“Laughter is the best medicine”. Our speaker for the evening began her talk “From Tights to Trousers” with this saying and kept us entertained with stories from her time in the police force during the seventies. Before joining the police, Rosemary Prosser worked on the family farm and completed a course at agricultural college, after which she worked on a large arable dairy farm. While there she met her future husband at the Young Farmers Club.

On moving to Worcestershire so that her husband could manage her father's farm she took on a very boring job, which made her think again about her father's advice when she left school at sixteen - that she should join the police. Having passed the entrance exam, she had to go on a fourteen week residential course. Her husband supported her in her decision, and she was one of the first married women to join West Mercia Police. During her time there the Equal Opportunities Act came into force, which meant the end of the Police Women's Department and the special allowance for black tights – women could now wear trousers. When she left the police to start a family she had risen to the rank of Inspector. Her stories of her time with the police had us all laughing, and Diana Staines spoke for us all when she thanked her for her talk which left us all feeling much healthier – if not any younger! - at the end of the evening.

We have several outings planned for later this year. These include a trip to St Fagan's, Cardiff and the Cheddar Gorge Cheese Company, Somerset. Our craft group is very popular. Everyone has enjoyed learning how to make a box with Beth at our January and February meetings. No. 8 is hosting the Worcestershire Federation Spring Council Meeting on 30th April so many of us will be attending. Lots of things to look forward to this year as usual!

At the end of the evening Gill announced the winners of the competition for a nature pallet. These were: 1st Jenny Store, 2nd Janet Cullis and 3rd Sue Lavery. Our next meeting is on March 8th when Pershore Simple Street Defence will be giving a demonstration. Our meetings take place at Wulstan Hall, Priest Lane and begin at 7.30pm. All welcome.

JEAN BARTON