MEMBERS and guests were warmly welcomed to the February meeting by Shirley Walker. After singing Jerusalem, Lynne Jones read the minutes of the last meeting which were duly approved. All agreed that the Christmas Dinner at Bromsgrove Golf Club was a great success. It was with regret that Lynne read out a letter from Mary Davies who felt that due to health reasons she would not be renewing her membership. Mary has been a member for around 50 years and has played the piano to accompany Jerusalem for many of those years. We shall miss her very much and hope she will visit as a guest.

There are three outings being planned in the near future. A visit to Droitwich Brine Baths with supper, Noises Off at Malvern Theatre and Guys and Dolls with Bromsgrove Operatic Society. The speaker for the evening was Ken Godfrey whose talk Nostalgia and Image Making was well received. Ken illustrated his talk with items he had picked up at car boot sales, some purchased for as little as 50 pence, and these were passed around. We were shown silhouettes and hand painted lantern slides used before photography, postcards, 3D viewers, flip books and then on to early cameras and equipment leading up to the digital cameras of today. Karen Green thanked Ken for a most entertaining evening. The competition A Black and White or Sepia Photograph was won by Ann Lowe with Meriel Scurrell second and Ellen Crawford third.

The next meeting is today (Wednesday) and the speaker will be Alan Craske on The Maze and Gardens of Castle Bromwich. The competition will be Your Favourite Pot Plant.