Have Your Say

Chipstead Evening WI October Meeting - AGM

Not all AGM’s have to be Agonising Gruesome Monotony and the Chipstead Evening WI AGM certainly was not. The meeting was upbeat and light hearted.

It is well known that the members are an outgoing busy lot and to hear the annual report about the plethora of activities taken in the past year showed that we have something for everyone. The year’s outings included visits to gardens, exhibitions, restaurants, the theatre and London walks. Add to these two garden parties, a stall at the Chipstead flower show, frequent meetings of the needlecraft and book club plus the monthly meetings whose talks were both wide and varied and one could be forgiven for wondering how members have any time left for all the other societies and clubs in the village and local area to which they belong.

 Christina Holmes, the president, thanked the committee and everyone for their team work and organisation in activities and routine meetings. The new committee was duly signed up and Christina re-elected for a fourth term. The Chipstead Evening WI is extremely lucky to have such an inspirational president who is always enthusiastic, encouraging and leads from the front.

 After the business part of the meeting Kirstie Banham of Shabden Park Farm talked to us about her and her husband’s mission to farm their tenancy in a responsible, ethical and sustainable manner. Her love of the local countryside and traditional rural skills was very apparent and we learnt how she encouraged diverse habitats on the land to encourage back wild flora and fauna. The grizzled skipper, a butter fly which is becoming increasingly rare, has returned to the farm two summers running and is a good indicator that the chalk down land is in good heart. Kirstie talked about the ancient field boundaries and that the shape of the fields we see in Shabden Valley today originated from wooded areas which were used as cover for pheasants in Victorian days when the Shabden Estate held shooting parties.

Kirstie discussed with humour the school visits and open days. I am sure now when members walk along the footpaths which skirt the farm they will reflect on Kirstie’s description of the hard and rewarding farm work associated with the livestock and poultry. With Christmas on the horizon she told us about the latest arrivals - geese and turkeys. However, with Guy Fawkes Night almost upon us, I will certainly be going up to the farm shop to purchase their new flavoured toffee apple sausages.

 Chipstead Evening WI always welcomes new members so why not come along in the New Year to our meeting on 3^rd January at 8pm in The Peter Aubertin Hall?

 Katherine Goldsmith