ENDING 2015 with a superb Christmas Meeting which saw us enjoy a very varied and delicious supper, home spun entertainment and a large collection of goodies and useful items for Caring Hands plus a new “sock” game which raised a lot of money for ACWW. This is Associated Country Women Worldwide, which the W.I. has supported for many years and raises money to help women in under developed countries enabling them to start up schools, clinics, workshops, small enterprises, and educating them in the various ways of hygiene, childcare etc. thus enabling them to be self sufficient and self supporting but most of all giving them a better chance in life.

We started 2016 with a delightful New Year Lunch at Broadway Golf Club with delicious food, attentive service, beautiful outlook and much fun. Our first meeting of the year was Anthony Harvey who gave us a wonderful talk on some of the restoration work he has been deeply involved in at Westminster Abbey. One of his later involvements was filling the 10 niches above the west gate which had been empty since the middle Ages. After long and detailed discussions it was decided to fill the niches with 10 statues of twentieth century martyrs. All of the modern martyrs spent their lives striving for a better world the martyrs chosen by the Abbey represent religious persecution and oppression in each continent. Among them are victims of Nazism, Communism and religious prejudice in Africa and include Martin Luther-King. The statues were unveiled by HM the Queen and Prince Philip. Church officials of different religious denominations from all over the world joined them, including the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr George Carey, and Cardinal Basil Hume. A most fascinating talk.

Our meeting in February is Ginnie and Tony Meakin on “Living the Dream” and in March we have Julie Menzies on “Life as a Midwife”. We meet every second Wednesday of the month at Badsey Remembrance Hall at 7.15.pm. We also have an Art Group, Walking Group, Embroidery Group, Card Making Group and a skittles team. Anyone who would like to come along will find a warm welcome and an interesting and fun evening so do come along and see what the WI has to offer you.

YVONNE HAYNES