OUR WI would like to wish everyone a contented 2015.

There was a buzz of excitement at the first meeting of the new year as members caught up with friends after the Christmas break. Everyone was warmly welcomed; individual members were thanked for the beautiful spring flower arrangement and for organising the tasty food at the Christmas meeting.

Our theatre, walking, sewing, skittles, Scrabble and book clubs are all active this month and the gardening club restarts on February 5.

Advance notice was given about the exciting visit from the Mikron Theatre company on July 20.

They are a national company touring the country with their performance of ‘Raising Agents’ celebrating 100 years of the WI in Britain. The summer outing to Burwood House was discussed and The Morning Star Appeal was chosen as our 2015 charity.

Denise Mitchell illustrated her talk Volunteering in Nepal with many slides which vividly portrayed the conditions of life in Kathmandu where she and her husband lived and worked for eight months.

They lived in a flat with no insulation, no central heating, very erratic electricity and water which had to be filtered.

However, the kindness of local people, their pupils’ enthusiasm and the beauty of the mountains and the ancient buildings more than compensated.

Our next meeting is on February 9, when the speaker will be Lesley Meeker on Art in the Hospital.