WEDNESDAY CLUB: At last week's meeting, the 26th anniversary of its formation in 1975, Wednesday Club members enjoyed a most enjoyable talk on 'Quaint and Quirky Gloucestershire' by Mr Gordon Ottewell. His slides and amusing and informative commentary gave an insight into the many interesting churches, tombstones, follies and the like in the county from the North Cotswolds to the South of the county and the Forest of Dean. Mr Ottewell was thanked by the chairman, Miss Helen Rhoden. At the next meeting on April 11 the speaker will be Mrs Rosemary Morris on 'Ecuador, Forests and Islands'.

PARISH MEETING: The annual parish meeting was held on Wednesday last with Maurice Andrews, parish council chairman, in the chair. In his annual report the chairman said that many important matters had been dealt with during the year and the increasing amount of new legislation and government directives was giving parish councils much more responsibility without either greater powers or extra funding. Among the matters dealt with were the continuing problems of Highways maintenance, heavy-goods vehicle traffic, and maintenance of village greens. The village had again won the Bledisloe Best-Kept Village competition, for the eighth time, and had represented Gloucestershire in the Daily Telegraph National competition. The parish council was pleased to have been able to keep the parish precept at last year's level of £7,500. Notice was given of the annual audit in May. Reports were given by the representatives of the village charities and of the 16 village organisations. Mr Andrews thanked the committees of these organisations for all they do and said how rewarding it was that for a small village so many organisations flourished in the community. The Annual Community Award to the person deemed to have rendered outstanding service to the community in Willersey was this year awarded to Mrs Marjorie Bate. After a discussion on possible future projects, particularly in the field of recreation facilities, it was agreed that the parish council should consult all local organisations to explore what plans each had in mind so that a united overall plan for the future could be prepared. Mrs Julie Girling, county and district councillor, gave a very wide-ranging report on the various activities and policies and answered several questions on road maintenance, housing, council tax and finance. The chairman thanked the parish clerk, Mr Philip Ord, the parish councillors and coun Julie Girling, for their support during the year; Mrs Jennie Bond proposed a vote of thanks on behalf of all residents to Mr Andrews for his work on the parish council and for the village.