AT OUR meeting on April 7, President Marjy Facer welcomed 34 members to our meeting. Our speaker was Doreen Jeeves from Worcester Federation who told us about the charity supported by the WI movement, Associated Country Women of the World, or ACWW for short.

There are projects linked to the UN which support women in the third world. By giving women jobs, skills or education, they are enabled to improve their own standard of living and that of their families. Doreen mentioned recent schemes such as providing funds for farming goats and growing mushrooms in Tamil Nadu, computer skills training in India, provision of birth attendants in Ghana and water and sanitation in Bangladesh. The WI has collected “Pennies for Friendship” for many years so we were pleased to present to Doreen a collection from the surplus in the tea fund and other donations which will go to future projects. Henrietta Cooke gave the vote of thanks. We asked Doreen to draw the ballot for the Buckingham Palace Tea Party and Linda Richardson was the lucky winner for June 2.

Ashton WI has had an energetic month; the March walk organised by Vicky Waring took place over Cleeve Hill, and in April ten of us stayed for a weekend in Bideford, Devon. The highlight was our cycle ride of 21 miles in total along the scenic Tarka Trail, some of which was uphill! We were well fortified by cream teas and Devon cooking. Many thanks to Ruth Clarkson for introducing us to this lovely part of England, and yes, we do want to go again. We shall be registering our miles in “The Moon Mission” project being run as a health initiative by Worcester University.

Future events will include a visit to Hellens garden near Ledbury, Highgrove in June and a boat trip on the Avon. Our next meeting is the AGM on May 5 followed by a short talk by Chris Shaw of Ashtons Garden Centre. Visitors and new members always welcome.

JUDITH HUNTER