Sheet Women’s Institute was formed in 1935 and met on the first Thursday of the month in Sheet Village Hall right through until the Pandemic of 2020. Then, in line with various national Covid restrictions the group met infrequently, either outdoors or ‘virtually’. When indoor meetings could resume in September 2021, members voted to move to a larger venue in which social distancing could be maintained.
We have met since then in Herne Leisure Centre, on the first Thursday of most months. The books and records charting the rich social history of our years of meeting in The Village Hall are now lodged with the Petersfield Museum. We are still very much a part of Sheet village, having recently provided refreshments at the recent Jubilee Event and we will be planting a tree on the Millennium Field to commemorate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Speakers at our monthly meetings until the end of 2022 are listed below. In addition there is a book group that meets monthly, a Craft group, and we have a drop-in coffee morning on the third Friday of each month from 10.30 at The Townhouse in The High Street, Petersfield. There are opportunities to participate in a wide range of events organised by The Hampshire Federation of Women’s Institutes, and we organise our own outings and other events during the year. Visitors and new members will receive a warm welcome at our meetings.
For further information contact Nicky Gummerson at sheetpres@hampshirewi.org.uk or for general information about WIs locally visit http://www.hampshirewi.org.uk
2023 PROGRAMME:
January 5th. 2023 – What were the Romans doing in Stroud – Peter Price
February 2nd – Talk by our WI Adviser, Cathy Winter on the wider WI Movement followed by fun quiz
March 2nd – Save Coupons – How knitting helped ordinary women clothe themselves & their families during WW2 – Claudia Vogt
April 6th – In search of Shetland’s Otters – David Sewell
May 4th – AGM
June 1st – Heavenly Hostas – John Baker
July 6th – Butser Ancient Farm – The Butser Team
August – Summer Garden Party – (date & venue TBA)
September 7th – The art of belly dancing – Julia Brown
October 5th – Something for everyone (poetry recital) – Rowan Stuart
November 2nd – Christmas abroad/ members experiences
December7th – Christmas meal
2022 PROGRAMME:
- January 6th. Herne Farm. 7.30 Peter Price talk, What were the Romans doing in the field behind the Seven Stars.
- February 3rd. Herne Farm. 7.30 Rowan Stewart giving a literary recital, Sweet Valentines. Mix of poetry, prose, plays, happy, sad, witty and humorous.
- Friday March 4th. Herne farm. 7.30 Carol Watson talk on Canadian Rockies.
- April 7th. 7.30 Nicole Small talk, From Hampshire to Hollywood. Costumes for film and theatre.
- May 5th 7.30 WI AGM
- June 9th. 7.30 Emma Cordingly. Talk about Pilates with some members participating.
- July 7th Sky Park Farm. Talk from staff at the new Deer Farm near Petersfield.
- August 4th – Charity Picnic
- July 9th visit our stall in Rams Walk selling cakes and craft items
- August 4th Summer Charity fundraising garden party
- September 1st The volunteer experience of our members (HF 7.30)
- October 6th Indiscreet revelations of a tour guide, Susan Howe (HF 7.30)
- November 3rd Christmas book recommendations with Tim O Kelly (HF7.30)
- December 1st Christmas Meal at The Half Moon
2021 PROGRAMME – Members are looking forward to restarting meetings on 2nd September and the first one will be at Herne Leisure Centre.
- 2nd September Social Meeting with Childhood pictures
- 7th October Members’ Experiences of Travels Abroad
- 4th November Theatrical Display
- 2nd December Christmas Meal
2020 PROGRAMME (cancelled from Covid-19 lockdown)
2nd January (This talk was cancelled)
- Road to the Rockies
- Speaker- Carol Watson. Carol’s talk will be illustrated with her spectacular photographs of the wildlife and scenery.’
6th February
- For Valour- the Victoria Cross Story
- Speaker – Jeremy Prescott
2nd April
- Traditional music, played on unusual instruments
- Joy Lewis & Derrick Hughes
4th June
- Wool, Art & Design
- Speaker – Katrin Eagle
2nd July
- In search of Shetland’s otters
- Speaker – David Sewell
3rd September
- James Gordon Bennett
- Speaker – Vaughan Clarke
1st October
- The story of the Suez Canal
- Speaker – Iain Kennedy
5th November
- 2020 Book Review
- Speaker – Tim O’Kelly from One Tree Books
2019 PROGRAMME:
January 3 A history of Hampshire through 10 objects. Tony Cross
February 7 The miracle flower – from Flanders to the Tower. Lt.Col Retd Jeremy
Prescott
March 7 Winton House – our chosen charity for 2019.
April 4. Work and wildlife of the South Downs National Park. Laura Tong
May 2. AGM and resolutions – To be held at Herne Farm Community Centre
June 6. The Civil War in East Hampshire. Nick Swan and Sue Leach
July 4. Discovering Women artists. Bernard Allen
August. Summer lunch – details to be confirmed
September 5. Dylan’s ice cream making. Ben Govier
October 3. Queen Victoria at Osborne House. Iain Kennedy
November 7. Flushed with pride. Bill Gosney
December 5. Christmas meal
ARCHIVE 2018
2018 PROGRAMME:
January 4. ‘Canada by rail’ – Mrs T Robinson
February 1. ‘Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda’. – Joe Williams (ranger)
March 1. ‘History of Hampshire through 10 objects’. – Tony Cross
March 21. Spring Council Meeting
March 29. Spring Group Meeting. – Aaron Phipps, Paralympian.
April 5. ‘The MFPA’. – Tom Yendell
April 18. Visit to Bramdean WI
May 3. AGM and resolutions
May 13. Hampshire WI Festival, Eastleigh
June 6. National AGM, Cardiff
June 7. ‘ Women’s refuge’ – Charity speaker, Yvonne Carter
TBA. Group summer lunch
July 5. ‘The King’s Theatre’. – David Alport
August TBA. Charity lunch
September 6. Bramdean & Hinton Ampner WI to visit Sheet WI
October 4. ‘Hidden careers’. – Members of Sheet WI
October 16. Autumn County Meeting at The Anvil, Basingstoke
October 23. Autumn Group Meeting at St Peter’s Hall. – Richard Tanner on
‘Fabulous fabrics’
November 1. ‘What the butler saw’. – Bob France
December 6. Christmas meeting.
ARCHIVE 2017
January 5 – Book sellers tales’ – speaker Paul Robinson, Amazing Book
Company.
February 2. – ‘Archaeology on the Heath’. Peter Price.
March 2. – ‘A day in the life of a registrar’. Heather Ongley.
March 22. – Spring Council meeting, Portsmouth. – speaker Sir Ranulph Fiennes.
March 29. – Spring Group meeting – speaker Aaron Phipps, rugby paralympian.
April 6. – ‘Coast to coast across the north of England.’ Carol Watson
May 4. – AGM, Birthday meeting, Resolutions.
May 9. – Hanging basket workshop. (6pm)
May 22. – Day trip to Denman College
May 23. – WI group quiz
June 1. – ‘Artscape’. Mandie Letchford
June 7. – Visit to Stansted House
June 7. – National AGM in Liverpool
July 6. – ‘The queen bee and her children’. Roy Godfrey
August. – Summer lunch (tba)
September 7. – ‘ Fishermania ‘ – the celebrated Kitty Fisher. Dr Robert France
September 20 – Blue badge tour of Winchester
October 5. – ‘Homespun evening’ – WI craft group
October 17. – Autumn Council meeting, Basingstoke
October 31. – Autumn Group meeting – speaker Dr Becky Peacock.
‘The work of women on the railways’
November 2. – ‘Gilbert White’s garden’ – speaker David Standing
December 7. – Christmas meeting
ARCHIVE 2016
Our speakers cover all sorts of topics – this year includes Goodwood House and the 1st Duke of Richmond, Life After Iran, Life as a maid at Stansted House, and Pubs & Inns of Petersfield – see below for full programme.
We have a craft group which meets in Sheet Village Hall, usually on the second Friday on the month at 10 am for two hours, and a reading group which meets in members’ houses once a month for discussion and social time. We also cater for the Petersfield Music Festival each spring.
As well as our programme of visits and social events, which include skittles evenings and quiz competitions, we raise money for charities with local connections – for 2015 the raffle for the Sampler Quilt raised £915 and through other activities an additional £200 was raised for Rowans Hospice making a total of £1,115.00. See photo below.
We can also attend national, county and group WI meetings with speakers such as Peter and Dan Snow, Michael Portillo and Lucy Worsley.
Annual membership costs £37 and members pay 50p for tea/coffee and biscuits at each meeting. Part year membership will be available later this year.
Visitors are charged £2 at each meeting and after 3 meetings are expected to become a member. Further information is available from the Secretary, Gill Clarke on 01730 268206.
- Our chosen charity for 2016 is to be the Friends of Petersfield Hospital.
2016 PROGRAMME:
Monthly meetings start at 7.30pm. Visitors are welcome (£2). New members are welcome (at a reduced rate in January.)
7 January. – Life after Iran Sandra Simmons
4 February – Goodwood House and the 1st Duke of Richmond Stephen Richards
3 March. – Weaving Felicity Heal
7 April. – Constructing a hanging basket David Feldon
5 May. – AGM. Birthday meeting and Resolutions. AGM now to held in the Physic Garden in Petersfield.
2 June. – Friends of Petersfield Hospital June Brookes
16 June – Outing to Rose Paddock, Bramdean
7 July. – Life as a maid at Stansted House Rhonda Doyle
August. – Summer event – TBA
1 September – Anybody can draw a tiger Heather Wylde
7 September – Horse drawn barge trip
6 October. – Pubs and Inns of Petersfield Bill Gosney
3 November. – Antiques and collectables – mini road show Tony Creasey
1 December. – Christmas celebration meeting
ARCHIVE
Programme for the remainder of 2015:
This year includes talks on Victorian period style, Doorstep scams, Chair yoga, the history and art of English canals, South African flowers and the history and tradition of bridal fashion.
- June 19 Tour of Hambledon Vineyard
- June 26 Summer outing to Winchester Science INTECh and Bramdean WI
- July 2 Speaker – Rowans Hospice
- August 11 Summer event – Members only
- September 3 Speaker – What the bride wore: History and tradition
- October 1 Tools of the trade
- October 27 Group meeting – Members only
- November 5 South Africa in bloom
- December 3 Christmas meeting – Members only
New members and visitors are always welcome.
The W.I gives women’s the chance to build their skills, knowledge and confidence.
Sampler Quilt made by the Sheet WI. Proceeds of the raffle to go to the Rowans Hospice.
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