CHAIRMAN Betty Long opened the meeting and greeted 60 members and visitors to the club.

After the minutes were read, she commented on how much the members had enjoyed their luncheon and entertainment at the Bridges Restaurant at the end of January.

As the AGM will be in March, she pointed out nominations would be needed for the new committee, and that our annual subscription would have to rise by £1, to £17, payable in March, in order to cover rising expenses both for room rental and speakers' fees.

Joan English announced a couple of trips out, one of which will be with Brian Draper around the lower Wye Valley, to take place in May.

The other, yet to be finalised, was suggested to see the daffodils at Dimmock Woods in March.

Finally, the speaker was introduced, Bev Bevins, who brought slides to illustrate his talk, entitled A Stroll Around Stratford With Will. This was a first class talk and showed us lots of places we had no idea existed, as well as the familiar areas that all tourists know well.

The members have been invited to support the tsunami flood disaster by attending a coffee morening at the Amphlet Hall on Wednesday, February 23, from 10am to noon.