BERYL welcomed members to the November meeting and reminded everyone of important dates in the next two months including the County Carols in Cheltenham on December 4 and our own group carols at Oakridge on December 9.

The Luncheon Club meeting at Minchinhampton Golf Club on December 4 and the first date for this in 2014 will be at The Ram in Bussage on January 22.

Beryl thanked Karen and her helpers for arranging a most successful fashion show by The Edinburgh Woollen Mill in October.

This was our A.G.M. and reports were given by Olive as Secretary and Beryl as President.

Beryl also thanked the members who were responsible for so many posts and jobs within the institute.

A very sincere vote of thanks to all the committee for a most interesting and inspiring year was given by Margaret Goss.

Carol Lambert had put Margaret Kershaw’s name forward for the Inspiring Woman Award in recognition of all her work with the W.I. and for being such an active member and we gave her a framed photograph of herself as a 'thank you’.

The evening concluded with our annual auction of anonymous wrapped Christmas presents and over £160 was raised.

In December we went to the W.W.Trust at Slimbridge.

Arriving promptly we spent over an hour in the observatory watching by floodlight the swans, geese and ducks on the lake.

We had a very interesting talk and then watched the birds being fed.

This was followed by a Christmas dinner in the restaurant.