September 2026 subgroups

Baking Beauties – Autumn Fruits

Fourteen ladies met to share and discuss their autumn berry bakes.  No two bakes the same, and a taste to suit every palate.  We had a selection of cakes and flans, plus a mousse and hedgerow jams and jelly.  Next month our challenge is mincemeat.  It can be sweet or savoury recipe.

Art Group – Beach scenes

We had a very enjoyable session painting beach scenes . Jean had brought along some ideas and it was interesting to see different interpretations of the same view. We do have some very talented artists – though some of us are beginners who learn as we paint!

Craft Group – Willow weaving – Making Christmas Stars

11 craft members had a very happy afternoon with Robyn from Nature Makers making Christmas stars at our usual monthly meeting . The stretching of the whips after soaking to make them pliable was the first task and then the cutting of 5 lengths to the correct size got us on our way with the weaving.

After the first corner all became obvious and we all managed to get the stars into the right shape. We could then add our fairy lights for the finishing touch. The afternoon soon got us into the spirit of Christmas we are each wondering where we should hang our stars for the best effect.

Book Club – The House that Made us by Alice Cavanagh. A very popular book with most of our group. It was a family story – told as two people shared wedding anniversary photos of Mac and Marie from their wedding day in July 1970 and as the family developed over many years to July 2019. Some happy stories, but also very sad in parts – family life is usually complex and includes many happy and many challenging events. A really good read.

Walking Group – Our 8 walkers followed a stretch along the Whitegate Way path towards Cuddington on a lovely sunny September day . The 6 mile Way is managed, with the help of volunteers,to benefit wildlife as well as providing an attractive environment for people to enjoy. We finished our 1½ hr walk with a delicious lunch at the Station House Cafe in the sunshine.

September 2026-Main Meeting

There is much history on our doorstep. At our September meeting, Norton Priory volunteer Tracey Crutchley brought the story of Norton Priory to life, speaking with clarity and infectious enthusiasm about the history of this great priory.

Norton Priory Museum & Gardens is situated on the edge of Runcorn and was once home to a medieval church. It was originally founded in Runcorn but moved to the Norton site in 1134, on a high point and overlooking the River Mersey.

Two families have links to the site: the Dutton family and the Brooke family. The Duttons supported and engaged with Norton Priory as a monastic site, up until the Dissolution in 1536. The Brooke family made Norton Priory their home between 1545 and 1921, when they left the site to move to a new home in Worcestershire.

The museum displays thousands of objects discovered at the site, which tell the 900-year history from priory to mansion house and the stories of the people who lived here. The most impressive object in the museum is the twice life-size St Christopher statue. It is thought that this statue would have been commissioned to mark the site attaining abbey status in 1391, and by being disguised, survived destruction during the Dissolution.

Today, the museum is surrounded by woodland walks, bringing opportunities to discover secret summer houses, sculptures and a stream glade. During the summer season, the Georgian Walled Garden is also open, with orchards, a rose walk and a herb garden. Norton Priory is home to the National Collection of Tree Quince, and the gardens and grounds support a wide variety of flora and fauna.

The competition – a religious artefact – was won by Annette Minor with a very old family bible.

August 2026 subgroups

Baking Beauties

Baking Beauties in August enjoyed an evening meeting. The topic was ‘pastry’… with so many variations as to how to make pastry, ingredients used, Butter or Margarine? Or not or Trex or Not. The results turned out to be a feast for all. Quiche, Custard tarts, chocolate tart, fruit tarts, frangipanes, magnificent mulberry profiteroles, apple tarts and mince-pies made with minced meat!

What is there not to like about this Baking Beauties Sub-Group?

Craft and Garden Group

12 ladies came along to the craft afternoon to make lavender wands.   The season has been a shocker for a lot of plants and lavender is no different, so it was disappointing that the stems of the lavender were too brittle to make the wands so we stripped the stems and filled small bags with the lovely fragrance. Vanessa demonstrated the way to make a wand , but with very fresh picked stems.   It looked lovely- perfect to hang on a coat hanger in the wardrobe.

The chocolate cake for refreshments went down exceedingly well, Annette’s trial for the next Community Coffee morning

August 2026 – Outing to Lion Salt Works

Pat put a lot of work in arranging a guided tour of the Lion Salt Works, followed by a meal at the Antrobus Arms. The guided tour was very interesting, our guides told our group of 29 about the history of the Salt Works and the different roles that the workers carried out. We were surprised at the large scale of the buildings – which now include a very pleasant restaurant and children’s play area – a great day out for all ages.

FOR INFORMATION. The museum is open for a ‘Heritage’ visit on Sunday 20th September. There is no charge on this day.. So revisit and take friends or family with you.

The name comes from the Red Lion Inn which was once on the site. Following a considerable grant from the Lottery fund there are lots of interesting displays as well as the restoration of the original buildings.

Our meal at the Antobus Arms was delicious and other members joined us – 35 in all. Thanks to Pat for arranging such an interesting and sociable evening

July 2026 subgroups

Baking Beauties

Baking Beauties theme this month was strawberries. Lots of delicious dishes as you can see from the photograph. A real taste of summer – mille feuille, strawberry ice cream, strawberry scones, flapjack flan, pastries and a roulade.

Art Group

Our Art group enjoyed a sunny day at Walton Gardens – our annual ‘en plein air’ trip. An enjoyable session giving a good overview of the park – the Hall, the Greenhouse, the Water, Lavender and a lady enjoying the view of children playing.

Craft and Garden Group – Afternoon Tea at Abbeywood Gardens

Our afternoon at Abbeywood was most enjoyable. Some ladies had a walk around the gardens before tea and some after tea when the heat of the day had passed. Although the gardens were not at their best – the dry heat has certainly played havoc with the flowering perennials – the grounds were more than welcome. Sitting under a glorious tree in the shade – what more could anyone want.




The staff at Abbeywood were most attentive. We enjoyed a lovely afternoon tea, endless cups of tea and also plenty of iced water to keep us cool.

Walking Group

Three walkers did the lovely walk through Delamere Forest on a rather hot day but as we were among the trees most of the time it was not of great concern. Walking on paths among the fern and different variety of trees it was so peaceful and we did not come across many people at all. We are so lucky to have some many lovely places to walk within easy reach. Afterwards we enjoyed a lunch at the Carriers Inn Hatchmere.