Out and About Group

Welcome to the Out and About Group which is run by Helen, Kay & Elaine

We hope that you will enjoy the events we have planned for this year. We aim to offer one event a month.

If you are interested in joining the group, please send them an email: CamberleyWIOutAndAbout@outlook.com.. Please note sub-groups are for Camberley WI members only. If you have any ideas or suggestions then please pass them onto us and we will see if we can incorporate them into the schedule.

Forthcoming trips

Thursday 15th August - Boat trip on the John Pinkerton II

Wednesday 25th September - Household Cavalry Museum

Monday 4th November - Magic Circle and Wellcome Collection

These trips are a great way to get to know other members. See this quote from a very satisfied customer: "Another excellent trip this afternoon. I find the visits so interesting and I am grateful to you all for organising them. I've learnt a lot and now that I have been on a few I have met some nice ladies too. Thank you."

A selection of our previous events

Thursday 18th July - Loseley House & Park

We had very good weather for our trip to Loseley Park. We enjoyed a very interesting and informative guided tour of the house, followed by a walk through the gardens and lunch on the lawn.

It was fascinating to learn more about the generations of the More-Molyneaux family who had shaped the house over the years.

Tuesday 9th April - Arundel Castle tulip festival

Members enjoyed a great trip to Arundel Castle to see the tulip festival on a cold, windy day.

Our spirits were lifted by the beautiful displays of colourful tulips planted in the grass, located in tubs and mixed with other plants in the gardens. We were able to explore the chapel and the many rooms of the Castle, and some of us walked up the steps to the Keep for amazing views over the town. The formal areas were beautifully furnished and we learnt all about the family history of the Duke of Norfolk who was pivotal in organising both the Queen’s Funeral and the King’s Coronation in his role as the Earl Marshall.

It was a memorable day with great company . A huge thank you to Kay, Helen & Elaine for organising another interesting day out.

Tuesday 14th March - Behind the scenes of The Mill at Sonning, plus afternoon tea

We all enjoyed visiting this intimate theatre and learning about it's history. There was a mill at Sonning mentioned in the Doomsday Book, and the current building used to mill flour for the local Huntley & Palmer's biscuit factory. After that closed it fell into disrepair, until it found a new lease of life as a venue for Dinner + Theatre.

We were shown some of the amazing costumes created by their wardrobe department, and learned some of the secrets of stage make-up. Then it was time to visit the workshop to see how the scenery is built, before finally indulging in the delicious sandwiches and cakes provided by the venue.

Thursday 23rd November 2023 - Coco Chanel Exhibition at the V & A Museum

Fabulous evening gowns, beautiful suits and the iconic perfume bottle - we had a real treat when we visited this exhibition. So many gorgeous outfits, including lots of "little black dresses".

Tuesday 14th March 2023 - Strictly Costume Factory

Well the Out&About organisers certainly came out tops on this outing to DSI in Croydon - source of all the costumes for Strictly Come Dancing.

What an interesting & colourful visit! Managing Director Gerald passionately gave us an insight of the business. Then a visit to an amazing room of materials of every colour & shade bought in mostly from Europe. We thought we were in heaven! A workshop of approximately 25 dedicated sewers create all the amazing costumes - we saw a selection of dresses worn by Strictly Stars & modelled by our WI stars!!!

Thursday 23rd February 2023 - Bletchley Park

We are so much in awe of the genius codebreakers and the incredible work they did, keeping the servicemen and women safe, and shortening World War II.

Wednesday 18th January 2023 - Social lunch at Wildwood

Our new Out and About team - Helen, Kay and Elaine organised a lovely social lunch to kick off the new year. Around 40 ladies attended, and as well as delicious food and lots of chatter, we pitted our wits on a fiendish quiz. Just how heavy is a cloud?

Tuesday 26th April 2022 - Globe Theatre Tour & Covent Garden

What a super day out for our Out and About group! A coach load of us headed to the South Bank for a tour of the fabulous Globe Theatre where we were treated to a brief behind-the-scenes moment as we soaked in the atmosphere and were transported back to Shakespearean times by our knowledgeable guide. There was plenty of time afterwards for lunch on the South Bank or Covent Garden. Some of us simply wandered and took in the sights while others enjoyed shopping and the occasional refreshment.

Tuesday 15th February 2022 - Social Lunch at Pine Ridge

Our New Year lunch at Pine Ridge Golf Club seems to have become a tradition thanks to the organisation of our fabulous Out and About team.
As well as lunching we raised £142 through a raffle which will be donated to "Your Sanctuary". In addition, Tina will be able to apply for Matched Funding from DHL UK Foundation. Well done ladies!

Monday 6th December 2021 - Windsor Great Park illuminations

A beautiful wander through the park, enjoying the stunning light installations, and a sneaky glass of mulled wine!

Thursday 18th November 2021 - Brick Lane Music Hall

.....and we're back! It was so lovely to be out on a trip again after so many months, and where better to go than Brick Lane Old Time Music Hall in London's docklands. We enjoyed a delicious afternoon tea and great entertainment by Vincent Hayes and his troupe.

Tuesday 25th February 2020 - The Vyne

We dodged the raindrops to enjoy a guided tour of the house - learning all about the Chute family who'd restored it and then passed it to the National Trust. Shame the weather was too damp to enjoy the grounds - we need to come back in warmer weather!

10th January 2020 - Social lunch at Pine Ridge Golf Club

We enjoyed a tasty lunch, chatted to others on our table and scratched our heads over the quiz. There were a fantastic array of raffle prizes, with the proceeds of £169 going to charity. Well done to Sue, Tina & Heather for arranging this for us.

4th December 2019 - Waddesdon Manor Christmas lights & market

The gorgeous chateau-style building in Buckinghamshire.

Thanks to John Newman for the photos!

1st November 2019 - Brick Lane Music Hall

What a great show in a fantastic location! A converted church in London's dockland was the setting for this trip down memory lane. We were treated to uplifting songs and poignant stories of both World Wars, accompanied by a delicious afternoon tea.

14th October 2019 - Chertsey Museum

'A fascinating talk by the museum's curator, who explained about the origins of the Oive Matthews fashion collection and described many of the important pieces. We then had a guided tour around this small, but interesting museum.

12th September 2019 - Mary Quant exhibition

A coach-load of fashionistas were enthralled by the mini-skirts and other items in the Mary Quant exhibition at the V&A museum, and we followed this with a guided walk around South Kensington.

2nd August 2019 - Royal Holloway College

What beautiful buildings! We found out all about their origins on this guided tour, which was followed by a delicious lunch!

9th July 2019 - Watts Gallery & Limnerslease

A guided tour around Limnerslease - home of Victorian painter GF Watts, followed by a walk to the nearby Watts chapel and a browse through the paintings in the Watts Gallery.

15th June 2019 - Steamship Shieldhall

A breezy day sailing from Southampton on the lovingly restored steamship. We were able to explore all parts of the ship and enjoy the sights of huge cruise liners going past.

1st April 2019: Ham House

A guided tour of the National Trust property on the banks of the Thames.

14th March 2019: Foundling Museum

An interesting insight into the history of Thomas Coram's orphanage.

15th May 2019 - Newbury Canal trip

A relaxing trip along the Kennet Canal from Newbury in a horse-drawn barge. We enjoyed the peace while Monty the horse did all the hard work. Oh, and then there was cake....

11th January 2019: Quiz and lunch at Pineridge

To kick off the New Year, our wonderful Out and About ladies organised a fun quiz and lunch at Pineridge Golf Club. We worked in pairs, struggled to remember the names of all Santa's reindeer and puzzled over the name of the tube station near Harrods. However we had a lovely time chatting to new and old friends, ate a delicious lunch and raised over £150 for Phyllis Tuckwell in the raffle.