Avon Federation of WIs

12/06/2025

2025 AFWI CHAIRMAN'S ROSE BOWL

WIs are invited to nominate a WI member who has, whilst a member, gone 'above and beyond' for their WI, demonstrating outstanding skills, commitment, leadership or initiative. The member may also be involved with the local community.

Guidelines for submission:
- The application should be written in 12 Point font, up to 500 words, on an A4 sheet of paper.
- The word count should be included as a footnote; with the name of the nominated member and the WI they attend.

Please email your word-processed entries to [email protected] by 12.00 noon on 7 August 2025.

The winner will be announced at the 2025 AFWI Annual Meeting on Tuesday 23 September 2025.

10/06/2025

DON'T FORGET TO APPLY! CLOSING DATE MONDAY 16 JUNE.

CONTEMPORARY COLLAGE WORKSHOP
Saturday 19 July 2025
10.00am to 12.30pm OR 1.30pm to 4.00pm
Badminton Road Methodist Church, Badminton Road, Downend, Bristol BS16 6NU
In this workshop you will begin by thinking about the colours, textures and shapes that make up your chosen image and plan your composition. Collated materials such as recycled magazine and papers, will then be ripped, cut and layered into a contemporary collage of an animal or flower. You will be encouraged to be playful, adding interest to your work.
You will leave this workshop with a new-found confidence to experiment further and to continue your collaging journey, seeing the beauty in recycled materials.
Tea and Coffee will be provided and materials are included in the cost.
Members Only: £26.00
Closing Date: Monday 16 June 2025
Please apply through your WI Secretary

09/06/2025

09/06/2025

Angel Strawbridge, and husband Dick, join us from the Chateau in France for a special keynote speech. Thanks for joining us!

09/06/2025

29/05/2025

CLOSING DATE 4 JUNE!

MUSIC FOR A SUMMER'S EVENING
Thursday 17 July 2025
7.00pm to 9.15pm

Zion United Church, Upper Chapel Lane, Woodend Road, Frampton Cotterell, Bristol BS36 2HY

Enjoy a summer's evening listening to a selection of music and singing from local performers.
The Apollo Wind Band is a large wind band that plays a mix of music including scores from musicals and films.
The Songbirds are a female choir with a diverse repertoire of popular songs from the sixties, seventies and eighties, showcasing their two, three and four part harmonies.
Refreshments are also included at this event and there will be a raffle.

Members: £16.00 and Non-Members: £18.00
Closing Date: Wednesday 4 June 2025
Please apply through your WI Secretary

08/05/2025

2025 AFWI Annual Meeting

Tuesday 23 September 2025
From 10.15am to 3.30pm
BAWA, 589 Southmead Road, Filton, Bristol BS34 7RF

This is AFWI's 50th Anniversary year and we are delighted to welcome Jeryl Stone, NFWI Chair. The WI is the largest women's organisation in the UK, founded in the times of the Suffragettes, now in its 110th Year. An incredible past - but what does Jeryl foresee for the WI members of the future?

Also, a big welcome to a local very inspiring woman Becky Barnes. Becky is a personal stylist with a passion for helping women look and feel their absolute best without it, literally, costing the earth by making more conscious, sustainable choices and having fun at the same time.

We are particularly excited and thrilled to introduce Ann Widdecombe this year. Ann really needs no introduction to the WI. Ann's varied career in politics, TV, radio and as an author means she will have a wealth of unique stories and anecdotes to share with members. We can't wait!

Please Note: At this venue, you can only eat and drink food which you have bought from BAWA. Please use the application form to pre-order sandwiches at a cost of £2.75. Tea and Coffee will also be available to purchase during the lunch break.

Members Only: £21 (Note: each WI can send one free delegate)

Closing Date: Thursday 7 August 2025
Please apply through your WI Secretary

06/05/2025

DAY VISIT TO BLETCHLEY PARK

Wednesday 10 September 2025
Arriving at 11.00am and leaving at 4.30pm

An early start to facilitate the time needed to explore this once top-secret home of the WWII Codebreakers, now a vibrant heritage attraction, set within the beautifully restored historic buildings of Bletchley Park. The faithfully recreated WWII rooms guide you on a journey into the past; see the museum's collections, watch immersive films, and get involved in the interactive displays, which tell the story of the once top-secret operations, the brilliant minds, and complex machines that made this vital work possible, and discover the global impact Bletchley Park had on the outcome of WWII.

On arrival we will have tea/coffee, then members can explore in their own time a free flow visit or, if there is space, there is an option to join a guided tour. There are two cafes on site, spacious grounds to explore and of course a retail experience not to be missed....

In advance of the visit members might like to visit the Bletchley Park website and watch the short video about the site: https://www.bletchleypark.org.uk/

Included in the cost - Tea/coffee and biscuits on arrival, the entrance fee which is an annual pass, and coach travel.

Members: £58, Non Members: £60

Coach pick-ups:
7.00am at Keynsham (Ashton Way)
7.30am at Tesco Eastville
8.00am at Almondsbury (A38 Lay-by)
(If you are meeting the coach at Almondsbury, the Almondsbury Interchange Hotel has kindly agreed to allow us to use their car park. Please pay £5 at the Reception Desk and provide your car's registration number.)

Closing Date: Wednesday 23 July 2025
Please apply through your WI Secretary

01/05/2025

COMMUNITY CHOIR SINGING WORKSHOP

Wednesday 17 September 2025
From 1.00pm to 4.00pm

Wick Village Hall, Manor Road, Wick, BS30 5QJ

Join us for a fun and uplifting afternoon of singing. We will be singing some of your favourite pop and rock songs to make you feel good, including a few classics.

Beth Morgan, the former Musical Director for the Bristol Military Wives Choir and the founder of the Great Day Women's Choirs across Bristol and Bath, is an enthusiastic and experienced choir leader. Beth firmly believes that singing should be accessible to all, and in the power of music to bring people together and uplift spirits.

The afternoon promises to be fun, and you will be amazed at what we will achieve. You do not have to have good singing ability, nor do you need to be able to read music. However, those of you who can sing a note or two will also be very welcome and we are sure you will learn new techniques and hamonies.

Come along to sing, have fun and feel great!

The afternoon includes a break with tea/coffee and biscuits, and there will be a raffle.

Members: £14.00
Non Members: £16.00
Closing Date: Wednesday 23 July 2025
Please apply through your WI Secretary

01/05/2025

CONTEMPORARY COLLAGE WORKSHOP

Saturday 19 July 2025
10.00am to 12.30pm OR 1.30pm to 4.00pm

Badminton Road Methodist Church, Badminton Road, Downend, Bristol BS16 6NU

In this workshop you will begin by thinking about the colours, textures and shapes that make up your chosen image and plan your composition. Collated materials such as recycled magazine and papers, will then be ripped, cut and layered into a contemporary collage of an animal or flower. You will be encouraged to be playful, adding interest to your work.

You will leave this workshop with a new-found confidence to experiment further and to continue your collaging journey, seeing the beauty in recycled materials.

Tea and Coffee will be provided and materials are included in the cost.

Members Only: £26.00
Closing Date: Monday 16 June 2025
Please apply through your WI Secretary

24/04/2025

EVENT REMINDER!

MUSIC FOR A SUMMER'S EVENING
Thursday 17 July 2025
7.00pm to 9.15pm

Zion United Church, Upper Chapel Lane, Woodend Road, Frampton Cotterell, Bristol BS36 2HY

Enjoy a summer's evening listening to a selection of music and singing from local performers.

The Apollo Wind Band is a large wind band that plays a mix of music including scores from musicals and films.
The Songbirds are a female choir with a diverse repertoire of popular songs from the sixties, seventies and eighties, showcasing their two, three and four part harmonies.

Refreshments are also included at this event and there will be a raffle.

Members: £16.00 and Non-Members: £18.00
Closing Date: Wednesday 4 June 2025
Please apply through your WI Secretary