News and Reports
WI Showcase Brings Wonderland Magic to Ardingly
The South of England Autumn Show & Horse Trials, held this past weekend, September 27th and 28th, at the Ardingly Showground, was highlighted by the spectacular "Alice in Wonderland Showcase" competition.
This hotly anticipated contest drew numerous high-quality entries from across both West Sussex and East Sussex Federations. The challenge saw WIs channel their considerable crafting and creative skills into bringing the magic of Lewis Carroll's classic to life. Exhibits featured everything from elaborately staged "Mad Hatter's Tea Parties" to bespoke craft items inspired by the Queen of Hearts and the White Rabbit!
After careful deliberation by the judges, the winners were determined on Friday afternoon. The standard of work was exceptionally high, demonstrating the incredible talent and collaborative spirit within the counties' WIs. The list of placed entries can be seen below.
Congratulations to all the WI members who participated and ensured the Alice in Wonderland Showcase was a truly unforgettable feature of the 2025 Autumn Show.
Class 1 | Class 2 | Class 3 | Class 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Co-Operative Mad Hatters Tea Party | Alice’s Garden | Invitation to Mad Hatters Tea Party | Queen of Hearts Fabric Heart Cushion | |
1st | Rusti Belles | Crawley Down Afternoon | Herstmonceux | Balcombe |
2nd | Hassocks | Hassocks | Hassocks | Herstmonceux |
3rd | Broadbridge Heath | Balcombe | Polegate Sundowners | Hastings Ore |
Highly Commended | Sharpthorne & West Hoathly Balcombe | Broadbridge Heath Sharpthorne & West Hoathly Sharpthorne & West Hoathly | Rusti Belles | Ardingly Evening Sharpthorne & West Hoathly Westergate |
Class 5 | Class 5 | Class 6 | Class 7 | Class 8 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Decorated Mad Hatters Top Hat (Handmade) | Decorated Mad Hatters Top Hat (Bought) | Alice in Wonderland Themed Fancy Dress Costume | Crafted White Rabbit with Jacket & Watch | Alice in Wonderland Themed Decorated Cupcakes | |
1st | Hassocks | Hastings Ore | Haywards Heath Franklands Village | Horsham North Heath | Sharpthorne & West Hoathly |
2nd | Broadbridge Heath | Meridian | Ardingly Evening | ||
3rd | Sharpthorne & West Hoathly | Haywards Heath Franklands Village | Wild Flowers West Green | ||
Highly Commended | Pease Pottage | Meads Eastbourne |
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Many WIs have displayed their Ovarian Cancer pantie bunting in their local shops, libraries, parks and gardens to raise awareness of the symptoms of this disease. Burgess Hill Martlets also held a fund-raising walk for the campaign.
Ovarian Cancer Awareness
Everyday 11 women die of this disease. We want to encourage women to seek early diagnosis and not to ignore: persistent stomach ache, difficulty eating/feeling full more quickly, persistent bloating and needing to wee more frequently.
If you or a loved one experiences one or more of these symptoms and they are persistent and increasingly frequent or a change that isn’t normal for you, speak to your GP.
