Tag Archives: Dorset Women’s Week

Thank you to everyone involved in Dorset Women’s Week 2017

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WAND would like to say a massive thank you to everyone involved in making Dorset Women’s Week a success!

The week ended in Dorset Women’s Day which was fantastic!  Thank you to all the workshop leaders (especially those who stepped in at the last moment due to sickness), to the stall holders, and the amazing performers!  And thank you to everyone who came along.

Congratulations to Sheonagh Ravensdale and Angie Rolph who won the prizes for giving us feedback.

We hope you all enjoyed it.  Please see below for a selection of photos from Dorset Women’s Day.

Dorset Women’s Week 2017 – Programme Launched

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WAND is excited to launch the 2017 Dorset Women’s Week Programme!  The week runs from 4-11 March and culminates again in Dorset Women’s Day.

We have more fantastic events and opportunities this year during the week including a Guided Tour of Arne Nature Reserve, Feminine and Fabulous confidence building workshop, Well Women Yoga and free swimming and exercise classes at Oxley Leisure Centre.

Dorset Women’s Day on Saturday 11 March, at the Dorford Centre has a wide range of exciting workshops including bike maintenance, flower arranging, assertiveness, African drumming, a ukulele crash course, ballet, and permaculture principles, to name just a few!

We have some brilliant performances in the main hall throughout the day, along with stalls selling a range of products and information stands. See the Programme for more details.

Our fabulous catering team will be on hand to sell drinks and delicious sandwiches and cakes. We also have our Rummage Room so come and have rummage and pick up some new to you.  If you have anything you’d like to donate please bring it along on the day.

A huge thank you to everyone who is giving up their time to run a workshop, perform, have a stall as well as the brilliant team behind the scenes making this a fabulous day.

Women’s Week is support by our WAND patrons:

“It’s Dorset Women’s Day again, how fabulous! We meet once more ladies, in the wake of the most powerful women’s marches on the planet too. All across the world, the value of sisterhood was shaken up that day and continues to be fully realised.

Women are incredible humans; we’re equals, we have value, we have a voice and we shouldn’t be afraid to use it to protect our rights and to make the world a better place. I look forward to seeing you all today and celebrating the very best of West Dorset’s women.” Tracey West

“Congratulations and thanks to WAND for using today to bring focus and attention to women locally and across the world. It has seldom been more important to preserve our gains and continue to champion women in all walks of life and connect with women of other cultures, and not just on International Women’s Day but on each of the remaining 364 days of the year, every year. But for now Enjoy the Day!” Harriet Waters

We hope you can join us!

If you have any queries please email wanddorset@gmail.com or call WAND on 07379 426525.

 

WAND AGM 2016 – “Keep Young and Beautiful”

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WAND AGM 2016This year we are excited to welcome Trisha Lewis to our AGM who will be giving us important advice from a 1950 women!

The AGM is on Wednesday 13 July from 6pm to 7.30 at the Borough Garden’s House, West Walks Dorchester, DT1 1RE.

Come along for a delicious cream tea, hear about what WAND has been up to over the last year and join us for some important advice from an earlier era.

 

 

Trisha LewisTRISHA LEWIS: “KEEP YOUNG AND BEAUTIFUL”

A very amusing look at the health and beauty and relationship advice for women during the 1950s! Trisha (as 1950s woman) shares advice from REAL books and magazines – advice that she is going to pass on to her daughter who is having… um…. ‘marriage difficulties’. 

A Fantastic Dorset Women’s Week 2016!

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Credit: Claire Vera

Credit: Claire Vera

A huge thank you to everyone who was involved in Dorset Women’s Week 2016 – what a week!

We talked about knickers and body confidence; we learnt to deal with stress and make jewellery; heard from (or about) some inspiring women; and we ate cake!

The week ended with another amazing Dorset Women’s Day!  Over 400 women came through the door and there was a brilliant atmosphere.

Also thank you to everyone who gave us their feedback on the day – we’ll use this to help plan next year!  Congratulations to Mrs D Harris from Weymouth who was picked out the hat as the winner of some fabulous prizes.

“This is a great event, lots of information, classes to try new things and meet interesting people. wil come again next year.” Danielle

“Brilliant Day.  Whoever got Kate Adie should be congratulated.” Jemma

“Fabulous feel good event.2 Jackie

So again a massive thank you to the organising team, the volunteers helping on the day, all the workshop leaders, the stall holders and everyone who came on the day (and the week) to make it such a special time.

See some highlights below from Dorset Women’s Day!

A thank you to Claire Vera for the following photos.

Dorset Women’s Week – programme launched!

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Dorset Women's Week Poster 2016WAND is thrilled to launch the Programme for Dorset Women’s Week!

Running from 5 to 12 March it is in celebration of International Women’s Day on 8 March 2016.

The week begins with a performance from Rosemary Hawthorne – aka the Knicker Lady! Rosemary, much loved actress, fashion historian and author, will be bringing her famous collection of knickers – and other things to the Brownsword Hall in Poundbury (Dorchester) on Saturday the 5th March from 7.30pm-9.30pm. Tickets at £12 are available here.

Other Dorset Women’s Week activities include: the opportunity to visit the Dorset History Centre and discover some surprising stories of women who have lived and worked in Dorset. You are also invited to a friendly evening session at the Winterbourne Hospital when you can get free advice and information on a range of women’s health issues. Or you could attend an empowering workshop to build your body confidence, join a stress busting workshop and learn techniques to manage your stress levels. Perhaps you would like to learn how to craft a beautiful necklace or spend an afternoon watching the film Suffragette. WAND also encourage you to join in with a very relaxing yoga class, attend a talk to hear the reflections of a female chief constable or join a unique session where you can develop your assertiveness skills through working with horses. If music is more your thing there is an inspiring concert programmed with singer-song writer Magdalena Atkinson. Plus you could take part in an uplifting guided nature walk with the RSPB or participate in some really super sports and leisure activities in Gillingham, Portland or Sherborne.

Dorset Women’s Day

Dorset Women’s Week culminates with the 11th annual Dorset Women’s Day to be hosted by WAND! This will take place at the Dorford Centre Dorchester on Saturday 12 March from 10am – 3.30pm. Regular attenders of the event will know that it offers something for everyone and this year is no exception. The day will be packed with a varied and exciting range of workshops and including: photography, crochet, mindfulness, jewellery making, laughter yoga, painting, singing and card making. Plus Gabriela Lerner, established Raw Food Nutrition and Health Coach will introduce you to the amazing health benefits of raw food and how you can easily integrate raw food into your diet.

A highlight for this year is that the esteemed author and broadcaster, Kate Adie who became a familiar figure to viewers through her work as BBC Chief News Correspondent, will be giving a talk entitled “A correspondent’s life”. Kate will share with her audience insights into her career, including how she came into journalism and key and historic moments she has faced. Reserve a place at Kate Adie’s talk here.

There will also be a range of stallholders promoting everything relating to womanhood with the opportunity to find some wonderful hand made items.

And following the success of last year, the RUMMAGE ROOM is back again! This is an opportunity for people to donate any unwanted woman’s clothes, accessorises and books (all clean and in good condition) and pick up something new to you. Proceeds will go to WAND to support other events.

WAND patron Tracey West – broadcaster and author says “as a proud Patron of WAND You have no idea how excited I am that this year’s Dorset Women’s Day is upon us. In recent months, I have been personally reminded of how hard it can be to dust yourself down from a painful past and to find your mojo again. Rising up above a difficult situation that you are seemingly unable to influence, is exhausting – I am sure our special guest this year, Kate Adie, will testify to that – but rise up above it you must. Dorset Women’s Week offers a crash course on precisely how to do it. You need a sprinkling of uplifting friends and sisterly support, you need creative projects and free workshops to immerse yourself in and kindred spirits within your circle who will not judge you. You need a boost to your self esteem and to believe in yourself again – get involved in Dorset Women’s Week and feast on the positive energy that surrounds it! I look forward to seeing you there”.

Admission to Dorset Women’s Day is free and is open to women of all ages and backgrounds.

Free crèche facilities will be available together with the opportunity to purchase delicious home-made cakes and refreshments lovingly prepared by WAND volunteers.

For full details of Dorset Women’s Week activities please check the Programme and contact the organisers directly.

Please note that free hard copies of the programme will also be available from the following locations (from 19 February):

  • Bridport, Dorchester, Sherborne and other local Libraries
  • Bridport, Dorchester, Sherborne and Lyme Regis Tourist Information Centres
  • Bridport Arts Centre
  • Dorchester Town Council
  • Bridport Town Council
  • West Dorset District Council
  • Sherborne Town Council
  • Oxley Sports Centre – Sherborne
  • Riversmeet Leisure Centre – Gillingham
  • Waterstones – Dorchester
  • Local Village Halls
  • Other locations – keep your eyes peeled

All details correct at time of press but may be subject to change.

The Knicker Lady! Tickets now on sale

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The Knicker LadyWe are thrilled to announce that tickets are now available for the first of our announced events for this years Dorset Women’s Week – a performance from Rosemary Hawthorne aka The Knicker Lady!

Rosemary, much loved actress, fashion historian and author, will be bringing her famous collection of knickers – and other things to the Brownsword Hall in Poundbury (Dorchester) on Saturday the 5th March from 7.30pm-9.30pm.

Tickets cost £12 and are available via Eventbrite at www.theknickerlady.eventbrite.co.uk

Rosemary is happy to amuse, as she lifts each spry or weary vintage garment (it could be a hat, dress, bag, pair of boots, vest… suspenders) and, holding them aloft, makes a passing comment that has an audience in fits of laughter.

Rosemary Hawthorne has been described as ‘The Joyce Grenfell of Knickers’ and as ‘…having the style and timing of pure comic genius’.

For more information about the event please contact Emma Scott on 01305 252204

It’s almost time for Dorset Women’s Week and Women’s Day 2016!

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DWD bannerPlans are progressing well for this year’s Dorset Women’s Week.  Running from 5 to 12 March the week will culminate in our 11th Dorset Women’s Day on Saturday 12 March.

We’ll be posting the detials here soon – it’s going to be another fantastic year!

Dorset Women’s Day another huge success!

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DWD 2015 Main Hall 2Another fantastic Dorset Women’s Day was held on 14 March at the Dorford Centre in Dorchester.  Around 350 people attended the event and over 270 workshop spaces were taken up plus demonstrations and talks in the main hall from cooking the Italian way to stress busting techniques to crochet to the experiences of a local female plumber.

Do have a look at some of our photos from the day in the gallery below (please add any of your own to our facebook page).

WAND would like to say a big thank you to those who made the day so special from the workshop leaders to the stall holders to all those that volunteered at Dorset Women’s Day helping it all to run smoothly.  As one stall holder said, it is the “highlight of her calendar” – and it is ours too!

Thank you to our sponsors including Vitabiotics Wellwoman, Dorset Tea and the wonderful Lush who generously provided lots of lovely items for goody bags.  Also thank you to Carluccios for donating an amazing prize – the lucky winner was Jane Jones from Poole – thank you to eveyone who gave us their feedback on the day (see a selection of comments below).

WAND would also like to thank all those who contributed to Dorset Women’s Week including our partners Bridfem who hosted a range of fantastic event in Bridport, the Dorset Library service, the Gryphon Leisure Centre, Naturalife health food shop, Oxley Sports Centre and the RSBP.

We’ve already starting planning for 2016 – a date for the diary Saturday 12 March 2016 is the next Dorset Women’d Day!

If anyone would like to get more involved in WAND then they just need to email Wanddorset@gmail.com or give Emma a call on 01305 252204.

Just a few comments about Dorset Women’s Day:

“Thank you for all your hard work in organising a very fun and inspiring day.  I loved the workshop – I chose art and creative writing and can’t wait to get my pencils and pens out at home.”  Anthea, Dorchester

“It was a well organised and wonderful event. I am so pleased to be part of it.” Deepali, Broadmayne

“What a well organised event. Great mix of stalls that complemented each other and a really lovely atmosphere.” Cathy, Bournemouth

“Powerful. Explosive. Dynamic. Informative. Empowering. Important. Just some of the words that immediately come to mind.” Marlene , Dorchester

“My first visit but it wont be my last.  Really enjoyed my day. Lots of new and different things to learn and enjoy.” Jane, Dorchester

More comments to be added later.

 

Less than a week until Dorset Women’s Week!

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Dorset Women's Week 2015 Window TICIt’s nearly here and it’s promising to be a fantastic week – Dorset Women’s Week kicks off on Friday 6 March.

Check out the full programme (or pdf version) to see what’s on – events and activities are taking place in Bridport, Dorchester and Sherborne.

There are still places at the talk on Rwanda’s Women and at the Women’s Manifesto both on 6 March – booking essential for both these events.  Contact Emma on 01305 252204 to book the Rwanda’s Women talk.  Don’t forget to submit your question for the Women’s Manifesto and book a place here.

If you’re in Dorchester check out our window display in the Tourism Information Centre which focuses on Dorset Women’s Day on 14 March (details of the day are included in the programme).

Dorset Women’s Week – the programme is here! (Includes Dorset Women’s Day)

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Dorset Women's Week and Women's Day PosterWe are excited to announce that the programme for Dorset Women’s Day and Dorset Women’s Day is now available!

For the full list of activities and event download the Full Programme (or you can view a pdf version).

Dorset Women’s Week runs from 6 – 14 March 2015 and includes:

A free talk entitled “Rwanda’s Women – Stories of Courage, Forgiveness and Resilience during the Genocide & the Journey of Rebuilding”. The talk is taking place on Friday 6 March at the West Dorset District Council offices in Dorchester. The speaker, activist and humanitarian, Carl Wilkens, will share his experiences of remaining in Rwanda during the genocide of 1994. We are happy to offer a free buffet from 12.30pm-1pm. The talk itself is taking place from 1pm-2pm. Booking is essential (call 01305 252204 or email wanddorset@gmail.com).

In the evening of the 6 March WAND are hosting a Question Time style debate with key parliamentary candidates standing to represent West Dorset. The Women’s Manifesto event is being held at the Town Hall in Dorchester from 8pm-9pm (doors open 7.30pm). The audience will be able to put their questions to candidates so that they can explain what they’re planning on doing for women in Dorset around topics such as equal pay, women’s representation, childcare and health. The debate will be chaired by BBC Radio Solent’s afternoon show presenter Katie Martin. Again booking is essential and questions must be submitted in advance – click here for more information on how to book and submit a question.

Other Dorset Women’s Week events include some wonderful performances and activities taking place in Bridport hosted by local group Bridfem. Plus there are some fantastic offers to try something new at a local leisure centre. Also there is an uplifting nature inspired talk on offer from the RSPB showing how the organisation was set up by a group of women in 1889 as well as the chance to try out a very relaxing and creative movement and yoga session known as Shakti Dance. Plus there will be free goody bags available throughout the week – but you will have to read the programme to find out where from!

Dorset Women’s Week culminates with the 10th annual Dorset Women’s Day to be hosted by WAND! This will take place at the Dorford Centre Dorchester on Saturday 14 March from 10am – 3.30pm. Regular attenders of the event will know that it offers something for everyone and this year is no exception. The day will be packed with a varied and exciting range of workshops and performances including: crochet, jewellery making, self empowerment techniques and creative writing. Plus we’re offering a delicious cookery demonstration that will teach you how to make authentic Italian style bread and home made ravioli.

There will also be a range of stallholders promoting everything relating to womanhood with the opportunity to find some wonderful hand made items.

And following the success of last year, the RUMMAGE ROOM is back again! This is an opportunity for people to donate any unwanted woman’s clothes, accessorises and books (all clean and in good condition) and pick up something new to you. Proceeds will go to WAND to support other events.

Admission to Dorset Women’s Day is free and is open to women of all ages and backgrounds. Free crèche facilities will be available together with the opportunity to purchase delicious home-made cakes and refreshments lovingly prepared by WAND volunteers. On the day there will be more.

Please note that free hard copies of the programme will also be available from the following locations:

  • Bridport, Dorchester, Sherborne and other local Libraries
  • Bridport, Dorchester and Sherborne Tourist Information Centres
  • Bridport Arts Centre
  • Dorchester Town Council
  • Bridport Town Council
  • West Dorset District Council
  • Sherborne Town Council
  • Oxley Sports Centre – Sherborne
  • Gryphon Sports Centre – Sherborne
  • Naturalife – Antelope Walk, Dorchester
  • Waterstones – Dorchester
  • Local Village Halls

We hope you can join us!