November 2025 - Cookery demonstration with Ruby Lee
Well, not just a demonstration - we were encouraged to bring various equipment and were able to have a go ourselves! Ruby told us about traditional Chinese Dumplings, and brought all the ingredients so that we could make our own. Having already made the dough, and prepared a mixture of minced pork with Chinese cabbage and herbs, Ruby showed us how to make up the dumplings in different shapes, and we eagerly got to work. Collecting a couple of dumplings from each person, Ruby then showed us how to cook them, and we were all able to sample our creations - delicious! A fun and tasty evening!
October 2025 - Sailing on Tall Ships with Dorothy Webb
Satisfying a long-held dream, Dorothy signed up to volunteer as a crew member on a Tall Ship whilst in her seventies, going on to crew on several different ships on varying lengths of voyages. The three main skills to be learned were steering, climbing the rigging and sail handling. We were glad to hear that a harness is used when climbing the rigging, high up above the body of the vessel, to a height of 47m in the case of the Gotheborg. Sleeping arrangements varied, from a private cabin, to sharing a bunk, to hammocks suspended above the living area. Sails had to be furled and unfurled, and other chores included cleaning, galley duty and lookout. Fire watch involved checking all corners of the ship for potential hazards and risks, up and down ladders, above and below decks. Dorothy's adventures took her on voyages from different English ports, and to places such as Spain, Germany and the Baltics.
September 2025 - A Life of Crime with Chris Bickerstaff
Chris gave a fascinating talk, in which she told us stories of her life in the police force, ranging from arresting murderers to escorting members of the Royal Family. When she joined up in the 1970s, women had to be 5'4" tall, could wear no jewellery or piercings and tattoos were definitely taboo. Women had to ask permission to buy a house and, if they decided to marry, their fiance would need to be vetted first. Chris moved up to Special Branch, dealing with spies and major crime, and accompanied various Royals on visits, with Diana, Princess of Wales making a particular impression when she visited Bournemouth. Chris's career culminated in work as a Family Liaison Officer, which she especially enjoyed.
July 2025 - The history of Russell-Cotes Gardens with Phil Broomfield
Originally known as East Cliff Hall, in the grounds of the Royal Bath Hotel, the house and gardens were created by Sir Merton and Lady Annie Russell-Cotes and were completed in 1901. They wanted a grand house to display their artefacts collected from around the world, adding an art gallery in 1916. It was left to the Bournemouth Corporation on their deaths, and became the Russell-Cotes Museum and Art Gallery in 1922. The garden was seen to be less important at that time, gradually become somewhat neglected until a Heritage Lottery grant between 1998 and 2001 provided the capital to enable the garden to be restored. As lead gardener, Phil oversees all the work at the garden, sourcing species that would have been planted originally, and managing a team of twelve volunteers. A volunteer himself, Phil also has his own gardening business. The garden extends to about an acre, and includes statues, a Japanese garden, summerhouse and grotto. Phil's lively talk left us wishing to visit very soon.
June 2025 - Weymouth Veterans' Hub, with Kath Adlem
Volunteer Kath Adlem gave us a lively talk about the Veterans' Hub, a Community Interest Company, formed in 2017. Recently widowed, Kath moved from Bristol to Weymouth and, feeling a bit lonely, called into the Hub's Community Cafe for a coffee. She found herself volunteering there, and said it was just what she needed to 'find herself' again. Weymouth has many veterans due to its Army and Navy connections. The Hub on the Portland Road, Weymouth was set up for brews, banter and somewhere to get support. There is a Charity shop with Café, which helps finance the project. It is a staging post for organisations to hold drop-in sessions, with a counsellor, holistic healing services, physiotherapist, on site gym, allotment area, garden, and access to shower and laundry facilities. As Kath pointed out, without an address you can’t get health care or benefits, so there is a long term aim to buy a 4 bedroom house that will house people until they are back on their feet and are independent.
May 2025 - A School Girl's War, with Mary Smith
West Lulworth WI held this month's meeting on 7 May and got quickly into the VE Day spirit with Union Flags and red, white and blue flowers on the President's table but the star turn of the evening was the talk we were treated to. Mary Smith had offered herself as our speaker because she knew she would be in the area for this significant date and that she had a wonderful wartime tale to tell. Our Programme Planner, Gillian Coxhead jumped at this chance.
On retirement from her post as Headmistress of Maidstone Girls' Grammar School in Kent, Mary had been tasked to investigate two things: the history of bomb shelters recently discovered under her school, closed since 1945, and the simultaneous discovery of the most beautiful illustrated book of the War Years. This amazing record had been created by the wartime Art teacher; put away in a box and completely lost and forgotten until very recently. Mary's subsequent research brought her into contact with many wartime pupils from the school. The combination of the scrap book pictures, the old girls' tales and the discovery of the extant tunnel class rooms, lying forgotten under the school, resulted in the most beautiful book which many of us were pleased to buy to share with our families and grandchildren. The proceeds of the book sales will go towards keeping the tunnels open, as living history, at the present day school.
History Walk around Wareham Walls - Tuesday 15 April 2025
Several members met at the Garden Gate cafe in Wareham for lunch, followed by a guided walk around Wareham. Bob told us about the Great Fire of Wareham in the eighteenth century, pointed out interesting buildings, and led us up to the walls where we talked about the town's ancient history. The last point of call was St Martin's Church, where there is an effigy of Laurence of Arabia. Even those who have lived here all their lives learned something new.
April 2025 - Annual Meeting and Treasured Childhood Items
At our Annual Meeting we heard reports from the Secretary and Treasurer, followed by the President's Address. The committee was voted in, and the President was elected. The business was concluded swiftly and we had a most enjoyable evening. Members had brought in some of their treasured childhood items - what a diverse and fascinating selection! After some Easter refreshments, members told us all about their items, and why they held memories for them.