BUCKINGHAM Palace is hosting a Garden Party this year to celebrate 100 years of this prestigious body of women. A member from every WI in the country has been invited. The WI has always been a part of Royal life with Queen Mary being the first President of Sandringham WI and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, who was a most avid and devoted member of the WI was President for 65 years. Our present Queen Elizabeth became a WI member in 1943 and has been President of Sandringham since 2002 and is as enthusiastic about the W. as her mother was. The Party will be hosted by the Duchess of Cornwall and Janie Lashford is the lucky member representing Badsey WI.

Elizabeth Cudd, who is representing us at the Royal Albert Hall for the AGM in June when once again there will be celebrations for the 100th Centenary, will not be able to sample the giant birthday cake which has been made by two WI members. The Albert Hall has banned a piece of the cake being served to the 5000 members unless a sampling charge of £2500.00 is paid. This is because some of the ingredients were kindly donated by some companies such as Whitworths and as they have been acknowledged on the bottom of the cake boxes it has come under the Albert Hall’s “sponsorship rules”. However, Liz may still get a taste as it is hoped to be able to distribute the cake outside the Hall for the 5000 members to eat on the way home. The meeting is also being streamed to various venues throughout the country.

In April we had a lovely speaker, Jean Ford, a former teacher who had some very funny tales to tell of what children wrote and said while she was teaching. Jean also related some of her experiences such as when sex education was introduced and a very po-faced person would come in and clinically tell these young children how babies were made etc. This lead to some very amusing and misunderstood questions and compositions!! Jean also writes poetry herself in the vein of Pam Ayres and she read some of these very witty and amusing poems to us. Jean also runs a shop in Winchcombe so is a very busy and active lady. A very light hearted and entertaining evening with a lovely speaker. Badsey WI are hosting a tea afternoon on May 30 at Badsey Remembrance Hall from 2.30pm and all are invited, so do come along and enjoy an hour or two relaxing with friends over a cup of tea (or two) and homemade cake, at a cost of £2.50.

YVONNE HAYNES