for our outing to Winthrop Park in Wickersley - 'South Yorkshires Hidden Jewel.'

After a short presentation by David who set up the park from a former sewage treatment works after a period of ill-health we were able to enjoy the park at leisure in glorious sunshine.

Wall hanging in the Atrium Resource Centre

It is due to the vision and determination of David and his wife Carol that Winthrop Park has been opened to the public.  It is run as a charity by volunteers and trustees, providing a beautiful garden for relaxation and respite.

Exploring the garden

Anyone know what this is called?

Glass Sculptures

Jill with owner David

Enjoying our Cream Tea

The park has received the prestigious Queens Award for voluntary Service and we all agreed it was a very special place.   After a lovely tea, we enjoyed a visit to the 'Curiosity Shop' and treated ourselves to a range of plants, pictures, cards, and jewellery.