Brandsby WI

18/09/2026

Following our w**e-tasting evening in June, July saw us gather at the home of one of our members for our Annual Summer Garden Party. We were treated to magnificent views across the Wolds from her lovely garden, despite the drought. There was still plenty of colour to enjoy, enhanced by a stunning display of summer frocks — and a few much-needed hats!

Our traditional bring-a-dish buffet was, as always, a huge success, providing a feast for both the eyes and the taste buds.

It was a fabulous afternoon of food, laughter and companionship, enjoyed by our long-standing members and an impressive number of new members. Like our buffet, our WI is a wonderful mix of firm favourites and exciting new flavours.

September saw us celebrating 111 years of the WI and enjoying a fascinating talk from Rachel Lister Jones. Her knowledgeable and entertaining presentation, entitled ‘Things You Didn’t Know About Trees,’ was beautifully interspersed with her magical poetry.

In October, we are extremely excited to be hosting Brandsby resident Annie Stirk. After retiring at the age of 67, Annie embarked on a completely new career as a model, making ‘Another Life After Retirement’ the perfect title for her talk.

Annie describes herself as:

Silver. Sassy. Unstoppable.

Annie is a model, mentor, broadcaster and age-positive trailblazer, proving that reinvention has no age limit. From TV kitchens to fashion billboards, Annie empowers women to live boldly, challenge stereotypes and embrace every stage of life with confidence and joy.

To find out more about Annie, visit her website: https://anniestirk.co.uk/

Ladies, if you would like to join us in October, you will be very welcome. Our meetings are held at Brandsby Village Hall and start at 7.30pm.

Please drop our Secretary, Carol, an email at [email protected] to let us know you will be visiting.

You can also find us on Facebook at Brandsby WI, where we share details of all our activities, outings and upcoming events.

Model, mentor, broadcaster and age-positive trailblazer, Annie Stirk proves reinvention has no age limit. From TV kitchens to fashion billboards, she empowers women to live boldly, challenge stereotypes, and embrace every stage of life with confidence and joy.

10/09/2026

10/09/2026

Although we were eight days ahead of the official celebrations, our Tuesday meeting was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the WI’s 111th anniversary of bringing women together.

We marked this special milestone by wearing purple and celebrating everything that makes the WI so special – friendship, community, companionship, laughter and, of course, a good chat!

When our members were asked what the WI means to them, some of the words that came to mind were ‘family’, ‘community’, 'learning', ‘friendships’ and ‘social’. These simple words perfectly capture what our WI is all about: a welcoming group where friendships are formed, conversations are shared and everyone can enjoy spending time together.

Getting everyone organised for the photographs proved to be a little more challenging than expected! Our members were far more interested in catching up, chatting and having fun than standing still for a photo – which, really, says everything about the spirit of our WI! Eventually, we managed to gather everyone together and capture some lovely memories of our purple-themed celebration.

Here’s to 111 years of women coming together, supporting one another, making friends and having fun – and to many more years of our WI community!

10/09/2026

Following our w**e-tasting evening in June, July saw us gather at the home of one of our members for our Annual Summer Garden Party. We were treated to magnificent views across the Wolds from her lovely garden, despite the drought. There was still plenty of colour to enjoy, enhanced by a stunning display of summer frocks — and a few much-needed hats!

Our traditional bring-a-dish buffet was, as always, a huge success, providing a feast for both the eyes and the taste buds. It was a fabulous afternoon of food, laughter and companionship, enjoyed by our long-standing members and an impressive number of new members.

Like our buffet, our WI is a wonderful mix of firm favourites and exciting new flavours.

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September saw us enjoying a fascinating talk from Rachel Lister Jones. Her knowledgeable and entertaining presentation, entitled ‘Things You Didn’t Know About Trees,’ was beautifully interspersed with her magical poetry.

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In October, we are extremely excited to be hosting Brandsby resident Annie Stirk. After retiring at the age of 67, Annie embarked on a completely new career as a model, making ‘Another Life After Retirement’ the perfect title for her talk.

Annie describes herself as:

Silver. Sassy. Unstoppable.

Annie is a model, mentor, broadcaster and age-positive trailblazer, proving that reinvention has no age limit. From TV kitchens to fashion billboards, Annie empowers women to live boldly, challenge stereotypes and embrace every stage of life with confidence and joy.

To find out more about Annie, visit her website: https://anniestirk.co.uk/

Ladies, if you would like to join us in October, you will be very welcome. Our meetings are held at Brandsby Village Hall and start at 7.30pm.

Please drop our Secretary, Carol, an email at [email protected] to let us know you will be visiting.

25/08/2026

After our open meeting tasting the w**es of Italy in July and our fabulous garden party in August, we're now looking ahead to all the fascinating talks we have planned. In September, we are delighted to welcome poet and author of The Wonders of the Wild Places, Rachel Lister Jones. Rachel’s talk, entitled ‘Things You Didn’t Know About Trees’, will explore some of the surprising stories and secrets of the natural world.

Rachel’s fascination with nature began at a young age, and she has a particular interest in ornithology and botany. Alongside her writing, Rachel volunteers for the Woodland Trust.

Ladies, if you would like to join us in September, you will be very welcome. Please drop our Secretary, Carol, an email at [email protected] to let us know you will be visiting.

24/08/2026

Perfect weather for our WI walk this month – a week earlier than usual because of the bank holiday! Not too hot, not too cold, and with a gentle, cooling breeze when needed as we trudged up the slope out of Gravestone. 🌤️🥾

We set off from Nunnington village, following the river before crossing fields and heading over the hill towards Stonegrave. We then returned along Nunnington Ridge, making our way back down into the village.

Aynsley wasn’t sure she’d manage the whole walk, remembering the gradients involved, but the effort was definitely worth it. We were rewarded with stunning views in every direction across Nunnington and Stonegrave. 🌿

As always, there was plenty of conversation and catching up between WI friends. And, of course, no WI walk would be complete without coffee (iced this time!) or tea and cake at the end. ☕🍰

With nothing closer to hand, we drove to the Lavender Farm, where scones (with or without jam and cream!) and lavender cake were enjoyed. Delicious! 💜

Another lovely walk, lovely company and lovely views. 💕

Article written by Aynsley Halligan

19/08/2026

We were in the middle of another heatwave when we gathered for our Summer Garden Party, kindly hosted by one of our members at her beautiful home. Her lovely garden gave us the perfect setting to enjoy magnificent views of the Wolds, despite the drought.

There was still plenty of colour in the garden, enhanced by a stunning display of summer frocks and a few much-needed hats. Our host had thoughtfully provided plenty of shaded seating, allowing everyone to stay cool and comfortable.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a WI gathering without a little business. We had a few announcements, sold raffle tickets and remembered two recently deceased members, one of whom was long-standing member Norma Harrison. We learned more about Norma, who was a member of Brandsby WI for over 60 years, through photographs and memories of a life well lived, shared by fellow member Sue, whose friendship with Norma lasted for more than 50 years.

The highlight, however, was the wonderful bring-a-dish buffet! We enjoyed pasta and rice salads, sandwiches, quiche and chicken drumsticks, followed by an incredible selection of desserts, including crème brûlée, trifle, cheesecake, chocolate roulade, strawberries and homemade shortbread.

It was a fabulous afternoon of food, laughter and companionship, enjoyed by both long-standing members and an impressive number of newcomers. Like our buffet, our WI is a wonderful mix of firm favourites and new flavours.

Article written by Fi Illingworth

28/07/2026

Pleasantly cool and cloudy weather made for perfect walking conditions this morning as we headed out across the farmland to the north of Terrington. The dry weather has certainly left its mark, with the tracks extremely parched and, in places, quite challenging to navigate thanks to the abundance of thistles and nettles along the way. However, the beautiful views more than made up for the uneven footing, with wide-open countryside, peaceful surroundings, and plenty to enjoy along the route.

As always, there was lots of catching up to do, with plenty of laughter, happy chatter, and sharing of the latest news amongst our group of five WI friends. It was a lovely opportunity to enjoy the fresh air, good company, and the simple pleasure of walking together through such a beautiful landscape.

The well-earned reward at the end was a welcome visit to the tearooms in Terrington, where we could relax and enjoy some refreshments after completing our 10,000-plus steps. A thoroughly enjoyable morning of friendship, countryside, and conversation.

17/07/2026

Our very talented member Fi Illingworth has written this piece reflecting on our Taste of Italy evening with John Butterwick.


As a new member, I’ve only attended 4 WI meetings, to which I’ve been accompanied by my husband not once but twice! In April, I accompanied him as he was the speaker, and this month, he accompanied me to an open meeting. I could never have anticipated this turn of events, but then alcohol was involved, so what more is there to say? The meeting was extremely well attended, with approximately 40 participants. All managed to find a seat amongst friends.

Our speaker, John Butterwick, boasts over 30 years’ experience of w**e. Despite his extensive knowledge, he wasn’t remotely intimidating; his gentle unassuming manner immediately put us at ease. As more w**e was consumed, tongues loosened and the buzz around the room grew louder. John gave us space to appreciate the w**e and talk amongst ourselves, which is I think, the sign of a good speaker.

The theme of the evening was the Wines of Italy. Very helpfully, he provided a map outlining the different regions of Italy, of which there are 20. John explained that, unlike France or Spain, w**e is produced in every one of the 95 Italian provinces, which is remarkable. The w**e is graded into 4 categories, much like France.

John was filled with fascinating information, and I learnt a huge amount, Did you know, for example, that it was the Greeks that first brought w**e to Italy? To grow a vine that will produce good grapes, you don’t need good soil, but you do need a lot of patience. You want your vines to work hard and dig deep for nutrients, and you’ll wait 4 years for your first crop. A windy location is good because it helps to control fungal infection.

For the uneducated, like me, John explained the difference between how ch*****ne and prosecco is made. It’s all about where the second fermentation takes place. Why are some rosé w**es darker than others? It’s all to do with how long you leave the w**e skins in the tank.

As we all sat there in a delightful array of summer dresses, open shirts and shorts, we couldn’t deny the current heatwave. John mentioned the impact of climate change on w**e growing around the world. Grapes need masses of water for a start. We are now growing vines in England that, 30 years ago, wouldn’t have ripened here. Yorkshire alone now boasts 21 commercial vineyards.

During the course of the evening, we were invited to try 4 different w**es. We’d been shown the level of a measure, but some pourers were much more enthusiastic than others - enough said! Despite all the information provided, you can’t account for taste and we are all different. The w**es met with varied responses, some more positive than others. On my table, it was the final w**e that was the big hit and perhaps John had purposefully saved the best ’til last. That depends on taste of course. He explained that his aim was to introduce us to lesser known varieties and here’s what we tasted (the most expensive being £10.50):

Finest Pecorino from Abruzzo (12%) (Tesco)
La Preare Chiaretto Bardolino from Veneto (12.5%) (Tesco)
Marzemino from Veneto (11.5%) (M&S)
Terre di Faiano Primitivo from Puglia (14%) (Waitrose)

The evening was hugely successful and thanks must go primarily to Carol Pennington who organised it single-handedly. Strange but true, whilst most people mingled after the talk, not much tea or coffee was drunk. You could say it was down to the alcohol but I honestly don’t think it was just that. I don’t drink myself and many of my friends questioned why I would attend a w**e tasting evening at all. It was, for me, about community. It was a wonderful opportunity to meet others from the village and beyond (for we had guests from Easingwold WI among us). We all learnt something, enjoyed w**e (or non-alcohol alternatives) and one another’s company. Everyone wanted to know when we could do it again and I hope we can!

02/07/2026

Four of our members enjoyed a fantastic day we had on our trip to Thornton Hall Gardens!

Aynsley has written the following article.

I can honestly say I’ve never seen such a dazzling celebration of summer flowers outside the Chelsea Flower Show. The stunning colour combinations, imaginative planting, clever use of height, and the way natural and man-made features, ornaments, and water features blended together were simply breathtaking. Best of all, there wasn’t a w**d or a munched leaf in sight—even the hostas were completely unblemished!

Despite the immaculate gardens, there was no shortage of wildlife. Giant dragonflies, hawk moths, and plenty of other insects were busily flitting about, adding even more life and interest to the spectacle.

Of course, being WI ladies, we couldn't resist stopping for tea, coffee, and delicious scones on the way there, followed by a hearty lunch on the journey home.

With beautiful gardens, good food, plenty of chatting, and lots of laughter, it all added up to a truly wonderful day out!