Minety WI

25/08/2026

RIP Dolly Parton
Viewed by some as a “dumb blonde”, Dolly was definitely not dumb.
She was a successful, shrewd and fierce business woman who had her own record label and co-owned the huge Dollywood Company. She was born one of 12 children into a poor farming family and began singing in church when she was 6.
Dolly’s songs are instantly recognisable and her legacy of scholarships, supporting hospitals, donating to flood and wildfire victims, encouraging children’s literacy and setting up a breeding programme for bald eagles, will mean she will never be forgotten

13/08/2026

In Praise of Women series.

Florence Nightingale died 13th August 1910.

Florence Nightingale has been credited as the founder of modern nursing and a social reformer. Her nursing methods during the Crimean War and the training she gave to her nurses, were recognised as having reduced death rates among the injured soldiers by improving hygiene in the hospitals and living quarters.
She helped establish her nursing school at St. Thomas’ Hospital in London using money from the Nightingale fund which had been set up and generously donated to following her work in the Crimea.
Florence improved healthcare for all parts of society, introduced trained nurses to look after those who lived in the workhouses, wrote numerous volumes to educate nurses in training and created the Nightingale matrons in hospitals.
Although a few of her ideas regarding infection have since been debunked, her belief that germs cause infections, is upheld by her teachings and textbooks, and strict precautionary methods.
She was recognised and given many awards throughout her career and continued to work to improve hospitals, nursing and the understanding of medicine until she was about 80.
She died at the age of 90 and is buried in a small churchyard in Hampshire, her relatives having declined the offer of her burial at Westminster Abbey.

13/08/2026

Our annual summer garden party in one of our members’ gardens. A wonderful afternoon of food, refreshments, catching up with friends and a few welcome guests!

12/08/2026

In Praise of Women series.

Lauren Bacall died 12th August 2014.
She was not a formal women’s rights activist but her attitude towards Hollywood and traditional roles for women particularly in the cinema led the way for greater power for women in films.
She played sharp, independent women equalling the men she was opposite and embraced her natural looks as she aged.
Lauren was strong, clever, witty and a leader in her field. Classed as difficult by men who worked with her due to her intelligence and refusal to play second fiddle to male leads, she was unapologetic and was named the greatest 20th century female star by the American Film Institute.
Her second husband and love of her life, was Humphrey Bogart who died in 1957 at the age of just 57.
“I had one great marriage………. You just learn to cope with whatever you have to cope with”.
A beautiful woman who forged her career despite the attitudes towards women at the time.

10/07/2026

Everyone welcome to come along and listen to a talk about whales and dolphins, enjoy some light refreshments and a good catch up with friends. £5 per guest. You don’t have to be a member, be looking to join or even be female 😁😁

06/07/2026

In Praise of Women series.

Sophie Blanchard died 6th July 1819.
Madame Blanchard was the first woman to work as a professional balloonist. She was the wife of Jean-Pierre Blanchard, a pioneer in ballooning and when he died, Sophie continued to balloon.
She made more than 60 flights and even entertained Napoleon Bonaparte and Louis XV111.
Ballooning was very dangerous in the 15th/16th centuries and those who were brave enough experienced freezing temperatures and loss of consciousness if they achieved great heights.
Sophie died when her the gas in her balloon caught fire from fireworks set off during an exhibition at the Tivoli Gardens in Paris.
A brave woman indeed.

29/06/2026

In Praise of Women series.

Katharine Hepburn died 29th June 2003.
Her career as a leading lady on stage and in films lasted 60 years. She was forthright, headstrong, independent and outspoken. She played strong willed, sophisticated women, continued to work until she was 87 years old and died at the age of 96.
Hepburn refused to become part of the Hollywood publicity machine and was outspoken in her rejection of female stereotypes. She continued to work when it was considered that over a certain age, women were “over the hill”, playing mature and independent roles.
She wore trousers when it was not considered appropriate for women and came to symbolise the “modern woman” helping to change gender attitudes and bring feminism to the silver screen. Hepburn also actively promoted birth control and supported the legal right to abortion.

A few of her famous quotes:

“ I never realized until lately that women were supposed to be the inferior sex.”

“If you obey all the rules you miss all the fun.”

“As one goes through life, one learns that if you don’t paddle your own canoe, you don’t move.”

A strong woman, ahead of her time and a champion for feminism.

14/06/2026

In Praise of Women series.

Emmeline Pankhurst died 14th June 1928.
She was the organiser of the suffragette movement and helped women to win the right to vote in 1918.
Emmeline founded the WSPU - the Women’s Social and Political Union in 1903 - whose motto was “deeds not words”. As such, the movement became known for its physical actions including smashing windows and assaulting police officers, and later under the leadership of Emmeline’s daughter Christabel, more violent action such as arson and bombings. Many of its members, including Emmeline and her daughters were arrested and sent to prison where they went on hunger strikes and were then subjected to appalling forced feeding.
When the country went to war in 1914, Emmeline halted all acts of violence and aggression and encouraged women to work in factories to help the war effort, and young men to enlist.
Women over 30 won the right to vote in 1918 and Emmeline became involved in mainstream politics in order to promote women’s equality.
She died only weeks before the Representation of the People Act of 1928 when the right to vote was extended to all women over 21.
Her statue stands next to the Houses of Parliament in Victoria Tower Gardens to commemorate a woman who devoted her adult life to fighting for equality for women, a fight that continues to this very day.

11/06/2026

Wednesday’s trip to Slimbridge Wetland Centre 🦆Great day out and and we were so lucky with the weather🌤️
Saw the cranes but too far away for a picture!

06/06/2026