PRESIDENT Helen Powell thanked members for their help in spring cleaning the hall and Brenda Kirkman read the minutes of the last meeting.

Ten of our members had recently enjoyed seeing The Nutcracker performed on ice by the Russian Ice Stars, a spectacular performance enjoyed by all.

The theme for this evening was A Field of Gold, a banana campaign carrying the fair trade mark, guaranteeing that producers have a better deal.

A film show told the story of two ladies who travelled to the Winward Isles to see a banana plantation where the workers are paid pittance wages.

When workers try to organise trade unions, their efforts are often met with violent suppression.

Fair trade bananas, available in Britain, come from estates where safety is a high priority and many chemicals are banned for the safety of the environment and the health of the people exposed to them.