The first meeting of the WI for 2015 was held in the village hall on Tuesday January 13 at 7.30pm. The newly elected President, Frances Stretton, welcomed members, including new members, wishing us all a very happy New Year 2015. After the singing of Jerusalem the minutes of the last meeting held on December 9 when 35 members attended a Christmas Buffet, were read and signed as a true record.

Members were asked to comment on certain aspect of the buffet evening as there had been several comments and a fair report was asked for, pros. and cons.

The speaker for the evening was Dr Sue Ablett, the fundraiser for the Evesham Bell Tower but tonight she was “wearing another hat.” Sue was with us as a very keen traveller. The number of countries she and her husband have visited is remarkable. The title of her illustrated talk was The Falkland Islands – a Penguin Lover’s Delight. Several of the holidays they had been on, they did not take a camera but when Sue was asked by friends and colleagues if she gave talks on her visits, she decide to illustrate her talks which she does for “her” charity.

The Falklands conflict was in1982 and several places Sue mentioned and pointed out on her map eg Stanley, Goose Green could be remembered. The islands are 8,000 miles from Britain and 800 miles from South America and 2/3 the size of Wales. There are no trees but they are rich with fishing. There are 185 species of birds, 5 kinds of penguins, sheep and some cattle. The main method of transport is by plane and the beach is used as a landing strip because the peat surfaces are too wet and the planes are prevented from taking off. 4-wheel drives are used to chase geese off the beaches before the planes are able to land.

One of Sue’s slides showed a Macaroni penguin in the middle of some Rock Hoppers (an interloper as Sue explained) The King penguins could be seen at Volunteer point with their young close-by. They were very fluffy and cannot go in the water until they have fledged as they would drown. There are some memorials on the Falklands in remembrance of the 1982 conflict eg HMS Conflict,

WI meets in the village hall on the second Tuesday of the month at 7.30pm. Visitors are welcome at a charge of £3. The subject for the meeting on February 10 will be GI Brides by John Dix.

EILEEN MEADS