Dragonflies WI

26/03/2026

What a delightful and entertaining evening with Spinnaker Shanty! ⚓️🎶 We had a blast singing along to sea shanties and learning the fascinating history behind the songs. We even got to channel our inner pirates with eye patches for a song! 🏴‍☠️✨ Huge thanks for such a memorable night.

21/02/2026

21/02/2026

Thanks to Bronda Dossett for her delightful talk on the Tales from Downton Abbey. She shared the history of Highclere Castle and the Carnarvon family who still live there today.

We learnt about some of the clothes they wore, in particular the whalebone corsets, which look very uncomfortable, and the small handbags they hung from their dresses to hold their calling cards and coins. She even gave a demonstration on how to do the Charleston.

Whilst most of the filming took place at Highclere Castle, the servants' quarters and kitchen scenes were filmed at Ealing studios. It was a fabulous evening enjoyed by everyone. 💛

18/01/2026

What a great start to our year with some gentle Tai Chi fitness movements led by Rachel. 🌿

Rachel gave us a brief insight into the history of Tai Chi and Qigong, which can be traced back over 4,000 years, and explained how these practices are used today in various forms.

She clearly guided us through each movement, showing how to incorporate breathing, making it an accessible and enjoyable session for everyone. It was lovely to see everyone able to join in and really enjoy the experience.

A big thank you to Rachel for sharing her knowledge and skills with our group. 💛
For more details on the classes she runs, visit www.zenfitnessrachel.co.uk Zenfitnessrachel

24/12/2025

Merry Christmas and a very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year from Dragonflies WI. 🎄✨

What a year it has been – full of activities, laughter and new friendships. We’ve been delighted to welcome many new faces, and our group continues to thrive.

Our clubs go from strength to strength thanks to the enthusiasm of our members, with book club, theatre club, supper club and many more all being wonderfully supported. Friendships have blossomed, with members enjoying everything from short UK trips to amazing adventures as far afield as South Africa.

We’ve also enjoyed inspiring talks from a variety of speakers, creative craft evenings, and a very special highlight – celebrating our 10th anniversary back in May. 🥂

We’re excited to see what 2026 brings and look forward to many more activities, friendships and memories together. 💛🦋

24/12/2025

What a fantastic way to end our year with our annual Christmas Party last week. It was a lovely evening full of laughter, memories and friendship, with everyone joining in the songs, games and raffle.

A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to the wonderful buffet - it was truly delicious and very much appreciated. A perfect way to celebrate the festive season together and make more special memories. 🎄✨

14/12/2025

Thank you to Janet G for organising another lovely Supper Club, where 17 of us enjoyed a fantastic Christmas meal at Test Valley Golf Club on Monday. 🎄

The food was amazing, with very generous portions, and everyone had a great time taking part in a quiz on song lyrics and company slogans arranged by Janet D. One table managed to win both quizzes! The Ferrero Rocher prizes were kindly shared amongst all the guests, making for a thoroughly enjoyable and festive evening.

14/12/2025

Well done to the nine ladies who helped out at the food bank on 3rd December, packing Christmas hampers for those in need of support this Christmas. 🎄

This is a yearly activity for Dragonflies WI and a truly worthwhile cause, helping to support our local community at a very special time of year.

01/12/2025

✨ A fun evening of Christmas crafting at our November meeting! 🎄
We had a choice of three festive makes: an orange pomander, a Mexican eye, and a Christmas tree decoration. Everyone got into the Christmas spirit and created something wonderful! ✨

18/11/2025

A huge thank you to our speaker at our October meeting, Alan Jones – Roving Reporter!

Alan shared some fascinating insights from his time as a BBC reporter. His stories ranged from light-hearted and humorous to deeply moving. One particularly memorable moment was when he recounted being called to Southampton Airport to report on an aircraft accident.

Everyone thoroughly enjoyed his talk, and with so many more stories still to tell, we hope to welcome him back again in the future for another captivating session!

29/09/2025

🌟 A big thank you to one of our members, Lyn Perrett, for her inspiring talk on British Sign Language at our last meeting! Lyn’s passion for this topic truly shines, and she was eager to share her knowledge with all of us while encouraging more people to learn to sign.

During her presentation, Lyn covered the fascinating origins of sign language and how each country has its own version, with various dialects even within regions. We then got to practice some basic signs together! Sign language is such a valuable tool - it helps break down communication barriers, allowing not only the deaf but also those with partial hearing or recent hearing loss to connect and foster a sense of cultural identity.

If you're interested in learning to sign, Lyn has recommended some fantastic books:
✅ "British Sign Language for Dummies"
✅ "Let’s Sign: Everyday BSL for Learners"

Additionally, there are some great websites where you can learn more about sign language and find support for the deaf community:
👉Commanding Hands: Featuring many videos covering useful signs. Check it out at https://commandinghands.co.uk/
👉BSL SignBank: Perfect for searching for specific signs - visit https://bslsignbank.ucl.ac.uk/
👉 BDA (British Deaf Association): Learn more at https://bda.org.uk/

If you’d like the full list of resources that Lyn provided, just let us know, and we’ll be happy to share it with you!

Let’s keep spreading awareness and breaking down those barriers together! 💚