Birlingham Independent Women, 2008 Report (From Cotswold Journal)

Birlingham Independent Women, 2008 Report

9:33am Wednesday 21st January 2009 in Grassroots

2008 has proved to be a busy year for Birlingham Independent Women. With 43 paid up members we have a thriving membership & our activities during the year have reflected this.

Following our 1st Birthday meeting in January, complete with birthday cake & wine, February brought us an encounter with two Tudor Maydes. These Elizabethan ladies provided an intriguing peep into Tudor life whilst upbraiding us for being shameless women with our uncovered hair & strange manner of dress! March gave us an insight into wildlife photography and in April the radio presenter Ellie Target gave us a thought provoking account of her father’s experiences as a spy in Norway during the second world war.

As the weather turned warmer in May we were treated to a demonstration on sandwich making, giving us ideas for unusual sandwich fillings for picnics & June saw us visit Hartlebury Castle as well as an archaeological guided walk over Bredon Hill on what must have been one of the most glorious evenings of the summer.

July saw us pottery painting - we never realised that we were so talented! – and August saw our annual garden meeting as we had an enjoyable social meeting in the lovely surroundings of a member’s garden.

As the evenings drew in we had a presentation in September on the Mercy Ships & the hope they bring to people in Africa and in October we were shown how best we can trace our family tree. November brought an informative talk on homeopathy and December saw our popular Christmas meal at The Bell in Eckington.

We have been able to contribute to charity during the year, making donations to the Noah’s Ark Trust, Air Ambulance, Mercy Ships and Cancer Research. We also co-ordinated the making of 14 quilts for the Shoe Box Appeal.

Next year’s programme of events has already been finalised and we aim to continue our aims of friendship, fellowship and fun. Here’s to 2009!