Last updated 10:44, Friday, 22 August 2008

DURING Bellingham’s July meeting the ‘Re-Vitalising Bellingham’ meeting was advertised with the hope that members will support various ventures in particular to get involved with Bellingham’s blooms.

The speaker for the night was Pat Tulip, who cooked two very different and delicious dishes in a Tardis-like mini-cooker and a savoury pork dish on the poshest camp stove ever. The recipe’s were very health conscious and gave us all food for thought.
The competition for a side salad was won by Daphne Green.
Jane Jones

AT THE July meeting of Great Whittington and Matfen the husband and wife team of Catherine and Roy Dixon came to speak to us about their work with Mercy Trucks, a charity which they founded some years ago.
In a moving shared talk they told members of their efforts to raise money in order to provide equipment and supplies for aid programmes in developing countries.
Catherine had, only the previous day, returned from the Ukraine and was planning to fund raise for a new mother and baby unit there.
Eryl Daniel

RIDING Mill had a super talk by Aisling Lannon, who works on the Northumberland European Marine Site, which achieved this status because of its incredibly diverse and wonderful habitats for wildlife.
The area stretches from Alnmouth to beyond St Abbs on the coast and out to sea, encompassing the Farne Islands and Lindisfarne.
The area has mud flats, rocky reefs, sea caves, grey seals, and inlets and bays which make it rich in all sorts of wonderful plant and animal species.
Members heard of lots of sea creatures living in our waters and also how Aisling’s job involved working with other conservation groups to maintain and protect our beautiful coastline and diversity of wildlife.
Linda Shepherd

ON A bright and sunny July day the members of Kirkley travelled to Bamburgh to visit the castle and the Grace Darling Museum. Members were told the history of the castle before touring the building and grounds.
Late in June some members had enjoyed a day on the beach at Bamburgh, taking part in the sand sculpture competition. Their blue-ringed octopus was much admired and drew positive comments from visitors on the beach.
During the summer members will be taking part in WI organised walks through out the county.
Margaret Neil

FOR the July meeting there was a change of venue for the ladies from Dilston. Members had a trip to the tea rooms at Simonburn where the proprietor Ann Maddison made them very welcome. It was such a lovely evening that members sat in the garden sipping cool drinks.
They then went inside to a beautiful buffet of home-made pies, quiches, salads and bread, followed by some very fatting sweets and coffee.
The monthly draw was won by Lynda Wells. It was a pity that it started to rain heavy as we were leaving, but it did not spoil the night.
Ann Hogg

THE speaker at Slaggyford’s July meeting was Syd Slawther who, for his second visit, chose to tell us of his lifetime experiences as a teacher.
His career began in the 1950s in a “good middle class” area in a Victorian school in Sunderland. By contrast, his next move was to a very poor part of the town.
He felt this was much more rewarding as the school’s influence on the children was so much greater.
During a long, interesting and eventful career finishing as head teacher, Mr Slawther’s “route through education” with its changing times was humorous, factual, and so enjoyable.
After a tasty supper the raffle was drawn then we all took part in a general knowledge quiz.
Joan Armstrong