West Buckland Women’s Institute

We are a thriving club and boast one of the largest memberships in the county with members coming from Taunton & Wellington, as well as nearby villages, to be part of this group. We have about 60 members and the age span is wide: it is truly a club for all women!

Our monthly meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month at the village hall at 7.30 pm when we hear from guest speakers on a wide variety of topics, some of whom are truly inspiring, others enlightening and some just very entertaining. We also treat ourselves and our speakers to brilliant finger buffet suppers at the end of the evening giving us a chance to socialise and sign up for the numerous opportunities that are available for WI members. But WI is much more than this. Our members can choose to join many spin off groups to take part in a variety of activities that take place at other times of the week and month:

Walking Group – meet Tuesday mornings to enjoy a 3 – 4 mile walk in a wide variety of different locations reached in shared cars, with a pub lunch once a month and a special meal at Christmas time.

Book Group – meet every 5 weeks in members’ homes for coffee and chats about their chosen book.

Coffee and Chat – meet every month at a local hospitality venue for a companionable morning with other members.

Craft Group – meet monthly at the village hall to participate in a wide variety of crafting. A sociable afternoon gathering of crafters working together.

Golf Croquet – meet on alternate Wednesday afternoons during the temperate months at the village playing field. A chance to unleash competitive instincts under a guise of gentility!

Hand Bell Ringing – meet twice a month at a member’s home for “a bit of a ding dong“!

Lunch Group – ladies who enjoy lunch together once a month at different local venues.

New Age Kurling – a sport for people of all ages and abilities, this game involves pushing stones running on bearings towards a target, hoping to get more of your stones closer to the centre than your opponent. Play twice a month on Wednesday afternoons in the village hall from October to April.

WI members are active in the community, some in a formal capacity, serving on village committees but many also being “hands on” helping with village events, charity fund raising and competing for floral & craft work trophies at local shows.

WI National Resolutions passed each year on current issues become high profile campaigns as the WI is one of the biggest non-political movements in the UK and as such our voice is listened to by those with influence and power. We can and do make a difference and it all starts with votes taken in local meetings.

Whatever your interests or if you’d just like to meet people and make friends you can simply turn up to a meeting and you’ll be warmly welcomed.

For further information please telephone our secretary Cheryl Bailey on 01823 662732