President Judith Scott welcomed members to the January meeting with wishes for a happy new year. The Christmas party had been an enjoyable occasion, as had the Redditch Group Christmas celebration of carols and readings held at St Peter's Hall, Crabbs Cross, in December.

Members were told of the Stepping Out Challenge to celebrate 90 years of the WI in Britain, when able members would be challenged to walk 90 miles during the year with a national competition for a scrapbook of events. There will be a Worcestershire promotion day on September 15 when an organised walk will take place in the area.

The London trip will take place again in mid-October and it is hoped to have an outing to Bodenham Arboretum in the spring.

The speaker was Gary Farmer, who spoke about his trip to India in search of the tiger.

He and his party had travelled though central India by train and had stayed at two different game parks. He had taken some amazing photographs of tigers and other wildlife, including the bugs and spiders, which were of special interest to him.

The monthly competition for a tiger collage was won by Jill Gallagher and the flower of the month by Jackie Soles with a snowdrop.

Jackie Gregory spoke about her trip to Gambia with the jughi jumpers and said the next collection day would be at her home on March 12 from 10am-2pm.

The next meeting will be at Woodfield Middle School at 7.30pm on Wednesday, February 9, when Ray Sanders-Crook will speak on The Ancient Ceremonies of the Tower of London.

The competition will be for a home-made tiara.