Brandsby WI

16/10/2026

Our montly walk was a circular one from Coneysthorpe, following the Centenary Way to Castle Howard, passing the Pyramid, the Temple of Four Winds, and the Mausoleum. Walk organiser Sue reported that the walk was enjoyable with great company in lovely weather, concluding with an excellent lunch at Terrington.

16/10/2026

September saw 10 of our members plus husbands and friends attend a performance by Cool Notes Big Band who were playing at Tollerton Village Hall. Our members were given seats at the front of the hall giving them an excellent view of our own saxophonist and President, Lynette Kilty.

The band delivered an energetic performance, playing a variety of music at a lively volume, although not excessively loud! Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the evening’s entertainment😊

15/10/2026

At our October meeting we were excited to welcome Annie Sirk who describes herself as Silver, Sassy, Unstoppable.

Annie gave us a fascinating insight into how her ‘first’ career in food and education evolved gradually into television, media and radio. Annie also founded and ran her own food PR company. After retiring in her mid-60s, and not ready to ‘do nothing’, her new career began ‘almost by accident’, opening the door to a host of unexpected opportunities and experiences.

The journey began one evening when Annie was waiting for her husband to accompany her to an event. Feeling, in her own words, ‘all glammed up’, she took a selfie. On a whim, she later submitted the photograph to a company looking for models. This led to professional photographs being taken and, much to her surprise, an offer of modelling work!

Annie explained that her new career developed through a combination of curiosity, enthusiasm and a willingness to say ‘yes’ to new requests and opportunities. This adventurous approach opened the door to a whole range of experiences and eventually inspired her to establish ‘Sassy & Silver’, an agency promoting modelling opportunities for like-minded, silver-haired friends.

Annie went on to share many entertaining stories from her modelling career, including the varied opportunities she has enjoyed, and the charity work she undertakes. She is passionate about championing the many people in our society with white or silver hair who can sometimes feel invisible. Through her work, Annie is an age-positive advocate for authentic representation, helping to challenge stereotypes, celebrate maturity and demonstrate that confidence, creativity and new adventures have no age limit.

We were thoroughly entertained by Annie’s many tales of her ‘silver’ enterprises and inspired by her energy, positivity and determination to make a difference. Her talk was a wonderful reminder that retirement can be the beginning of an entirely new chapter, full of unexpected opportunities and rewarding experiences.

We did of course take the opportunity to take some pictures, but they do not do Annie justice! Please head over to https://anniestirk.co.uk/ to read all about Annie's work.

18/09/2026

Following our wine-tasting evening in June, July saw us gather at the home of one of our members for our Annual Summer Garden Party. We were treated to magnificent views across the Wolds from her lovely garden, despite the drought. There was still plenty of colour to enjoy, enhanced by a stunning display of summer frocks — and a few much-needed hats!

Our traditional bring-a-dish buffet was, as always, a huge success, providing a feast for both the eyes and the taste buds.

It was a fabulous afternoon of food, laughter and companionship, enjoyed by our long-standing members and an impressive number of new members. Like our buffet, our WI is a wonderful mix of firm favourites and exciting new flavours.

September saw us celebrating 111 years of the WI and enjoying a fascinating talk from Rachel Lister Jones. Her knowledgeable and entertaining presentation, entitled ‘Things You Didn’t Know About Trees,’ was beautifully interspersed with her magical poetry.

In October, we are extremely excited to be hosting Brandsby resident Annie Stirk. After retiring at the age of 67, Annie embarked on a completely new career as a model, making ‘Another Life After Retirement’ the perfect title for her talk.

Annie describes herself as:

Silver. Sassy. Unstoppable.

Annie is a model, mentor, broadcaster and age-positive trailblazer, proving that reinvention has no age limit. From TV kitchens to fashion billboards, Annie empowers women to live boldly, challenge stereotypes and embrace every stage of life with confidence and joy.

To find out more about Annie, visit her website: https://anniestirk.co.uk/

Ladies, if you would like to join us in October, you will be very welcome. Our meetings are held at Brandsby Village Hall and start at 7.30pm.

Please drop our Secretary, Carol, an email at [email protected] to let us know you will be visiting.

You can also find us on Facebook at Brandsby WI, where we share details of all our activities, outings and upcoming events.

Model, mentor, broadcaster and age-positive trailblazer, Annie Stirk proves reinvention has no age limit. From TV kitchens to fashion billboards, she empowers women to live boldly, challenge stereotypes, and embrace every stage of life with confidence and joy.

10/09/2026

10/09/2026

Although we were eight days ahead of the official celebrations, our Tuesday meeting was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the WI’s 111th anniversary of bringing women together.

We marked this special milestone by wearing purple and celebrating everything that makes the WI so special – friendship, community, companionship, laughter and, of course, a good chat!

When our members were asked what the WI means to them, some of the words that came to mind were ‘family’, ‘community’, 'learning', ‘friendships’ and ‘social’. These simple words perfectly capture what our WI is all about: a welcoming group where friendships are formed, conversations are shared and everyone can enjoy spending time together.

Getting everyone organised for the photographs proved to be a little more challenging than expected! Our members were far more interested in catching up, chatting and having fun than standing still for a photo – which, really, says everything about the spirit of our WI! Eventually, we managed to gather everyone together and capture some lovely memories of our purple-themed celebration.

Here’s to 111 years of women coming together, supporting one another, making friends and having fun – and to many more years of our WI community!

10/09/2026

Following our wine-tasting evening in June, July saw us gather at the home of one of our members for our Annual Summer Garden Party. We were treated to magnificent views across the Wolds from her lovely garden, despite the drought. There was still plenty of colour to enjoy, enhanced by a stunning display of summer frocks — and a few much-needed hats!

Our traditional bring-a-dish buffet was, as always, a huge success, providing a feast for both the eyes and the taste buds. It was a fabulous afternoon of food, laughter and companionship, enjoyed by our long-standing members and an impressive number of new members.

Like our buffet, our WI is a wonderful mix of firm favourites and exciting new flavours.

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September saw us enjoying a fascinating talk from Rachel Lister Jones. Her knowledgeable and entertaining presentation, entitled ‘Things You Didn’t Know About Trees,’ was beautifully interspersed with her magical poetry.

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In October, we are extremely excited to be hosting Brandsby resident Annie Stirk. After retiring at the age of 67, Annie embarked on a completely new career as a model, making ‘Another Life After Retirement’ the perfect title for her talk.

Annie describes herself as:

Silver. Sassy. Unstoppable.

Annie is a model, mentor, broadcaster and age-positive trailblazer, proving that reinvention has no age limit. From TV kitchens to fashion billboards, Annie empowers women to live boldly, challenge stereotypes and embrace every stage of life with confidence and joy.

To find out more about Annie, visit her website: https://anniestirk.co.uk/

Ladies, if you would like to join us in October, you will be very welcome. Our meetings are held at Brandsby Village Hall and start at 7.30pm.

Please drop our Secretary, Carol, an email at [email protected] to let us know you will be visiting.

25/08/2026

After our open meeting tasting the wines of Italy in July and our fabulous garden party in August, we're now looking ahead to all the fascinating talks we have planned. In September, we are delighted to welcome poet and author of The Wonders of the Wild Places, Rachel Lister Jones. Rachel’s talk, entitled ‘Things You Didn’t Know About Trees’, will explore some of the surprising stories and secrets of the natural world.

Rachel’s fascination with nature began at a young age, and she has a particular interest in ornithology and botany. Alongside her writing, Rachel volunteers for the Woodland Trust.

Ladies, if you would like to join us in September, you will be very welcome. Please drop our Secretary, Carol, an email at [email protected] to let us know you will be visiting.

24/08/2026

Perfect weather for our WI walk this month – a week earlier than usual because of the bank holiday! Not too hot, not too cold, and with a gentle, cooling breeze when needed as we trudged up the slope out of Gravestone. 🌤️🥾

We set off from Nunnington village, following the river before crossing fields and heading over the hill towards Stonegrave. We then returned along Nunnington Ridge, making our way back down into the village.

Aynsley wasn’t sure she’d manage the whole walk, remembering the gradients involved, but the effort was definitely worth it. We were rewarded with stunning views in every direction across Nunnington and Stonegrave. 🌿

As always, there was plenty of conversation and catching up between WI friends. And, of course, no WI walk would be complete without coffee (iced this time!) or tea and cake at the end. ☕🍰

With nothing closer to hand, we drove to the Lavender Farm, where scones (with or without jam and cream!) and lavender cake were enjoyed. Delicious! 💜

Another lovely walk, lovely company and lovely views. 💕

Article written by Aynsley Halligan

19/08/2026

We were in the middle of another heatwave when we gathered for our Summer Garden Party, kindly hosted by one of our members at her beautiful home. Her lovely garden gave us the perfect setting to enjoy magnificent views of the Wolds, despite the drought.

There was still plenty of colour in the garden, enhanced by a stunning display of summer frocks and a few much-needed hats. Our host had thoughtfully provided plenty of shaded seating, allowing everyone to stay cool and comfortable.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a WI gathering without a little business. We had a few announcements, sold raffle tickets and remembered two recently deceased members, one of whom was long-standing member Norma Harrison. We learned more about Norma, who was a member of Brandsby WI for over 60 years, through photographs and memories of a life well lived, shared by fellow member Sue, whose friendship with Norma lasted for more than 50 years.

The highlight, however, was the wonderful bring-a-dish buffet! We enjoyed pasta and rice salads, sandwiches, quiche and chicken drumsticks, followed by an incredible selection of desserts, including crème brûlée, trifle, cheesecake, chocolate roulade, strawberries and homemade shortbread.

It was a fabulous afternoon of food, laughter and companionship, enjoyed by both long-standing members and an impressive number of newcomers. Like our buffet, our WI is a wonderful mix of firm favourites and new flavours.

Article written by Fi Illingworth