Sutton in Craven WI

13/04/2026

My Life on a Cruise Ship. Nikki Barrett.
Swimming with dolphins, turtles and sting rays, mountain biking on Etna, meeting celebrities, helicopter rides, river tubing, volcano hikes, cruising in the Med and the Caribbean - Nikki’s working life on a cruise ship was a once in a lifetime experience full of excitement and adventure. Her talk this afternoon revealed the highs and the lows of life on a cruise ship. Surprisingly, it all began with divorce! Nikki had the freedom and a yearn to travel, so applied to two jobs- which meant that on New Year’s Eve 2005 she had to chose between animal conservation work with an African Charity and Cruise Ship training. Being a Yorkshire lass, she chose that one that would cost the least! After weeks of training in Bristol, learning survival training, drills, how to wear the uniform and how to run the shops on board, Nikki joined the crew of Oceana on 23rd April 2006 and her life on board a cruise ship began. Nikki told us about the routine of the ship- from hectic turnaround days, when the ship is restocked, cleaned and made ready for new passengers who need guiding through lifeboat drill, to sea days and port days. She told us many little snippets about life aboard that only crew would know: such as where to sunbathe on a port day, how to make the most of a free day in port, how to survive a cabin inspection and how to get the bottom bunk! Her life became an exhilarating mix of hard work, constantly meeting the high standards expected of every crew member, fun themes party nights, making friends from around the world and visiting exotic locations. It was an amazing time that she will never forget, and one that led from divorce to meeting her future husband, Richard. Travelling round the world brought Nikki many wonderful experiences: it also brought her life full circle.

19/03/2026

09/03/2026

Sunstone Yoga. Caz Ive
“Toes to Nose” instructed Caz -a gasp ran round the room. Could she be serious?
As the ladies of Sutton WI contemplated how on earth they could get their toes to touch their noses, laughter broke out. It only took a second for us to realise Caz wanted us to point our toes in the direction of our noses. Ah ! That was fine, we could manage that!
Lots of laughter and fun summed up this gentle session of stretching that everyone enjoyed. Caz took us through a series of seated arm, leg and body stretches with moves that were attainable by all, followed by a peaceful, relaxing “cool down”, when the room became magically quiet and calm.
Caz explained that she prefers slow, gentle movements in Yoga, encouraging participants towards getting to know their own body and its abilities, so her classes suit any age or ability- you don’t have to be young, very fit, and or able to touch your nose with your toes!
Caz holds her classes at Sutton Village Hall on Tuesdays at 10am to 11, with around 10 ladies
In April Caz is planning to start a new Chair Yoga group at 11.30 on Tuesdays, for around an hour.
Classes cost £48 for 6 classes or £10 for one- this taster session was so popular and enjoyable that it was clear the new group will fill up soon- for more information ring
Caz on 07939080974, email at [email protected] Website www.sunstone.yoga

10/02/2026

Erica Gribbin: A Lucky Lady
From Police Cadet at 18 to Detective Inspector 30 years later, Erica’s account of her life in the police force kept us all riveted to our seats this afternoon. Describing the many highs- she was awarded a Commendation, met the Queen and Prince Phillip, and a wealth of tricky situations, Erica used humour, wisdom and thoughtful reflection to give us a unique insight into her working world. Her chatty style made it easy for us all to relate to her experiences.
Erica’s bravery and determination shone through her many stories- at 18 she defied her Mum’s advice “You’re not joining the cadets”, then faced 6 weeks training with sores on her feet, double marching, army style exercises without moaning. She succeeded, only to face the world of Leeds estates in the 1980s, on the beat at 18, living in police accommodation. She was in at the deep end- and will never forget the trauma of the first body or being called to a fight in a pub- on her own. Should she go in- or wait for back up? Erica went in- called for order- nothing happened-so she stood on a stool and called again. Silence- everyone looked at her…then the cavalry turned up, swiftly followed by her first reprimand for going in alone. She’ll never know if it was her voice that stilled the room or if the brawlers thought she was a stripper!
Erica’s courage and resourcefulness were clear from the many events that followed in a career that encompassed CID, Drugs squad, Custody Sergent, Professional Standards and finally DI in the Intelligence unit. The changes she experienced were startling: starting as a naive young woman in the 80’s- to a DI leading older male officers in the 2000s. Most of us never see the inside view- today, Erica gave us a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes, revealing the personal side of crime, detection and keeping the law, whilst retaining the ability to talk to ordinary people and gather information. Whether it was playing a game of dominoes in the pub, sharing a cup of tea with an old lady or assisting Professor Green on investigations, she retained her humour and resilience throughout. Erica sees herself as a Lucky Lady: she had the opportunity to raise a family in the later years of an amazing career. We saw her as an exceptional, inspirational and remarkable woman with a wealth of incredible experience. Thank you, Erica for a talk that we will long remember.
Competition Erica had devised a Nato Phonetic Alphabet Quiz- several ladies completed this correctly and added points to their competition score- plus a chocolate reward!
Tea Time A special mention to Sue Storr, 90 tomorrow, who told us of some memorable winters in her youth and her adventures in a glider, amongst other reminiscences. A special birthday cake was prepared and presented to her by Charlottle. Audrey, Kathleen and Sue H’s birthdays were celebrated.

09/12/2025

31 members of the WI celebrated Christmas this week with an excellent lunch at the Hare and Hounds in Lothersdale, where we were made very welcome. The staff were very attentive and worked extremely hard to make everything run smoothly. We all had a beautiful meal and enjoyed the atmosphere and company.

13/10/2025

Jen from Capalog
How many kinds of caps can you name? After our talk today by Jan, of Capalog, we can now name, describe and explain the difference between many kinds of caps- from Fisher Caps, Baker Boy Caps, Panal Caps, Flats Caps, Trapper Caps to Cloche caps, each type often being linked to a particular occupation. She even produces Turbans, Bicorn, Tricorn hats and Bridal veils.
Based in Saltaire, Jen was originally trained in costume design and production. She enjoyed the millinery side of the work and set up her own company, designing, sourcing and making caps. Jen explained how a cap is constructed, the basic shapes involved and how a by adjusting one panel, she can create a cap with a completely different shape. Jen uses a variety of materials, from Buckram to straw or felt, all of which can be varied to suit the chosen style and any of 12 different sizes and countless colourways.
Jen illustrated her talk with photographs of some of the many commissions she has completed for Theatrical productions such as operas, ballets, or even adverts featuring Eric Cantona!
A fascinating insight into an item we use every day and take for granted. Caps custom made by Jan or from her extensive range would make fantastic gifts. They can be ordered at https://www.thecapalog.com

10/09/2025

Speaker: Laura Winnery, Olive Lounge Travel
Olive Lounge Travel has been awarded the Top Travel Agency in Yorkshire and Laura herself the Sutstainable Travel Champion, so we were learning from the best this afternoon!
Most of us know the Olive Lounge Agency, in Crosshills, at the top of Station Road, but few of us realised the detailed care in the services they offer- from Fizz Friday, ( a well-kept secret) to booking great value weekend theatre breaks in London, or even every last detail of a round the world trip, this agency ensures that your booking runs smoothly and is tailor made to your needs. As professionals, they have over 100 year’s experience- if they haven’t been there, they know someone who has, and will offer specialist advice on your chosen location. They believe the booking process should be part of the joy of travel, so work hard to ensure you feel relaxed throughout the process. There is no charge for service, prices are matched with the internet and they have a high percentage of repeat bookings. Olive Lounge will ensure that all your health, dietary or mobility issues are catered for, will book attractions, ground floor rooms, help in airports: what ever you need to ensure your trip is a success. They even present you with a folder of documents, printed out ready for your trip, once the booking is complete; no more searching your phone for the flight tickets! Perhaps this is the key to the quality of service: the feeling that “your not on your own”- there is always a dedicated, expert agent on hand where ever you are in the world, to help with that missed flight, change of plans or other hiccup that might crop up.

Competition: Worst Holiday souvenir/picture 1st Jill L 2nd Shirley 3rdAudrey
Kings Arms monthly meet 29th October 7pm not Black Bull.

14/07/2025

Crafty Coasters with Our Crafting Queen, Bev
A record 38 members attended today’s meeting- a testament to the popularity and skills of our Crafting Queen, Bev- and the result was 38 ladies left the building proudly holding their own unique, very special and attractive coaster.
Bev started the afternoon by explaining the method- first, chose the colours and cut outs you wish to use. Second- coat your coaster in PVA- carefully, with a thin layer of glue. Next- arrange your first layer. Coat it with PVA. Repeat until your design is complete then add 4 thin layers of PVA, letting each one dry. When everyone was clear on the method, we were allowed to choose our design – and what a choice!
A multitude of different colours, shapes, coloured papers, patterned papers, letters, stars, circles, jigsaw pieces- the table was awash with so many different pieces it was almost impossible to pick a favourite- simple background, fancy letter? Patterned background, plain decoration? Your favourite colour…or favourite swirly design?
Once the choice was made, the room became quiet and we started work.
A simple, effective idea from Bev, combined with a great deal of preparation and creativity led to 38 delightful coasters which we can enjoy and use at home.
A massive thank you to Bev, who has so many great ideas and is so good at showing us all how to put things together to create a truly original work of art.
Competition: Coaster Making Skills. 1st Janice 2nd Cheryl. 3rd Lynn