VICE president Judith Staddon opened the meeting by welcoming everybody, including visitors and new members.

She listed the past months events which included the usual meetings of the scrabble and book groups and a profitable coffee morning and thanked all the helpers.

Secretary Margaret Chappenden highlighted several articles in the county newsletter including Gloucestershire Federation of Women’s Institutes (GFWI) events.

The 2017 Huxley Cup (national flower arranging competition) entries must been given to GFWI by Monday, May 1.

The WI Fair at Alexandra Palace runs from Wednesday, March 29 to Friday, April 1, volunteers are needed for the Three Counties Show and free Denman Day with PDSA.

Outings are arranged to The Royal Mint at Llantrisant in April, Bristol Zoo in May, Tea Party in June and future outings will include Tredegar House, Jinny Rind Craft Centre, a shopping trip to The Mall and Tyntesfield House.

Future events include a coffee morning and book group on Wednesday, March 1 and scrabble club on March 6 and 20.

Our next meeting is our 32nd birthday party on Wednesday, March 15 with music and a quiz (Paul Phillips).

We then drew the raffle and gave competition results: Poem/sea shanty first place Mair Williams, second was Joyce Lombard and third Pat Healey.

We then had a very interesting illustrated talk by Kathryn White who had stood in at short notice on Dursley’s Servicemen in the Great War.

Kathryn told us that Dursley’s local territorial army was training when war was declared in 1914 and highlighted several Dursley men and told their stories.

From such a small population, one hundred and thirty five men served. Christine Fulton gave the vote of thanks.

New members and visitors are always welcome, we meet at the Community Centre, Rednock Drive on the third Wednesday of every month at 9.45am.