ACCRINGTON AND DISTRICT WI
ON Saturday, July 28, the 50th Annual Clitheroe Area Women’s Institute Show of Crafts and Produce was held at All Saint’s School in Claytonle-Moors.
13 local WIs put entries into 56 various classes for produce and preserves, horticulture, floral art, confectionery and sweets, handicrafts, art and photography and papercraft, with two sections for men only for a cake and a painting or sketch.
There were over 1,700 entries.
The ladies of Accrington and District WI gained 7,342 points for their various entries in the 56 different classes to come first overall.
A presentation was held in the afternoon, attended by the Mayors and Mayoresses of Hyndburn, Clitheroe and Ribble Valley.
The chairman of the show committee, Mrs Jacqui Mallinson, announced the winners and thanked everyone for their hard work to make the show a success. Accrington WI won:
The Lady Clitheroe Challenge Cup for a Large Institute
The Brenda Lund Memorial Trophy for most points in horticulture
The Hindley Rose Bowl for most points in confectionery
The Read Prize for most points in handicrafts
Fence WI’s new trophy for most points in art and photography in memory of Gill Wilkinson
The Greendale Storage trophy for most points in the men’s section.
Individual Accrington members won:
The Standfast trophy, for best in section for confectionery, went to Marilyn Sherburne
Best in section for produce and preserves went to Eileen Irwin
Best in section for men, sponsored by Ribble Valley Borough Council, went to Stephen Teasdale.
Clitheroe WI also provided more information about the show:
Heavy rain showers failed to stop visitors to the 50th Clitheroe Area WI Show held at All Saints Primary School last Saturday.
It was a day to celebrate continued success and look back to where it all started.
‘Bashall Eaves sweep the Board’ was the headline following the first Women’s Institute Show in 1968.
Pictures of hats and gloves being worn by the members of the 22 local WIs as Bashall Eaves were presented with the Lady Clitheroe Cup for the WI with most points.
Eventually it was decided to have two points trophies, one for large institutes and another for small.
It was possible then to put the 700 exhibits into the hall at the first venue St James Primary School.
The show moved from there to Clitheroe Girls Grammar School, then Ribblesdale High, St Augustine’s Roman Catholic High School, back to the Grammar School, then Edisford Primary School before arriving at All Saints Primary School in Clayton-le-Moors.
From those early days classes have increased from 40 to 56, whilst children’s classes have increased from 10 to 17 amounting to over 1,700 items at this year’s event.
Some things haven’t changed – for example cakes, knitting and preserves – but lampshades and pottery painting haven’t been seen for a while.
There was a time when every village hall had evening classes for every possible craft, but the show committee still manages to come up with new ideas ‘Zentangle’ and ‘3D needle felted zoo animal’ and classes for men only.
Speaking of the men, the committee wanted to recognise the tremendous support the show has received over the years and have introduced two new trophies for their classes.
Fence WI, in memory of Gill Wilkinson, donated another new trophy.
Due to her love of the subjects, it was dedicated to the Art and Photography section and was presented by her husband Graham, who spoke of their involvement with the show and his appreciation of the support from the members following her untimely death.
Mrs Ericka Green, first winner of the Clitheroe Advertiser and Times Trophy for child with most points, presented the trophy to this year’s winner Daisy Sharp.
As always, grateful thanks are extended to the show committee, the gentlemen, the school, our guests and, of course, the members for taking part.