AFTER welcoming members, guests and our speaker, Dr Gillian White, to our September meeting, Mary lead the singing of Jerusalem. President June Lloyd detailed correspondence received and the various activities available on the clipboards including Lunch Group, visits to the cinema, Art Centre and Witley Court during the course of the next month as well as a proposed visit to Avoncroft Museum for a Willow Weaving course in the near future. Group Skittles is due to begin later this month. We featured in two articles in WI News, one covering Dragon Boat Racing in which two of our members took part and thoroughly enjoyed themselves and of our making of sensory bands for people with dementia.

Our Speaker Gillian then regaled us with a very enthusiastic talk on “Robert Dudley, Queen Elizabeth and the Kenilworth Entertainment of 1575”. She asked if anyone could think of a suitable shorter title for the talk but no suggestions were forthcoming! She detailed the early history of Robert and the Queen including the questionable relationship between them and the mysterious death of his first wife and the various goings on at the Entertainment which involved plenty of feasting, hunting, dancing and drinking. Although it was widely felt that they would marry, such a union never came about and in 1578 Robert married the Queen’s cousin, Lettice Knowles. The Queen went on to have a friendship with the Duke of Alencon. The Vote of Thanks was given by Rosie McCotter.

Supper followed and then the result of the competition - “An Old Tool”, which was won by Hazel, was announced. Our next meeting is on Tuesday, 10 October - 7pm for 7.30pm when our speaker, Fiona Rhodes will give a talk entitled “Hatched, Matched and Dispatched”. The competition is “a wedding photograph”. For further information contact June Lloyd on 01386 830844. New members and guests are welcome as always. See also www.littletonswi.moonfruit.com

MARGARET DALTON