THE 91st annual meeting was held on November 13, it was good to look back on a busy year, and to learn from the treasurer's report that our finances are in a healthy state.

The officers will remain as last year, plus Mary Fern, Celia Morrison-Smith, Bizzie White and Sue Wright on the committee.

The names were put in a "hat" for the Mary Joy Shuttleworth Bursary to Denman College, and the winner is Pam Dawkins.

The Christmas party will be held in the village hall on Thursday, December 11 at 7.30pm.

A Bring & Share supper, we shall invite two members from the other institutes in our group.

Presents for Santa's sack to the value of £3 please ladies, and our chosen charity this year will be for the Alzheimers Society so please give generously to this cause which is dear to so many of our hearts.

The Group Carol Concert will be held at Bisley this year on Wednesday, December 3, at 7.30pm.

Tickets were on sale at £2.50.

We are hoping to hold a Needle Felting Class in the spring, so watch this space for date and time.

Then it was the turn of Patrick Howell to take us on a wonderful sailing trip in the Caribbean on the 44ft yacht 'Incandescent'.

Taking in the the Winward Iles, Trinidad and Tobago, Mustique and navigating through the 46 miles of the Panama Canal was not without it's hazards, through the three tricky locks which were 110ft wide, on to The Galapagos Iles. Catering on board in the tiny galley looked precarious, fresh meat, veg and fruit was picked up at the ports of call en-route, and they caught fish to supplement their diet, one in particular was a gigantic mackerel the size of Patrick.

The trip of a lifetime ended in Tahiti.

We are looking forward to a New Year full of interesting speakers and demos, there is sure to be something of interest for everyone, why don't you come and join us?

You can be certain of a warm and friendly welcome at Oakridge W.I.

Date of the next meetings are:

December 11, Christmas Party, 7.30pm in the village hall.

January 8, 2015, 7.30pm, venue as usual when the speaker will be Anne Weare demonstrating the intricate art of book-binding.

Subs due at this meeting - £36.