About Us

Harbourside WI is one of four WI's in Portishead. We were formed in 2009, our first meeting being at Trinity School, then soon after transferred to Waverley Court.  We grew so quickly that in 2012 we had to move venue from Waverley Court to the Somerset Hall.  In March 2019 we moved to our new venue, Clarence House, where we still meet.

Once we were settled into our new home a decision was made to further improve our identity by having our own logo.  The design of the Harbourside WI logo was chosen to reflect the idea of women working together in friendship and based on the "Arc of Angels" at Port Marine Portishead.  This is by kind permission of Rick Kirby the sculptor.

Besides the monthly meetings many other activities are organised, these include reading groups, walking groups, craft groups, gardening group, luncheon/supper club, cookery groups, bridge club and take part in social fund raising for charity and trips to places of interest. Members are encouraged to make suggestions as to other events or activities and help the committee in their organisation.

With such a large membership monthly meetings tend to be rather busy. It is often these smaller groups and activities where individuals have the chance to get to know other members better, swap ideas, plot new activities and form stronger friendships.

Since the formation of the Harbourside WI, we have been active in raising money for charity and participating in community activities.

Members have helped plant a Nuttery, part of the work of Transition Portishead ; tended flower beds on the Lake Grounds, in conjunction with Portishead in Bloom; knitted vests for new born babies in Ethiopia, chicks for Bosom Buddies and Ducks for the Little Yellow Duck Project; donated bra's for Oxfam; helped Portishead in Bloom in making replacement flags for the High Street; and members continue with their various charitable community activities.

At our monthly meeting's, raffles and fundraising tables have, together with donations and our skittles evenings, raised money which has gone towards, amongst others, Children's Hospice Southwest; building the new Lifeboat Station; Portishead Carnival; Portishead Christmas Lights and we continue with our fundraising activities.

We enter into the community spirit by participating in the:

Portishead Carnival.  We enter a walking group in the procession.  
In 2012 we were dressed to indicate the various activities the institute offered to members, coming third in the Walking/Mounted section for our entry called "Not Just Jam & Jerusalem".    (There was no Carnival in 2013).
In 2014 we went as "Calendar Girls", wearing tabards of dates and with hats decorated in sunflowers, sadly not mentioned in the results table on this occasion. (There was no Carnival in 2015).
We entered a walking group of 20 members again in 2016.  We were dressed a characters from the TV programme "Call the Midwife".  The theme having been chosen both for the current screening of the programme and in acknowledgement the WI's resolution connected with the subject. We came third in both the "Topical" and "Humorous" categories of the awards.
In 2017 we again entered a walking group with the theme of Bathing Belles and we came first in the 'Community ' category and third in the 'Humorous' .

To mark the centenary of women winning the right to vote, 25 members dressed as Suffragettes (being chased by two policemen) in our walking group's entry for 2018, gaining:

2nd prize in the Community category

First prize in the Topical category

And especially proud to have received

The Pete Osment Cup - for the entry which 'most embraces the spirit of the carnival'.

Portishead Flower Show. Our group entry of "Best Dressed Scarecrow" won us first prize in 2012. The following year the Flower Show Committee had included a new Group Class of "Getting Together", we entered four teams and were lucky enough to scoop the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and Highly Commended awards. In 2014 we only entered one team in the "Getting Together" Group Class and were still able to come away with 1st place with the entry entitled "Teddy Bears' Picnic. Two teams were entered the "Getting Together" Group Class in 2015.  Linda E's team came 1st and Linda G's team came joint 4th. In 2016 Linda E's team achieved 2nd place and returned on form for 2017 taking first place for the "Getting Together" Group Class with their tableaux entitled "On the Beach". Sadly for us, in 2018 Linda E's team entry of "Peter Rabbit" was knocked into 2nd place by Redcliffe Bay WI.  There was just two points in it.

Portishead in Bloom. Our Gardening Group regularly tend three of the flowerbeds on the Lake Grounds.  Our flower beds are judged each year for the Portishead Neighbourhood Awards by judges from South West in Bloom.  In our first year, we achieved "Level 3-Developing" and in 2013 we improved to the "Level 4 - Thriving" Award.  In 2014 we again achieved the "Level 4 - Thriving" Award.  In 2015 we were able to say we had reached the top when we achieved the "Level 5 - Outstanding" award.  Sadly in 2016 we slipped down to "Thriving", however we regained our level of "Outstanding" in 2017.  After a very difficult and long hot summer in 2018 we were again awarded "Thriving".

Our members have also proved to be fairly competitive:

The "Harbourside Harriers" won the Southern Clevedon WI Quiz in both 2013 and 2014, coming 2nd in 2018.  They also scooped the AFWI Quiz shield in 2013.

In the Spring of 2014, one of our three Skittles Teams made it to the Semi-finals of the AFWI's Skittles Tournament and won the Federation's Trophy in 2015. Sadly both the 'A' and 'B' teams were knocked out of the tournament in the spring of 2016.  Despite two of our teams having byes in 2017 our three teams were all knocked out by the third round. Our "B" team,after a close run final managed to lift the Trophy again in 2018.

We lifted the Belmont Group's Plate at the Spring Event 2012 for an embroidered table cloth, thanks to Mary for this item of "Coronation Memorabilia":
We came third for our "Shepherdess in any medium", a dressed Teddy Bear thanks to Lynne W at the Autumn Event 2013 and at the Spring Event 2014, we again received the Plate for a tableaux of "WWI memorabilia", kindly provided by Jennifer.

We retained the Plate at the Autumn Event 2014 for an "African Animal in any Medium under 2 Foot", with Linda E's carved wooden Hippopotamus.

The Spring Event 2015 was a meal so there was no competition held.
We again retained the Plate at the Autumn Event 2015 for a "Musical Instrument in any medium" with Linda G's Brinquinho. ~ For those who are unfamiliar with this instrument it is otherwise known as a Madeiran Clapper. It is made up of a circle of dolls rising in tiers up a stick which dance and jingle their metal clappers (in this case bottle tops) in response to rhythmic tugging.