THE Good Neighbours meeting took place on July 10 and president Jenny Cox welcomed members and visiting groups from other Institutes.

A member from Inkberrow gave a report on the IGM at Brighton and explained how resolutions put forward from Institutes all over the country were discussed and voted on.

Sheila Baskerfield gave a report on the village hall committee meeting and Miriam Tilt on an Open Space event, when plans for the groups' activities were explained.

Alwyn Stanley agreed to represent the institute at the county flower festival at Worcester Cathedral.

The speaker was Mrs J Pinder, a retired headteacher from Birmingham. She began by talking about her career, progressing through the police force and eventually finishing as a head of a multi-cultural school in Birmingham.

But the subject of her talk was Royal Encounters.

She spoke of her disbelief when one day she received a call from Buckingham Palace inviting her to lunch.

She only accepted this as not a joke when an official letter arrived in confirmation.

Arriving at the palace, on Prince Phillip's birthday, she found it was only a small party. Distinguished guests included author PD James and Phil Drabble, of TV fame.

Sitting by the Duke at lunch, she soon discovered the reason she was chosen when a lively discussion took place on education.

The Queen also asked a variety of questions.