ARRC SOCIAL CLUB ( ASC )
Military Wives Choir Innsworth
The Innsworth Military Wives Choir has continued to meet up throughout lockdown virtually on Zoom . The rehearsals are not just about the singing , but opportunity to chat with other members and join in with fun social activities .
We hosted a virtual horse racing themed social which was a huge success and a good laugh . Choir members rose to the occasion donning fabulous hats and there was a prize to the joint winners on their extremely creative head pieces . It was a fantastic sociable evening , cheering on the horse races with a nominated pick for each race .
At the end of January , members of the choir featured on BBC Gloucester ’ s Breakfast show every day for a week , taking part in the regular feature – ‘ The County Quiz ’. The questions can be very random but focus on places and themes around Gloucestershire . The choir were taking on the Cotswold
Male Voices choir . Hotly contested all week , the ladies from our choir pulled ahead in the points and never looked back , clinching the victory and bragging rights .
Over February half term , love was in the air in the kitchen with the Great Innsworth MWC love and music themed bake off . There was some stiff competition with the many amateur pros in the choir so we had some fantastic entries .
The Military Wives Choirs network is on a recruitment drive – we are looking for new members . The Military Wives Choirs is not just for partners of serving personnel , they can be serving themselves , a veteran , mother , sister or a daughter , so please do spread the word . There are 72 choirs in the network , located right across the UK and on British military bases overseas , so there should always be a choir nearby .
Advent Trail – Winter Windowland
Wonderful volunteers on the Innsworth patch rose to the challenge of socially distanced winter this year and lit up a rather gloomy December with a brilliant Advent Trail . All over the patch , windows were decorated with Christmassy scenes and numbers to find for each day of advent - which did not match our house numbers at all - much to our poor delivery drivers ’ chagrin !
The designs were absolutely beautiful and the effort that went into the decorations delighted toddlers going to nursery , dog walkers passing through and residents alike . With some numbers hidden in upstairs windows , numbers disguised as snowmen and a rather sprawling layout it took some snooping to find them all , but huge congratulations to those who did and were rewarded with a small chocolatey treat ! We really appreciate all the hard work that went into creating the beautiful ‘ Winter Wander-land ’ and while alas , there is not enough space to showcase everyone ’ s efforts here , the selection of photos hopefully show how fantastic they all looked . Thank you so much to everyone who got involved .
AN EVENING JUST FOR YOU
On Monday 8th February , the ASC held “ An Evening Just for You ”, an exclusive yoga practice for ASC members , hosted by Michelle from Redwood Yoga . Michelle moved to Innsworth at the end of last year and started her yoga business shortly after . She became a yoga instructor after leaving the Army , being driven to help others find regular time for themselves . The past year has shown us the importance of taking time for ourselves . It is only when we find a moment of calm that we can still the mind and begin to process our thoughts and feelings . Taking time to focus on ourselves should be a priority and not seen as selfish . Our mental and physical health have been impacted by recent events and that is why Michelle came to us to offer an evening of relaxation for our members .
On the night , 16 people came together and created a calm space for us all to just breathe . It was amazing to see so many people from a huge variety of nationalities . It was a true community event . Michelle started with some relaxation before moving onto the yoga practice . We strengthened our minds and bodies through a series of Warrior poses before opening our hearts in the Spinx pose . We wrung out all our negative feelings and energy in Half Lord of the Fishes before finishing with a seated deep forward fold that drew our focus inwards . The final meditation led us to imagine a warm glow of light at our heart centre , filling our bodies with energy and hope . It was wonderful to have an opportunity to unwind but also create some positivity to help us all face the challenges that lie ahead .
Michelle continues to teach yoga online , hosting a couple of events a month . Her classes are suitable for all ages and abilities . Yoga is a gentle but effective form of exercise that welcomes everyone . You can find out more about her classes on her Facebook page , @ RedwoodYoga2020 . It is also full of inspiration and free yoga masterclasses , the perfect way to introduce yourself to the many benefits of yoga .
20 SPRING 2021 the imjin