IN THE absence of President Brian Ireland, who was being wined and dined by the Broadway Club, Brian Melville kindly stood in for him at our meeting on Thursday, May 5. We then learned that whilst David Way is now well enough to have left Evesham Hospital, George Dawson spent some time in Redditch Hospital. Our best wishes go to both of them.

We were then pleased to welcome Sandy Cale, our guest speaker this week. She told us about The Great Escape; no, not the escape of Steve McQueen, but the escape from Worcester of Charles II from Oliver Cromwell’s Roundheads. Ably assisted by her technical assistant and husband, Mike, Sandy admirably demonstrated why she is one of Worcester’s Tour Guides.

With supreme confidence and wit, she described in detail how the 1642 to 1651 Civil War had developed, beginning and ending at Powick, just outside Worcester. She led us along Charles II escape route, through the Cotswolds, past Bristol and down to Dorset, before fleeing to France.

Sandy clearly has a bit of a soft spot for The Merry Monarch, as Charles was known. This is probably an injustice, but she didn't seem at all put off by his obvious charm, good looks and success with ladies!

Grenville Burrows thanked Sandy and Mike for a superb presentation with a wealth of detail that most of us know little about.

On May 12, we shall enjoy trekking in the Himalayas followed on May 18 when we have a day out on the Severn Valley Railway.

CHRIS DONOUGH