WE met in St James' Church this month as the hall was being used for the local elections.

Jo Wood, president, thanked people for supporting the evening with BBC Hereford & Worcester gardening expert Reg Moule, which had been most enjoyable.

The next monthly meeting, on June 7 will, in fact, be held in Jo and Digby Wood's garden at 7.30pm where a group photograph will be taken for our scrapbook.

We are to help with the teas at St Peter's Church fête on June 2. We had to discuss only one resolution on the closure of community hospitals - we felt there was very little to discuss and were in favour of keeping them open.

A warm welcome was extended to our fellow villager Jim Lewis, who, of course, owned the famous and unique racehorse Best Mate.

Jim told us of his long association with the horse- racing world, starting with him delivering newspapers to the Bromford Bridge racecourse.

He met his wife Valerie when he was 14 and promised one day to buy her a house, a Jaguar car and a racehorse. He worked hard in the furniture business and fulfilled his promise to her.

His association with the trainer Henrietta Knight led him to owning Best Mate, the three-times winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the blue riband of steeplechasing.

Best Mate is registered as a trademark and Best Mate products have raised money for children's charities and St Richard's Hospice. Horse racing led Jim to meet the Queen Mother, Princess Anne and the Queen. We were all fascinated by his interesting life.

JANE WILSON