ON THE eve of Saint Patrick’s Day nearly forty members enjoyed an Irish-themed evening. Twenty two girls from the local group Centre Stage Performing Arts Academy and aged from five to about fifteen, with some dressed appropriately in green, gave us a display of Irish dancing. It was a privilege to watch the girls performing such intricate steps and patterns with confidence and obvious enjoyment from the youngest to the oldest. This was conveyed easily to the members and they were applauded enthusiastically. A very appreciative vote of thanks was given by Margaret Kershaw.

The business part of the evening followed. The summer group meeting will be on Monday, June 14. The display will be a selection of crafts, the competition a child’s toy old or new and a flower arrangement to fit on an A4 piece of paper on the theme of To Welcome a New-born Baby. Looking a very long way ahead the group carol concert will be on December 6. Our coffee evening in aid of victims of the earthquake in Haiti will be on April 22. There will be a demonstration by The Pampered Chef and a Bring and Buy stall.

The evening ended with an enjoyable quiz compiled and run by Betty Shadbolt with the questions all being Irish-related. The prize was – very appropriately – a bag of new potatoes. Everyone agreed it had been an excellent evening.