Amersham Angels WI

10/10/2026

Our guest speaker at the October meeting was Sarah Jones from the Chiltern branch of u3a. Sarah’s area of expertise is AI which is currently a topic of immense interest and scrutiny.

Sarah talked about different forms of AI and we were all amazed at how many ways we use AI ( sometimes unwittingly!) in our everyday lives.
We heard about some of the drawbacks and pitfalls of AI, and Sarah’s overriding mantra was to ‘Check and check again’ any information found in AI.

Whilst there are so many positives such as access to so much information worldwide and time saving capabilities in the workplace, its use in some areas of education, for example school homework and research, is also causing consternation and problems.
Of course, Sarah reminded us never to input any personal or financial details when using AI searches.

We were pleased, however, to learn that Sarah’s AI search about our own Amersham Angels WI described us as a lively, new wave branch with friendly members! 💚🤍💚🤍
Thank you Sarah for a thought-provoking talk!

As usual, members mingled afterwards over drinks 🫖☕️ and refreshments 🍰🧁to chat sociably and meet friends old and new.

Amersham Angels WI is full with a long waiting list therefore we are unable to welcome guests or visitors to our talks and events.

06/10/2026

We thought you would like an update on our recent efforts to rejuvenate the planters at Amersham Station!
A small team of regular helpers have planted🌱, weeded, deadheaded 🍂and watered 💦( a lot!! ) throughout the hot summer months. The watering ( supported by some station staff) often involved bringing containers of water from homes as currently there is limited availability to obtain water at the station.
Fortunately these efforts have meant the plants survived and thrived and we were thrilled to observe bees, butterflies and other insects visiting the site. 🐝🦋🐞
This week, thanks to a kind donation of bulbs from Rowan Garden Centre, we were able to plant dozens of daffodils and alliums to add colour in the Spring. 💛💜🧡
We hope commuters continue to enjoy the plants on the platforms over the coming months. You can see the difference in the before and after photos below! 😀 Thanks also to Amersham in Bloom for assisting by watering the plants in the planter outside the station whilst they tend their own beautiful hanging baskets💜🩷💚

14/09/2026

The September “Coffee With Dogs” group met this morning. This time we had a get together at Rowan Garden Centre’s new cafe called Silvio’s. There were 9 of us and 8 dogs this time. Lovely sitting outside on the terrace enjoying friendly chats and delicious coffees. We also sampled some of the yummy new pastries 😋
And of course there are often some treats for our well-behaved four-legged friends too! 🐶. Some members arrange a nearby walk before or after too.

Many thanks to AAWI member Paola for setting up the group and planning the monthly get togethers - usually at a local garden centre. All AAWI members welcome to join the Coffee With Dogs group, with or without a dog, just contact !
As Amersham Angels is full with a waiting list, we are unable to accept visitors or guests to our meetings and events.

13/09/2026

As the season is starting to change and regular rainfall has returned to the Chilterns, it is timely to thank all the volunteers who have managed the planters at Amersham Station, brightening up platforms and journeys. Special thanks to Alison Pao of Rowan Garden Centre for the design and donation, and continuing support plus of course Sally who organised regular watering sessions, when it wasn't only the plants that were wilting during the high summer heat.

Very many thanks to all who have played their part in this wonderful initiative, and continue to deadhead and tidy, to ensure this is a vibrant and continuing addition to the Station.

05/09/2026

Amersham Angels met for their monthly meeting on Wednesday evening and had the pleasure of welcoming speaker Janine Kilroe.
Janine entertained us a with a fascinating talk about the history of tattoos. We were amazed to learn that tattoos had been found on the preserved body of ‘Iceman’ which was over 5000 years old!

The involvement of women either having tattoos themselves or being tattoo artists largely started in the mid-1800’s.
Sadly, some women were often abducted, forcibly tattooed and became exhibits in circus freak shows.

In Victorian times, ladies often sat around discussing the art of tattoos and some had their own tattoos though usually in discreet areas of the body not on public display!

Maud Wagner was one of America’s most famous tattooists and worked in circuses in the early 1900’s.
However some women such as Betty Broadbent began to have tattoos as a sign of rebellion or independence. She even participated in a beauty pageant to change the public’s perceptions about tattoos.

Tattoo parlours grew up around the areas where navy or army service men and women were located and became a popular rite of passage.

Janine told us that she had learned much about the significance of particular designs of tattoos during her work in prison-some tattoos specifically mark out the person as having committed murders or belonging to a particular group of criminals.

In modern times, tattoos have become very popular and much more acceptable and the standard of artistry is extremely high. We saw amazingly intricate designs of Japanese style coloured tattoos which often cover most of the body. Thank you Janine for a most interesting talk.

The WI are celebrating 111 years this year and has chosen the colour purple, one of the colours associated with the Suffragettes 💟, to mark the occasion. Some of our members dressed accordingly and even our refreshments had a colour theme! 💜
Following our talk, members mingled and caught up with friends over delicious drinks and cakes.
Amersham Angels WI is full, with a waiting list, so we are unable to welcome visitors or guests to our meetings and events.

03/09/2026

Today Gloria Steinem died in New York at the age of 92. She was an intellectual. a journalist and a feminist activist, who co-founded the Women’s Action Alliance – a group dedicated to fighting sexism – more than 50 years ago and continued to campaign for women, and for women’s rights.
The Gloria Steinem Foundation said “Gloria's greatest gift was her ability to listen to others, to make others feel seen and heard. Her words, actions and example gave people permission to be their truest selves. Gloria lived true to her independent spirit, always with curiosity and a great sense of humour."
Gloria Steinem herself said that she wished her desired legacy might be that her work “might help individual people --- to become more the unique, valuable, loved and lovable person that they want to be.”

31/08/2026

Wishing you all a happy Bank Holiday Monday.

A reminder about Heritage Day in Old Amersham next Sunday 6th September – 11.30-5pm.

This is a wonderful day out for all ages and generations, and includes vintage bus rides, Morris Dancers and traction engines, music, live entertainment, Punch and Judy shows, medieval re-enactments and much more.

Let’s celebrate our lovely and lively local town and learn more about its fascinating history. Amersham Museum will be supporting the day, and further information and a full timetable can be found on the Visit Amersham website

30/08/2026

Members of the AAWI Gardening Group visited Chenies Manor House and Gardens recently:

"A few from the Gardening Group enjoyed a wonderful afternoon today at Chenies Manor Dahlia Festival. All the flowers were beautiful and shining in the recent rain, but the dahlias were simply spectacular and so varied in colour and form! We had a lovely wander around in the dry, even the sun peeked out occasionally! Then we had a lovely chat with tea & cake undercover just as the rain and thunder started - we were so lucky!"

Thank you Jane Mears - many of us now have dahlia envy!

26/08/2026

The recent announcement that Dolly Parton has died has touched many people – from the Royal Family who paid lovely tributes, to the Record Shop in Amersham that filled it’s windows with ‘Dolly’ records. We will remember her for her music, her glamour, her self-deprecating attitude and humility, and for the stunning statistic that, during her lifetime, the Imagination Library that she set up in tribute to her illiterate father, has gifted over 300,000,000 books to children since inception. This ‘Library’ was acknowledged in a FB post from The Queen's Reading Room – “By putting so many books into the hands of so many children, she gave the most precious of gifts: the chance to millions of young minds of opening the door to imagination, possibility and a lifelong love of reading.

As it says on her website www.dollyparton.com “A rhinestone life that shone bright enough for the world to see.”

Honoring the life and legacy of Dolly Parton, global icon, humanitarian, and beloved entertainer who inspired generations with her music and kindness.

19/08/2026

A few of us from the Amersham Angels WI gardening group went to Chenies Manor House and Gardens this week. Really amazing and vivid display of dahlias at the Chenies Manor Dahlia Festival. We all thoroughly enjoyed strolling around the gardens with the beautiful 15th Century house as the backdrop. Well worth visiting, the dahlias are so inspiring and look so perfect. The lush green lawns were a treat for the eyes too! 💚
AAWI members should check the Gardening group WhatsApp chat to see the date for next week’s visit to see the dahlias!🌸🌺💚
Amersham Angels WI is full with a waiting list, so we are unable to accommodate guests or visitors to our meetings and events.