Sullington Windmills WI

Our October meeting was a lovely, relaxed evening of birthday celebrations, creativity and community spirit!

As it was our birthday meeting, we began the evening with celebratory drinks before settling down to enjoy our craft activity.

This month, we were delighted to welcome back Jane Moore, who guided us in creating beautiful handmade cards featuring charming bird motifs. Whether experienced crafters or those with more limited crafting skills, everyone had the opportunity to get creative and make a unique, personal card suitable for all occasions. 

Alongside our crafting, members generously supported the Turning Tides Harvest Appeal, bringing in donations of tins, packets, jars and other useful items. A big thank you to everyone who contributed, and to Audrey, who kindly took the collected donations to the charity.

All in all, it was a very enjoyable evening. 

This month, we did something a little different from our usual meeting at the library and enjoyed a day out together instead. Six members of our group set off from Pulborough station in glorious sunshine, a welcome change after Wednesday’s heavy rain, to visit the birthplace of one of Britain’s best-loved authors, Charles Dickens.

On arriving at Portsmouth Harbour, we quickly transferred to a bus and were soon stepping back in time at the museum in Dickens’ birthplace.

Charles Dickens was born in February 1812 in a newly built Georgian terraced house. Although he lived there for only the first five months of his life, the house gave us a fascinating glimpse into the world of his early childhood. The rooms were small and square, furnished in Georgian style, and the house would have been a comfortable family home, probably with at least one maid.

We learnt how Dickens’ early life was shaped by his family’s financial difficulties. His father, John Dickens, worked as a clerk for the Royal Navy, but his debts eventually led to imprisonment in the Marshalsea Debtors’ Prison when Charles was just 12 years old. These experiences had a lasting influence on Dickens’ writing, and it was fascinating to discover how his descriptions of poverty, debt and child labour drew on his own experiences.

A highlight of our visit was an actor in nineteenth-century costume giving a reading from A Christmas Carol, bringing Dickens’ words to life in a wonderfully atmospheric setting.

After exploring the house, we travelled by bus to Gunwharf Quays for lunch, where we discussed this month’s novel, A Christmas Carol. Everyone had enjoyed the book, finding it surprisingly easy to read, with language that felt familiar despite it being published in 1843.

We discussed the story’s enduring themes of redemption, compassion, kindness and recognising the hard work of others. Scrooge’s transformation reminded us that it is never too late to change our behaviour and make a positive difference. We also enjoyed discovering how many of the Christmas traditions described by Dickens are still part of our celebrations today.

Everyone appreciated Dickens’ wonderful ability to bring people, places and relationships vividly to life, and our visit gave us a deeper understanding of the man behind the stories.

It was a lovely day of literary discovery and lively conversation.

The next book to be read will be ‘The Temptation of Gracie’ by Santa Montefiore.

This will be discussed on Friday 13th November 2026.

Our September monthly meeting was a fascinating and very informative evening, with an excellent talk from Andrew Gaunt, a Plant Health and Seeds Inspector with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), part of DEFRA.

Andrew has worked as a plant health inspector for over 25 years and is based in Chichester, covering plant health inspections, imports and exports. He has extensive experience in protecting the UK from harmful plants, pests and diseases, and is also a National Plant Collection holder specialising in Hedychium (flowering ginger).

His talk, “The Role of the Plant Quarantine Service,” gave us an insight into the work that goes on behind the scenes to protect our plants, gardens, agriculture and natural environment. Andrew explained what his day-to-day duties involve, including inspecting imported plants and plant products and helping to prevent potentially damaging pests and diseases from entering and becoming established in the UK.

He also talked about the growing challenges presented by climate change, global trade and invasive insects and plants, and highlighted some of the pests and diseases we should be aware of. His experience brought the subject to life, giving us a much greater appreciation of just how important plant health and biosecurity are.

It was an engaging and thought-provoking talk, packed with information, with examples from Andrew's many years of experience helping to illustrate and support the points he discussed.

Celebrating 111 Years of the WI

Our September meeting also marked the 111th anniversary of the Women’s Institute, and WIs across the country were encouraged to join in the celebrations by wearing purple, the WI’s signature colour.

Members were also invited to take photographs in groups of three, creating a fun visual representation of 111. We were delighted to join in the celebrations at our meeting, adding a splash of purple and marking this special milestone together.

It was a lovely opportunity to celebrate the WI’s long history, the friendships it has created and the many contributions made by WI members over the past 111 years.