AT the February meeting, Alan Hackett spoke about the trials and joys of putting on a musical.

Mr Hackett has been chairman for 16 years of an operatic society that stages musicals at numerous local theatres, including the Birmingham Hippodrome.

Members learned about staging a musical from start to completion and how valuable everyone is, from the lighting designer to the props lady, to the success of the show.

It was a fascinating evening and the institute hopes to go in July to the Hippodrome to see Guys and Dolls.

Details were given of the next group meeting, resolutions meetings, a walk to be led by Vera and Frank Radford and ACWW Day at Worcester.