Eastcombe WI with Mike James of Cotswold Ghost Tours

AS AUTUMN brings its changes in our weather and gardens, our meeting was busy with arrangements for commemoration events, Christmas, and planning for the New Year.

Poppies will be knitted for the commemoration display at Stroud Museum in the Park, November 3-9, and representatives were nominated to lay our commemorative wreath on November 10, at Eastcombe War Memorial.

Christmas meal plans are underway and the rotas for 2019 almost finalised.

Nomination forms were distributed for next year’s Committee Members, and everyone was reminded that new members and new faces on the committee are always welcome.

We were also reminded to bring along a wrapped Christmas gift to the November meeting for the Christmas Auction – an event that comes annually with a guarantee for fun and hilarity.

The Christmas Market outing will be to Worcester in November, and practise sessions have been arranged ready for the carol concert on December 3, at Oakridge.

With everyone back in their seats after the refreshment break – candles were lit, and the lights dimmed in preparation for the Tales of Spooks and Spectres, delivered by Mike James of Cotswold Ghost Tours in Cheltenham and Prestbury (allegedly one of England’s most haunted villages).

We cringed from the Black Abbott to the Angel of Light, and may I say, every ‘spectre’ in between!

Raising goose bumps aplenty, Tim recanted reported occurrences which took us romping through pubs, rectories and churchyards, with tales of dogs and horses still ‘spooked’ in locations where strange events have been reported.

Mike had his audience ‘spellbound’ and silenced – not easy to achieve with a room full of women!

To cap it all, we were enthralled to hear some spine chilling personal experiences from some of our own members.

I suspect we shall all be staying indoors on Halloween.

If you would enjoy involvement in our activities - please contact Margery Lambert (01453 886697, or email marglambert@btinternet.com) for further information and to arrange to sample one of our meetings.