In August members enjoyed the summer outing. They travelled by luxury coach to Ocean Village, Southampton where they boarded a boat for a cruise along Southampton Water and up the river Hamble, tucking into a fish and chips lunch en route.

In September members celebrated their 98th birthday. They were joined by Isobel Acott, chairman of Wiltshire Federation of WIs, as well as friends from local WIs.

The speaker was Dr Francis Burroughes who owns the Bristol Blue Glass factory.

He told us about the history of glass, starting with its earliest known origins 700,000 years ago as a result of volcanic activity. He even had an example to show members.

Dr Burroughes then fast-forwarded to the beginnings of man-made glass in Syria, Mesopotamia and then Egypt – he passed around a necklace of glass beads found in an ancient Egyptian tomb.

Continuing through the Roman era and into European and British glass-making he described techniques and how glass-making had developed, all the while passing pieces around for members to hold and examine.

At last he came to the cobalt-coloured Blue Glass, and members were privileged to hold some truly beautiful pieces, with their hearts in their mouths as he told them their value.

After this fascinating talk members enjoyed their birthday tea. Some members had attended willow weaving classes in August and there was an exhibition of what they had made.

The Knit and Natter Group held a stall at the Goose Fair in St Laurence’s, Downton on September 20 in aid of Salisbury Hospice.

An open meeting will be held in October, when Steve Williams will talk about A Soldier’s Life in the Trenches, our First World War commemoration.