IT WAS good to see some more regular members back for the March meeting and to welcome three visitors; hopefully some of which will like us enough to join the group.

Apologies came from Sheila Shipton, Georgie Hall and Patsy Williams and Margaret Adams was thanked for her pretty primula table flowers.

Treasurer Linda updated us on finances, and said that the trading stall is doing particularly well in view of members who have made chutneys and jams and handmade greetings cards and other craft items to boost funds.

Correspondence was then discussed and details of the forthcoming Centenary Baton itinerary, which will be passing this way on Sunday, March 22.

President Doreen has made us a lovely banner for the day and a few of us hope to join the procession around Cainscross and be present around 1.30pm when the Baton should have reached Ebley Mill.

A small party of us may then partake of some refreshments at the café there and have some photographs taken, which can then go into our new scrapbook.

Cainscross WI celebrate 90 years in 2016 which will be quite a milestone.

With business concluded, we welcomed Mr Barry Harrison and his talk and slideshow on Lionel Hook, an innovative Stroud Engineering Company from 1904 -1974.

Mr Harrison worked at this firm, which moved quite a bit over the years, but was located for some time at 5 Merry Pebble Terrace, which is now known as the cycle shop called Cytek.

By 1948 the firm made its’ name, or rather the trade name ‘Cotswold’ used on its ‘Dipping Machines’. The machinery ‘dipped’ many items that we all know and use such as baby’s teats, rubber and surgical rubber gloves, balloons and many other rubber /latex plastics for such companies as Stanley Tools, Spear & Jackson, Phoenix Walking Sticks (who used to be located at St Mary’s Mill), Norville Optical and Kenwood to name but a few.

Some members knew a lot about the history of the firm already and it was good to see them joining in and enjoying this local history.

We rounded off with refreshments, the raffle and the competition winners announced as:-

First - Val Dalby

Second- Margaret Adams

Third - Mandy Sutton, who had all made some lovely scarves in different materials.

Next month, we have a Member’s Cheese & Wine Evening on Tuesday, April 7, to start as usual at 7.15pm at St Matthew’s Church Hall, Cainscross, followed on Tuesday, May 5 by the Resolutions Meeting, with a fun ‘mini-auction’ to follow.

We always have a good trading stall, refreshments and raffle, so please feel free to visit us as soon as you can.