THE president Judy Belli welcomed everyone and reminded them that next year is the 60th anniversary of the first Gilwern Women’s Institute. A celebration is now being considered in the form of a garden tea party with members dressed in 1940s style, i.e. the New Look, as 1949 was the year that Christian Dior’s New Look took off as the war years were well and truly over.

Ideas are welcome on this theme and participation on the refreshments for the party would be needed, please contact the president.

There is a trip in December to Ludlow crafts and Christmas markets and a lunch later this month, on October 24 at the church refectory when Julia Dawson will talk about books discussed on the Richard and Judy Show. Barbara Williams gave a report on the Poems and Puds evening which was held in Gilwern Old School which proved an excellent venue. It was a highly successful event, and well attended so £175 was raised for the county federation.

The speaker Richard Jordan has a comprehensive record of the war years when he was just a young boy. He showed slides of all the events and people in the news at that time including Sir Winston Churchill and Clement Attlee, as well as Adolf Hitler.

He has pictures of the bombing and evacuation of children from war torn areas like the East End of London. Members found it fascinating, in particular those who can remember the war years, others were still growing up then, but all agreed that although it was hard at times, there were good times to remember as well, it was not all doom and gloom.

He was thanked for his fascinating talk by Ann Williams which was so accurate despite the fact he was not very old when war broke out. The competition for a fine piece of china was won by Rene Powell, and this was followed by refreshments.