OUR meeting started with congratulations and the ringing of the Group Quiz Bell which had been won again with the team of Elaine Jeffrey, Jean Sullivan, Yvonne Rose and Jenny McLeish. Pam Ilott played a rousing stylish Jerusalem.

37 people were at the meeting including new members Carol Denman and Wendi Bowron Weller. The death of a past member Joan Barnard was mentioned. Centenary raffle tickets were on sale.

A Trip to Bath Christmas Market on Thursday, November 26 is being arranged by Jenny McLeish and also a visit to Compton Verney for the Canaletto exhibition.

The Queen, a WI member, and The Princess Royal will be attending the Centenary AGM in London. Our delegate is Mary Osborne who will convey our vote for the Resolution on nursing care and personal care assessment.

WFWI members raised £2660 to fund two projects in India and Bangladesh for water sanitation and in training girls in computer skills. Each month our members make a contribution via the Pink Pig money box.

Two members are booked in for a Clay Pigeon Shooting Day. Veronica Watson and Jean Sullivan are organising a display showing the varied WI talents and skills, to celebrate the 100 years of NFWI. This will be at the Party in the Park in September. A joint effort will be made by members to knit 100 blanket squares by September, for children in Africa. An informal ‘Knit & Natter’ group is being started. All members entered the drawing of a farm animal competition, which was judged by our Speaker and won by Lesley Janowski, Gill Thomas and Pam Reay.

Wendi ,Anne Johnson & Maggie Stedman volunteered to make the scarecrow for the Pebworth in Bloom competition which will be sited at the village hall for the Open Gardens weekend.

Lucy Holdsworth of The Little Soap Company did her first talk and demonstration on the making of soap. The Company was started by Emma Heathcote Jones in 2008 in her Bretforton kitchen before moving to Broadway. |Lucy started to work for the Little Soap Company this year, making bar soap and leading workshops. With a mixture of kitchen equipment & donning industrial goggles and rubber gloves she went through the process of making soap using palm oil, olive and essential oils etc. Their products are now selling in major stores such as Waitrose, Tesco and garden centres.

Our next meeting on June 3 will be our garden meeting at The Windmill home of Elaine and Mick Jeffrey.

MARY HARRISON

Pebworth & District WI