Leonard Stanley WI: With speaker Robert Crockford from Stroud Valleys Music Club

ALTHOUGH a very wet and windy day, it was good to see so many people turn out for February’s meeting albeit some of us looking as though we had been blown inside out!

We even had two new ladies, Eileen Cook and Diane Gregory who had battled the elements to join us and hopefully become members.

Maureen opened the meeting and presented Margaret Wheeler with an attractive posy of flowers to help celebrate her birthday.

The lunch at The Clothiers had been very successful and we are sure to return there again and our next lunch date is Tuesday, February 16, at The George, Cambridge.

This will be followed by the monthly Knit and Natter afternoon at Jill’s at 2.30pm for those who may be interested in participating in a Yarn Bomb to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday.

Maureen suggested we look at YouTube and the internet etc to get ideas.

A recently successful scrabble afternoon had been held at Jill’s and another one will take place on February 24, at 2.15pm, again at Jill’s home.

There might even be a game of whist for those who prefer this.

Our next meeting on March 14, will be an Open meeting to which we can invite friends, husbands, partners etc to ‘The Art of Belly Dancing’ and then it’s our annual Lent Lunch on March 16, in the Village Hall – proceeds to go as usual to the Willow Trust.

Maureen went through items of interest in Gloucestershire News, which included Pancake Races on February 9, outside WI House; The Annual Council Meeting at Cheltenham Town Hall which this year had extremely interesting speakers; a Floral Art Workshop on April 14, and Captivating Greece in October.

She also made mention of a talk on Contented Dementia which many of us have or will have some knowledge of and the National Sports Week in September, although I think the climbing wall may be beyond us.

Robert Crockford from Stroud Valleys Music Club was our speaker, who entertained us with a musical afternoon and told us how music first started right back in the 13th century and how it changed over the years until the present day aided by the arrival of crystal sets, cinema, gramophones, music hall, dance halls with the big bands and resident singers etc.

Robert was an interesting and clear speaker and with the aid of recordings of old 78rpm records, gave examples of how music had evolved.

Most people recognized the tunes he played and remembered the actual artists performing.

He also covered the war years when music kept people’s spirits up and then the arrival of Chris Barber and the like, followed by Bill Hayley and the Comets to the present day of ‘pop music’.

Robert gave an open invitation to anyone who would like to go along to the Music Club and I am sure his offer will be taken up.

Our next meeting is March 14, at 2.15pm so if you have a free afternoon and would like to join us and learn something about the WI and make new friends – do come along.

You will be made very welcome.

There will also be a book and magazine stall.