Hello and a warm welcome to the new members who have joined us in the last few months, and to all the wonderful new groups that have been set up with the help of current and new members We are delighted to see how everyone’s hard work is paying off so well.
It is the first time of writing for Connect for me as your incoming Chair of Trustees I am very proud to have been asked to take on this role I am looking forward to it very much, especially with the support of my fellow trustees and our excellent office team We will be continuing to focus on all the brilliant things that the NWR offers whilst looking at new ways to increase our membership, continuing to provide friendship and connecting women.
It is very important to me that the ethos of the NWR is preserved but also that we look forward and embrace the importance of social media and the manner in which it helps people to connect so easily We already offer lots of member benefits such as our online classes, many of which are recorded so can be accessed to suit you We have our online book group with many interesting titles to chose from including The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, which reflects our country theme of the ‘Channel Islands’. We are constantly looking at new ways that we can enhance your membership and offer variety and interest
We had a very successful conference in Telford in July, led by Ruth Snaith and her team Conference goers enjoyed our two speakers Kate Cadman and Dan Snaith who kept to our theme of ‘Fire’, and the choice of eight different workshops was great.
Congratulations must of course go to Maggie Rowlands and Jenny Lee who were this year’s worthy winners of the Mary Stott Award
Our outgoing Chair of Trustees, Gill Wignall, chaired her last AGM in June, which was well attended by our members We bid a fond farewell to Gill, and also to our Trustee Ann Fox, who will both leave the Trustee Board at the end of September We hope they continue to enjoy being part of the NWR, but in a less demanding way.
We have appointed two new Trustees, Heather De Lacey and Vicki Barber. We will be introducing them to you properly after they have been formally appointed So look out for that in the next edition of Connect
On October 18th, Andrea Bowness-Etur and her team from the Middlesbrough/Teeside area are holding a day conference in Darlington with the theme of 'Connections' It looks as if it will be an enjoyable day with 4 workshops and 2 speakers. A big thank you to Andrea and her team for organising this. I know lots of hard work goes into conference organising and I wish them a very successful day.
The very popular Telephone Treasure Trail is coming up in November; it will be running from Monday 10 to Thursday 13 November This year, as well as the evening sessions, there is also an opportunity to participate on Monday afternoon
I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible over the coming months
Often called the “Land of Fire and Ice,” Iceland is renowned for its dramatic natural landscapes, where glaciers, volcanoes, geysers, and black-sand beaches coexist in striking harmony. Abundant geothermal and hydropower resources shape the scenery whilst fuelling a sustainable energy system that underpins the country’s modern economy, alongside fisheries, aluminium production, and a rapidly growing tourism sector
Culturally, Iceland is deeply rooted in Norse heritage and folklore, while also boasting a vibrant contemporary arts and literary scene, with storytelling remaining a cherished tradition Politically, Iceland is a stable parliamentary republic with strong democratic institutions, notable for its high levels of transparency, gender equality, and active civic participation, making it one of the most progressive and resilient nations in the world.
The Ripple Effect
Acts of Kindness: How one kind gesture can change someone’s day (or life).
Leadership Ripples: How one person’s courage can shift culture in a workplace or community.
Generational Influence: The habits, values, or encouragement we pass down.
Social Change: How grassroots efforts snowball into movements.
Personal Growth: The ripple effect of choosing positivity, gratitude, or resilience.
Iceland + The Ripple Effect
Nature
Iceland’s waterfalls, glaciers, and geysers are literal ripple-makers drops of water becoming rivers, that in turn, shape landscapes The Northern Lights could be symbolic of how one spark of energy ripples across the sky. Volcanoes and geysers shaping and reshaping the land.
Community
Iceland’s small population means individual actions ripple quickly through the whole society. Their collective responses (like during financial crises or environmental challenges) show how
unity creates widespread change. They are leaders in geothermal and renewable energy their choices ripple as an example for the rest of the world
Storytelling & Heritage
The Icelandic sagas themselves are ripple effects ancient stories still influencing identity today. This could connect to the idea of how our stories ripple through generations
I‘ve always been curious about my maiden name, Nolan Growing up in England, with all my family living in Wales, I knew that Nolan was a name that sang of Irish roots – quite literally, as kids at school would often sing ‘I’m in the mood for dancing’ at me! But, where did it come from?
My father was too busy playing football growing up to ask any questions of the elders in his family and was unable to answer any questions when I asked about our family's origins – but my maternal grandmother became my ally in uncovering our family history Back in 2000, when the internet became more accessible, we started building our family tree together She would bring old records to life, telling me stories about horsedrawn carts and village life
But my father's Irish side of the family remained a mystery For years, I researched, collecting fragments of our family's past and I became convinced we originated from Carlow, Ireland Then, something extraordinary happened. Through Ancestry com, I connected with Dawn from Australia, another researcher who kept saving the same documents I was investigating
We began to piece together a remarkable story – and then DNA testing confirmed our suspicions. We were fourth cousins, descended from two Irish brothers, Patrick and Darby Nolan Darby is my ancestor, and Patrick is Dawn’s. The brothers lived quietly in Carlow, until one day, 22-year-old Patrick – married with two young children – took a fateful trip to Dublin He never returned home
Historical records show that he was arrested for stealing a sheep - whether out of desperation or drunken impulse, we’ll never know
He was tried, sentenced to seven years of hard labour and transported to Australia.
Itstartedwithasheep!
The journey took five and a half months, a brutal voyage that somehow saw all passengers survive. In Australia, Patrick worked diligently in Parramatta, New South Wales.
Around the same time, the British government was sending carefully selected young women to balance the male-heavy colony. Jane, a young woman from Mayo, answered an advertisement promising adventure and marriage
CONNECTIONS
Parramatta
now
Their paths crossed, and they fell in love Scandalously, they had a child out of wedlock, before getting married (bigamously, in Patrick’s case) and going on to have eight more children, effectively establishing the Nolan line in Parramatta.
What fascinates me most is how a single night could change an entire family's trajectory Patrick never returned to Ireland – he simply couldn’t afford to, even if he’d wanted to. His wife and children back home never saw him again A notice in a Sydney newspaper years later suggests someone was still searching for information about him. But because of him, Nolan is a very common surname in Parramatta, albeit with various alliterations - Noland, Nowlan etc.
My research has been a patient journey Genealogy requires time and persistence Sometimes you hit walls, wait for new census records, or discover gaps where historical documents have been lost The DNA testing was our greatest confirmation - proof that our years of research were accurate.
Dawn and I have become friends, connected through Facebook, though we've never met in person We dream of retracing our ancestors' steps in Carlow, walking the same streets our family once called home.
Now I'm planning on writing about this particular story There was another brother too, James – and he ended up in America. I find it incredible that three brothers from a little village in rural Carlow ended up on three different continents! My brother, JG Nolan, has already written an award-winning book series ‘JUMP!’ inspired by family – and although offered book deals with traditional publishers, we ended up publishing it together via our family imprint, Sergar Creative, to retain full control
My book about the Nolan brothers will be published in 2026 – and it will be more than just a historical account The story is a testament to human resilience, to the unexpected journeys that shape our lives. From a stolen sheep to transportation, from separation to to unexpected love, our family's journey reflects the complex migration of 19th-century Irish families.
As I piece together our history, I'm reminded that family stories are waiting to be discoveredsometimes in the most unexpected places.
Find out more about Sian’s family publishing imprint at https://linktr.ee/sergarcreative
Aston NWR group is 50 years old this year so we decided to have a celebration.
Numbers have fluctuated over the years and we no longer have any of the original members At the moment we have seven members, two of whom joined in the 1980s We invited one or two ex members who are still local and, of course our sister group, Rotherham, was invited.
Our celebration was held at a member’s house and we asked everyone to wear something gold or yellow. Not colours most of us ever wear. But there’s always jewellery. We started at 4pm, chatting, playing some garden games (JENGA, quoits, Molkky), and enjoying a drink.
Shortly after 6pm, it was time for a homemade cocktail followed by our usual variety of food, made by all the attendees. At the end of the meal, Aston blew out the candles on the cake and everyone sang “happy anniversary”
Two quizzes then followed, Jill’s Gold Quiz and Judith’s 1975 Quiz, done in groups of four
We had asked everyone to bring a photo of themselves as near to 1975 as possible How we had all changed!
We wondered how long ago other groups had started Rotherham had celebrated its 40 anniversary two years previously. Lively-minded women can always throw a party! th
On a rather damp day in July we caught the bus into Bristol to visit the Royal West of England Academy and to take a guided tour of the ‘Soft Power; lives told through textile art’ exhibition.
This was very thought-provoking, bringing to life both personal and collective experiences in diverse and bold creations, all highlighting how cloth can connect women across many cultures
After the visit we jostled our way through throngs of students happily making their way to graduation ceremonies, finding an Italian restaurant where we could have a delicious lunch and reflect on our own collective experience before heading home
Thank you to Eryl for organising an enjoyable and illuminating trip for our group.
My Mum has been a member of NHR and later NWR for as long as I can remember She actually joined the Newcastle group just after moving up here from Birmingham so she knew everybody in no time at all. This was before I was born so I suppose you could say that I accompanied her to meetings for a few months!
When I was about twelve months old, Mum agreed to be local organiser for the group, she had to put together a programme of meetings usually based on suggestions from members She says she enjoyed doing this but it gave her so much self-confidence she decided to go back to work - my company not being stimulating enough for her!
After my brother was born in 1976 she did not work (except at home) but she continued to be an active member of Newcastle NWR. In 1978 we moved to Trentham at just about the time the Trentham group was getting going so it was an ideal way to immediately make lots of new friends and find out about things like toddlers’ groups, playgroups, schools and doctors. We are still in Trentham, my brother and I have been at school for years now and for the last six years my Mum has gone out to work but she still belongs to Trentham NWR where she has started a book group, joined one of the NWR correspondence magazines and frequently deserts us to go off to meetings and conferences.
I think NWR has given my Mum a great deal, friendship, stimulation and she’s certainly never short of something to say whether it’s over supper or on the telephone.
My aim in writing this account isn’t to encourage feelings of sympathy or to display self-pity, but simply to tell my story
Last March, almost six months ago now, my left foot dropped, so that I could no longer lift it from my toes It only sounds a small thing to occur but its impact has been very difficult to deal with For a bit of background information, I should say that I have a condition called spinal stenosis, which simply means the bones in my spine have deteriorated to cause nerve pain.
For quite a time this caused me only a little bit of discomfort, usually pins and needles in my legs, but I could still walk a fair way with no problems and indeed this activity made me feel normal and I enjoyed the company of my walking friends Gradually, however, the pain in my left leg became quite bad so that walking was difficult and I was desperate to get back to my previous fitness. In August 2024 I had a ‘Lumber Decompression’ to widen the narrowing of a vertebra, and just like magic I could walk anywhere without any pain at all It was marvellous and I was so happy to be able to enjoy life again. This period coincided with my husband’s 80th birthday and we had lovely family celebrations and Christmas was great too – decorating the tree, writing cheerful letters, exploring different areas, hosting a New Year’s Eve party.
I would liken my experience of having this new-found freedom suddenly removed from me as experiencing terrible grief, and I have gone through (or am still going through) the five stages of grief.Yes, at first there was denial. How could this terrible thing happen to me? I would sort it. I would beat it I went to an osteopath who tried hard to encourage some action in my foot, but I soon realised this wasn’t going to achieve the desired effect.
The anger set in with the delay I experienced obtaining the promised MRI which I was told in A&E was urgent but not an emergency Urgent turned out to be a month! The spinal registrar told me I would have another procedure within two weeks. This gave me a boost - a thought that there would be an answer So the anger diminished, to be replaced by hope, but it came back as the promised solution didn’t happen, because the surgeon didn’t think it safe, but I was doubly cross, not only because it didn’t happen, but because I had gone through the whole procedure of having the fit-for-surgery examination and the surgeon hadn’t looked at the MRI until the morning of the surgery.
Then the bargaining began If I could manage the walk to the village shop just holding my husband’s hand, then I would make an attempt to be more cheerful. I would try the various devices which aim to lift the foot. I would have a balanced view of my condition and realise that others are worse off than me
We did have some good times in the April and May We hosted a Murder Mystery evening and I had no problem doing the catering We went on holiday with our friends from the car club. But then, one morning towards the end of May, a morning visit to the loo ended with me tripping on my foot and being catapulted into a radiator and ending up on my back. This fall had made everything so much worse I was told to expect to have headaches for 16 months or so, and although they are not constant my head can ache very badly from time to time.
MarieHandyside’sstorycontinued
The depression which is the fourth stage of grief is ever constant, but I have found that concentrating on what I still can do helps, but what is more worrying is that my mobility has become worse I think both my husband and myself should have a holiday, but my limitations make it a pipe dream.
And still, the fifth stage of acceptance is far off I truly mourn for the person I was I was always slightly impatient with people who couldn’t walk, and now I feel I have been punished for my previous arrogance and pride in my ability to walk well. I so loved the feeling of freedom which comes with doing a fairly long walk, and I loved the companionship of walking with friends, and discovering new places and finding joy in both the scenery and old churches. I treasure these memories and am thankful that there was a time in my life when I did know joy and that has to sustain me.
NewYork,NewYork
Ihave lived on the Isle of Wight for almost 11 years now. I sing with the Gurnard Community and NHS Nightingales choir Our wonderful Choir Mistress Hannah Brear also masterminds the Medina Community Choir, and in 2019 she took some of the choir
to New York to sing in Carnegie Hall. Last year she had the great honour of being invited to take choir members there again this year, so around 25 of us set off on 4th June to perform on Sunday 8th June. Faure’s requiem was the piece and hours of rehearsal were undertaken. DCINY, the company organising it all, had everything done to make our stay work well. Our hotel was directly opposite Carnegie Hall and the rehearsal space a walk away
Some sightseeing was undertaken but as it was very tiring I restricted myself to a walk to Times Square and Central Park On the Friday evening we all went to Ellen’s Stardust Diner where the waiters are all Broadway wannabes.
Our stay was enlivened by a fire in our hotel which meant lots of firemen about while they were trying to find the source. Fortunately they were able to control it without us having to evacuate!
It really was an incredible experience. My son and his wife live in Toronto so they joined me in New York for the week, and I then went back with them to Toronto for two weeks rest!
On 17th July, members of the Salisbury and Ringwood groups met for a walk around the historic village of Britford, which lies adjacent to the river Avon just to the south of Salisbury
Judy Howles was looking after her daughter’s family’s dog, so she also accompanied us and appears in the photos
Sheila White, Salisbury LO, educated us all about the history of Britford and its royal connections to Edward the Confessor We visited the church, which contains Roman and Saxon fabric. The place name indicates that there was once a ford here; the river is not fordable now. There was also once a ferry and footpaths lead to its location either side of the river but no means of getting across for many years
The land in and around the village is owned by the Earl of Radnor and we looked at the family mausoleum in the church yard with its coat of arms and Latin inscription Patria Cara Carior Libertas We gathered on a bridge over a channel of the Avon. There is an extensive system of water meadows in the parish and a trout farm
There were 16 of us (plus dog) for lunch afterwards at the farm shop, which is noted locally for its delicious quiches, soups and cakes.
Our first trip was a tour of the Houses of Commons and Lords in January which we discovered was free if we went through our local MP We applied to Bracknell MP, Peter Swallow, who obtained free tickets for us A group of eight of us rode the 'red eye' from Bracknell Station to Waterloo on a cold January morning.
We had a very breezy short walk from Waterloo station along the Embankment, over Westminster Bridge to the Houses of Parliament. After going through airport-style security, we found ourselves in Westminster Hall This was built in 1097 and is the oldest part of the building, with its vast medieval hammerbeam roof and where coronation banquets, trials including Charles I's and lying-in-state ceremonies have taken place over the centuries. Handily there is also a modern day coffee shop just off Westminster Hall, which was great for us intrepid trippers
The tour guide was extremely informative and took us on a guided tour through the history of both Houses He showed us the House of Commons Chamber, with the green benches and the speaker's chair, and the despatch boxes where the Prime Minister and MPs debate We were surprised that the chamber is smaller than you would expect from seeing it on the television. We then went on to the House of Lords Chamber which has rich red and gold seats with the ornate throne where the monarch sits at the State Opening of Parliament. There is so much history to be discovered on the tour that it was quite overwhelming, but extremely enjoyable
After the tour we met up with the Bracknell MP for a photoshoot on the steps of Westminster Hall with the fabulous stained glass window at the south end of the Hall as the backdrop. Our guide had previously told us that the window was added in the 19th century as part of Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin's rebuilding of the Palace of Westminster after the 1834 fire. It was designed to complement the Victorian gothic revival style of the rest of Parliament
Our next trip was in August of this year to the Speaker's Apartment in the Palace of Westminster. Another early morning wake up call but well worth it and definitely not as cold. Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker of the House, goes on his summer break in August so tours are given of the apartment throughout that month.
We had an excellent tour guide who gave us a wealth of information on the grandly decorated state rooms which were also decorated in the Gothic Revival style of Barry and Pugin Walking through these gloriously decorated rooms we also noted the spectacular views of the River Thames The state rooms are used for official functions, receptions, and meetings with visiting dignitaries I was interested to see that amongst all the history, pomp and splendour, they had kept Dame Betty Boothroyd's piano in one of the reception rooms where she used to entertain family and friends Dame Betty was famous for her no-nonsense, clear rulings and ability to control even the rowdiest MPs She was also the first woman Speaker of the House of Commons in over 700 years of the role's history. What a woman!
Lessonsinhistory
The one photo we were allowed to take was on the stairs of the Speaker's Apartment, but it was photobombed by a security guard!
We ended our day by crossing the road from Parliament and wandering around the often overlooked St Margaret's Church which sits beside the much tourist visited Westminster Abbey. As we were the only visitors to St Margaret's Church, we were very lucky to have one of its three vergers give us a short tour and history. He ended the tour by taking us outside the back entrance to the church and showing us a lead bust of Charles I facing across the road to Parliament and a statue of his arch enemy Oliver Cromwell.
I later discovered that the bust of Charles I was one of two busts of him found in a Fulham salvage depot after the Second World War. The bust outside St Margaret's was donated to the Church in 1956 and its companion was gifted to the Banqueting House where Charles was executed!
What next for our intrepid trippers to London? Perhaps Lincolns Inn Fields and the Inns of Court.
In August, thirteen of us had a day out in Reading, a mere 17 miles away. It was a trip with a purpose: to have a guided tour of a replica of The Bayeux Tapestry which found its permanent home at Reading Museum in 1895 Originally sewn in 1885 by the Leek Embroidery Society in Staffordshire. Our delightful guide took us round panel by panel, knowing just how much information to impart and pointing out the oddities and comical parts Only three women feature in the tapestry (which is in fact an embroidery, not a tapestry).
After lunch we walked a short distance to the Reading Abbey ruins and in particular the Abbey Gateway where another Reading Museum guide took us up to a classroom in one of the towers where school children visit to have a Victorian style lesson. In our case, one of our members was very unfairly given the dunce’s hat!
This area of Hampshire is well known for its connection with Jane Austen Given there are many events to celebrate her birth in 1775, it felt very timely to learn that she and her sister Cassandra boarded at a school adjacent to the Gateway and may well have had dancing lessons in the very room were we sat at the old school desks.
Some of us had lived in the Reading area and never seen the Tapestry or appreciated the history associated with the Abbey Gateway An excellent day
For what possibly is the first time, all three of the books Kenton NWR chose to read from the list Head Office had given for the Big Read were agreed to be books well worth reading. Different they certainly were, but each in their own way showed us the importance of having connections Perhaps not the greatest books we have ever read, they did give insights into relationships, and how our reactions to outside influences can change our lives As women, it definitely showed us how important it is to make our voices heard.
The first to be discussed was The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, written by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer, about a book club created during the German occupation of Guernsey in World War II It is an account of a group of islanders who used literature and shared meals to cope with the hardships of wartime In the story, a London-based author named Juliet Ashton begins corresponding with the book club members and eventually visits the island, forming deep connections with the community and learning about their wartime experiences
Victor Hugo’s house
The "potato peel pie" aspect refers to the scarcity of food during the occupation, leading them to create a pie using potato peels as a humorous and resourceful way to share a meal together.
We all found it interesting with many humorous aspects Through the letters between Juliet Ashton and the islanders, we are provided with an historical view of life for people living on Guernsey during the Second World War
The Invisible Women’s Club, written by Helen Paris, tells a very different story of an older woman, Janet Pimm, who at 72 works on her beloved allotment alone The allotment is where she grows mainly medicinal and herbal plants and serves as her refuge from the world. When the local council threatens to close the allotments, Janet will do anything she can to try to save them. She enlists the help of her irritatingly upbeat and interfering neighbour, Bev, and the two women set off on a journey together.
This is a turning point for Janet as she realises she does not want to blend into the background anymore And she finds that there is more to Bev than she first thought. The experiences they share gives them the chance to speak out and allows Janet, who at first comes across as quite an abrasive character, a chance to reflect on her past and move forward. The friendship they develop as they share the adventure helps move the story forward
Helen Paris explores the connections people can make and of how people once dismissed older women without understanding their worth. We all felt it was a very good book; well written with many humorous aspects set against the background of how people can rise up against injustice
TheBigRead
Kentongroup’sbookreviewcontinued....
O ur third choice of The Lost Bookshop, written by Evie Woods, is a blend of historical and romance fiction with a little magic. Although the book felt contrived, we did enjoy it. It did jump backwards and forwards across the years and some found it difficult to follow the timeline
The story begins with Opaline who in 1921 flees from Dublin and her much older brother who is trying to force her into an arranged marriage She finds employment in a Paris bookshop called Shakespeare and Company, where the love of books she shared with her deceased father sustains Opaline through this time. She falls in love in Paris, but has to flee when her brother tracks her down On her return to Dublin, her brother learns that she is pregnant and puts her into a mental institution. When her baby is born, it is taken away and she is told it died. She remains in the mental institution for many years
We now jump to many years later when we come across Martha, a young Irish wife, who manages to escape her abusive husband and secures employment in Dublin as a live-in housekeeper Her employer, Madame Bowden, is unusual but it is a job and a safe place to live Martha has never felt a connection to books but they somehow seem to keep appearing in her basement apartment
We are introduced to Henry, a PhD student who is searching for an old manuscript, possibly written by one of the Brontë sisters, and who is ready to do anything to locate it. His search brings him to Dublin to locate a bookshop that he sees at first, but when he turns around, it is no longer there. The location of the mysterious bookshop is right next door to where Martha is currently working and living at 12 Ha’Penny Lane. Henry and Martha meet and he enlists her help to find out its history and where it has gone
We found The Lost Bookshop a good story although the multiple timelines did make it a little confusing as it does jump around a bit, besides the fact that you have to believe in fantasy literature. We follow the lives of the main characters as they develop and intertwine through the story As a group we did enjoy the book despite its failings on fully developing aspects of the main characters
Could you create some content for the next issue of NWR Connect?
Send your contributions by email to office@nwr.org.uk by the end of November to be featured
