OUR April meeting took the form of an open meeting and was well attended and it was great not to have our coats on due to the milder evening.

President Ann welcomed everyone and gave out Birthday flowers – only one birthday this month who was Audrey Clarke.

A report on the recent Baton Rally was given by Mary Nash, who said the event had gone off well although it had been very cold when some of us helped decorate the trailer on the Saturday morning.

On Sunday there had been a good turn out at Leonard Stanley when the tractor and trailer had arrived and the baton handed over from Frocester to us.

It then proceeded to Stonehouse, ending up at Ebley Mill where it was presented to Stroud Shambles WI before going off on the back of a motorbike to Randwick and then to Nailsworth.

There had been a good crowd at Ebley Mills and Jerusalem had been sung by all with gusto!

Well done our two teams who had entered the County Quiz and got through to the next round.

Good luck to them in the second round.

Ann thanked WI members who had made cakes for the Village Easter Egg Trail, which had helped raise the sum of approximately £300 to save Mankley Field and had received a Thank You letter from the Mankley Field Action Group.

Trip to Blenheim Palace on May 13 still needs more people to make it viable.

Unfortunately if this doesn’t happen, it was in danger of being cancelled.

A nice letter had been received from the Willow Trust thanking us for our donation from the recent Lent Lunch saying how much they appreciated it.

Various members offered their assistance on stalls at the annual Plant Sale on May 2, at Kingston House and order forms were available.

Request for cakes and items to sell had been requested.

Proceeds would go to the Air Ambulance and local charities.

All we need now is fine weather.

Chris gave a report on her first time as Delegate at the recent GFWI AGM at Cheltenham and urged members who had never been before, to try and go next year.

The highlight for her had been the Guest Speaker, Kate Bliss from Bargain Hunt who had been an excellent speaker.

Details of the Christmas Concert had been given out and the classical trio known as Sole Mio had been booked.

Maureen announced details of lunch on April 29 which would be at the Beacon, Haresfield.

Ann presented Secretary Jill a lovely pot of flowers from us all and wished her a very Happy 80th Birthday and said how much the WI members who had tea at Gills home, had enjoyed themselves.

Without further ado, she introduced the speaker for the evening – Shaun McCormack of the Queens Bodyguard of the Yeoman of the Guard who entertained us with a very descriptive talk on how he became a Yeoman, what it entailed and how the Queens Bodyguard came into existence.

The detail was so much to take in, but the original Yeomen of the Guard was created in 1485 to guard Henry VII.

Nowadays dressed in their distinctive Tudor uniforms of red, white and yellow they have a ceremonial role in many Royal events, including Royal Maundy Service, State Opening of Parliament, Investitures, summer Garden Parties including the soon to be held WI one, Coronations, Lying-in-state and funeral of the Sovereign.

After the death of our Queen, it will then be known as the King’s Body Guard of the Yeoman of the Guard.

At the present time, there are 82 men – consisting of six officers and 76 Yeomen.

To become a Yeoman of the Guard, you have to have a full military career in the British Services.

Shaun passed around for us to look and marvel at, photographs, Oath of Allegiance, Royal Warrant and his uniform which actually weighed 30lbs.

How hot they must get in the summer months.

Apparently the uniforms are cleaned twice a year and due to their cost are handed down until they finally wear out.

We had a chuckle when learning that Her Majesty likes her Yeoman to wear the traditional scarlet stockings and suspenders rather than red tights, although some do prefer to wear the latter.

Shaun made us laugh when he described how years ago, an Officer of the Guard slept on a bed outside the King’s Room and his duties as a Yeoman Bed Goer and Bed Hanger.

They now of course are allowed to live in their own homes.

One only had to hear Shaun talk to see how much he loved what he did and how proud too to serve the Queen.

After spending money at the well stocked books, magazines and jigsaw stall, we all enjoyed refreshments and some very tempting cakes which didn’t do our waist lines any good.

The next meeting is on May 11 at 7.30pm in the village hall when Tess Wheeler will give a demonstration of planting hanging baskets.

Members can also purchase plants.

Visitors and new members are very welcome.