Audlem W.I. Moorcroft visit

Audlem WI......Didn't we have a lovely day....

Audlem WI ladies never underestimate the importance of gaining new experiences whilst having fun, and fortunately for us our Events Organiser, Christine Salisbury, believes that fun and success are due to stretching the challenges of our lives, rather than shrinking from them. Not for us an organised slow meander around any old pottery – no – we were aiming for greater heights and so it was that a select group of us set off on Wednesday morning for a factory tour of – wait for it – Moorcroft!

We'll gloss over the fact that of the three volunteer car drivers, one rang up half an hour before our appointed meeting time to say she may be late for the tour tomorrow, only to be reminded that she had got the wrong day! Working on the Einstein theory that the measure of intelligence is the ability to change, and that if you want something doing ask a busy woman, the said driver was washed, dressed and immaculately turned out within twenty minutes!

You're never going to live that one down Joyce!

Now we ladies are very proud of the fact that we have the ability to multi task whilst driving a car. This usually means chatting to anyone in the back seat, using our hands to accentuate points whilst checking the driving mirror for any signs of smudged lipstick. My husband is very supportive of my driving skills and quite rightly says that anybody driving slower than me is an idiot and anyone going faster is a maniac. Should there be any complaints I usually reply sweetly " did anyone die!?!'

And so it was that we all arrived safely and in one piece at our destination, the hallowed Moorcroft Heritage Centre, with its grade two listed chimney towering into the sky. Frankly it takes a lot to stop we ladies in our tracks, however displayed to breathtaking effect, a kaleidoscope of pottery designs and pieces did just that, to say nothing of the astronomical price tags, however these costs became more understandable once we had completed the tour.

Moorcroft is all about stories and dreams: about an art pottery now more than a hundred years old, fiercely independent, small and almost alone in its pursuit of quality at the highest level of the applied arts. Supported by designs from the world-famous Moorcroft Design Studio and the consummate skills of a dedicated workforce of artists, craftsmen and women.

Whilst we waited for our tour to begin, the next unexpected and baffling challenge was the coffee machine! I normally work on the principal that a tin of WD 40 solves most problems, however it took the combined brain force of at least four women to contend with the over elaborate instructions on display. Now I know what you're thinking, it would have taken a man 30 seconds – he would have just kicked it!

Refreshed and invigorated with a variety of coffees, our tour guide arrived and after watching a short and informative video we followed her behind the scenes to start our tour.

The tour took us into the heart of the Moorcroft Factory. Based at the Heritage Visitor Centre our expert guide accompanied us around the original factory. She passed on comprehensive information in all aspects of the hand made processes of mould making, slip casting, hand turning, tube lining, hand painting, kiln firing and finally glazing. The techniques used in making Moorcroft pottery are virtually the same today, as they were a hundred years ago. We entered a time warp from which we could look into the virtual soul of what must be the world's best-loved art pottery.

I think we would all thoroughly recommend a tour to others, the amount of effort and skill that goes into making any one piece was unbelievable and will make a lasting impression on anyone.

WI ladies are wise enough to understand that although we don't want to spend money, the economy needs us to, so it was with heavy hearts we perused the Moorcroft Shop before finally succumbing to a few purchases, which should keep George Osborne happy for a while!

No day out is quite complete without lunch, combined with sharing our opinions about other people's life choices. Personally I never gossip, I observe and then relay my observations to everyone else! With these thoughts in mind we all headed off for the great metropolis of Trentham Gardens.

Shopping with friends is a great way of still enjoying the thrill of the chase without having to make a purchase. It can also be a real bonding opportunity. Helping your friend find something nice is just as rewarding as helping yourself.

We all returned home after another great WI day out. Thank you Christine for organising this event.

This article is from our news archive. As a result pictures or videos originally associated with it may have been removed and some of the content may no longer be accurate or relevant.