Past Events 2021 & 2022
Page Index
2021
June 2021 Village Day
6/12/2021 Winchester Christmas Market
9/12/2021 Bespoke Christmas Wreath Making
2022
23/04/2022 Arundel Castle & Tulip Festival
11/05/2022 West Horsley Place "Nooks & Crannies Tour"
18/0/22 Bookham Village Day Theme Jubilee
22/07/2022 "Behind the Seams" of Strictly Come Dancing
16/09/22 Butterflies Quiz Evening
11/10/22 Planting new beds in Bookham High Street.
02/12/22 Waddesdon Manor
05/12/22 Bespoke Christmas Wreath making
121/12/22 Christmas Meeting & 8th Birthday Party
Village Day
June 2021
Winchester Christmas Market
6/12/21
Bespoke Wreath Making
9/12/21
Arundel Castle & Their Tulip Festival
23/04/22
Photographs Jen Broh & Linda & Warren Rockett.
Review Linda Rockett.
West Horsley Pace
A Nooks and Crannies Tour
11.05.22
On a wet May afternoon a group of Butterflies meet in the Stone Hall at West Horsley for a Nooks and Crannies tour of this deceptive Grade 1 listed red brick building with 50 bedrooms. Covering the original timber structure the bricks were added around 1645 by Carew Raleigh. Thought the house we saw areas where the wall plaster has come away exposing the timber beams and wattle and daub.
The house has been owed by nine different families over the year ,including it being seized over a debt by King Henry VIII. Queen Elizabeth I stayed once, as a guest, for six days in August 1559.
When Bamber Gascoigne, yes he of University Challenge fame, inherited it unexpectedly in 2014 upon the death of his Aunt Mary, Duchess of Roxburgh, he realised that it would take a lot of money to restore and preserve the main building, outhouses and all its land. ( ten million pounds) He auctioned off a load of the artefacts and formed a charity, The Mary Roxburghe Trust. It had three aims.
1. To help preserve and restore the estate. 2. Provide a venue for teaching crafts. 3. To encourage the performing arts.It is now the home of Grange Park Opera with its spectacular miniature version of the La Scala Opera Theatre within the grounds.
Linda Rockett.
Bookham Village Day
18.06.22
"Behind the Seams "
of Strictly Come Dancing
22.07.22
Butterflies plus some guests visited the home of The Strictly Come Dancing Costume Department at DSI London ( Dance Support International Ltd ) on 22nd July. All were made very welcome by Gerald, Carole and the rest of the team.
Having been divided into two groups we had a behind scenes tour of the company which celebrates this year its 40th anniversary. It started originally by Peggy Spencer MBE ( a British Professional ballroom dancer) and Geoffrey Hearn ( dance teacher and examiner) Its know run by Geoffrey's son Malcolm and Gerald Schnauzer ( former Austrian Amateur Ballroom Champion) who met and was one of our guides.
Their dedicated team work very long hours to get the Strictly outfits ready by Friday morning for the dress rehearsals and any alterations or additions are then made before Saturday live shows. They are already making this year's outfits for the group dance numbers. We were surprised at how heavy some costumes were to wear, due not just to the material but also all the add-on's to them. They were all so beautifully made. Each celebrity has a tailor's dummy which is bubble wrapped to their size, which means it's easily added or subtracted too in any appropriate area- this save the celebrity having to have lots of appointments for fittings and adjustments.
Vicky Gill ( who lives in Godstone) is the designer appearing regularly on " It takes two' but we did not know she also designs costumes for ITV Dancing on Ice. Vicky not only studied fashion at college ( Newcastle and Epsom) but she was once the British Disco Dance Champion so does have appreciation for what is required of a dance outfit. If you wanted to buy a dress, then on average they cost £2,000, but this does depend on the amount of detail and time taken! One of our group was lucky to get to try on an outfit.
DSI also produces and sells everything you could possibly think of for a stage or TV show, e.g. from the false eyelashes to shoes! When Strictly first started they were already making outfits for Camilla Dallerup, Erna Boag, Flavia Cacace and Ola Jordan and as the show became more popular they started to make all the costumes.
To quote one BBWI member " The next series of Strictly will be viewed with even more interest now we've been up close to some of the fabulous costumes"
Linda Rockett.
Butterflies Quiz Evening
16.09.22
In September 2022, the Bookham Butterflies WI held their first big charity quiz night since the original lockdown.
Nine tables of BBWI members, family and friends and other local WI members battled it out to be the victors of the evening. At half time we enjoyed a fish & chip supper. Much laughter could be heard around the room as teams debated their answers or groans of dismay when they realised their answers were wrong! The winning team were The Pixies ( well done girls).
A magnificent £782 was raised from the quiz and accompanying raffle ( with prizes being donated by local businesses and WI members)
The money raised has been donated to The Princess Alice Hospice.
Linda Rockett.
Local business donators were: Ron Fowler Fishmongers, Layton's Greengrocers, Carolina's Coffee Shop, The Vineries Garden Centre, DiCarlo's Hairdressers, William Dyer Delicatessen, Ken Davey & Moody Tom.
Flower Beds Bookham High Street
11.10.22
Christmas Visit to Waddesdon Manor
02.12.22
The Bookham Butterflies kicked off Christmas 22 with a visit to Waddesdon Manor, Aylesbury, the home of the Rothchilds.
The house is a beautiful ornate building with richly decorated rooms and fabulous clocks, one of which is an elephant. The grounds are extensive. Both the house and grounds were dressed for Christmas with lots of lovely Christmas trees inside and out and the light trail was delightful-one area was decorated with colourful butterflies. On each side of the driveway leading up to the house were Christmas market stalls selling a variety of goods, several BBWI members got back on the coach with bulging shopping bags.There were stalls selling a selection of delicious food and hot drinks including mulled wine- which many of us sampled. A great day out was had by all.
Linda Rockett
Our Annual Christmas Wreath Making
05.12.22
Christmas Meeting & 8th Birthday
12.12.22
