PRESIDENT Judith Staddon opened the meeting by welcoming everybody on this wet morning, she thanked Diane Bull for the flowers.

In a turn round morning, we had our speaker first. Kamaldeep Sidhu spoke to us on Kitchen Pharmacy.

She is from a family of NHS doctors and nurses but decided to train as a Medical Herbalist.

She is based in Nailsworth and gives talks and workshops as well as running a clinic.

She listed herbs and spices that treat common ailments, many of which we grow in our gardens.

Herbs can be used in infusions, decoctions, tinctures, medicinal wine, herbal vinegars, herbal honey and herbal balms to treat the whole body.

After questions, Jean Purcell gave the vote of thanks.

President Judith wanted to speak to us seriously, she said we needed more members on the committee and to take over the officers’ jobs in November following our AGM.

This month, WI Life is celebrating friendship and she appealed to members to help work a way forward for Castlegate.

Secretary Margaret Chappenden highlighted several articles in the County Newsletter including GFWI events.

We have an invitation from Bibury WI to attend their centenary exhibition in July and an appeal from Dursley British Legion to knit poppies for Remembrance Day.

President Judith then drew the raffle and read out the competition results - a paper item - 1st Jean Purcell, 2nd Mair Williams, 3rd Sheila Barnett.

We had all enjoyed the visit to the Royal Mint - thanks to Sue Hindle for organising this and to Margaret Lloyd, Heather Darling, Joyce Lombard and Ann Orchard for the Coffee morning.

Future events include: June 5 Scrabble, June 7 coffee morning at Judith’s, book group lunch at Della Casa, tea party June 28 at the Parish Rooms for 2pm.

We meet at the Community Centre, Rednock Drive on the third Wednesday of every month at 9.45am.