OUR first walk of the year started from Alcester when Alex and Helen Koscica led 13 of us on a cold but sunny day to Exhall via Wixford.

For our second walk, Jill and Alan Hitchcock led us eight muddy miles around the Harvington Hall area when we saw our first lambs, a welcome sign of spring.

Our next walk was an eight-mile circular walk led by Sean and Helen O'Gorman centred on Studley when 21 of us enjoyed another muddy expedition on a pleasantly mild day.

The first walk of February was led by Lesley and Stan Stone when we met at Earlswood station for a very enjoyable seven-mile circular walk.

The next walk was more of a test of endurance when Tessa and Barbara led us on an innocuous sounding walk from Tardebigge to the Bentley area. This turned out to have patches of deep mud, clinging branches and countless stiles.

Our January talk was given by Garth Lowe on the Knapp and Paper Mill Nature Reserve, now owned by the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust which covers an area of some 60 acres including pasture land, and the wooded valley of the Leigh Brook, offering habitats to all kinds of flora and fauna. The talk was illustrated with beautiful slides.

At our February meeting, George Hook gave us a fascinating talk on mother of pearl. His family business, established in 1824, is one of only three remaining in their country out of what was a thriving button and buckle making trade in Birmingham. He brought along examples of all the different kinds of shells used, imported from all over the world, each type being used for different purposes according to colour and thickness. He described the processes used in the manufacture of each product and showed examples of each.

We welcomed Gabriella Leonowicz as our speaker at the March meeting who regaled us with a hilarious talk entitled 'Tales of my Polish Family'. She told how her family came to England and settled in the Wolverhampton area and how, as a police officer, she was sent to arrest a 'drunk and disorderly' who turned out to be her own grandfather. For further information, please ring Pat on 01527 402663. New members welcome.