CHAIRMAN Betty Long welcomed members and visitors to the May meeting at the Bromsgrove Golf Centre, explaining as she did so that she had fallen down the stairs of Hanbury Hall while working as a guide there. The infamous compensation culture was never mentioned! The bruises would have probably disappeared before a solicitor could see them. However, the laughter subsided and sympathy from members took over.

We were pleased to see Dione Bailey with us again after having had a successful hip replacement operation recently. Mary Rutter reported that the programme of events for 2005 is made up as far as June.

Joan English announced members should meet at the Dolphin Centre car park at 8.30am, ready for an early start to our trip out to the Upper Severn Valley, which will take in Shrewsbury, Newtown, Llandiloes and the Clwyden Dam, next Wednesday.

The annual summer dinner has been arranged at The Granary Restaurant on Monday, July 19 and menus have been circulated among the members. The speaker, Colin Bowden, told us more about his life in the Royal Marines as a musician, and about the history of the bands and the functions they attend. Betty Long thanked him and the members then enjoyed cups of tea and coffee before going home.