Women’s Institute

As the president, Brenda Scraggs, was unwell the meeting was chaired by Rosemary Strong, who welcomed everyone. Brenda Ball, WI adviser, then attended the meeting to advise she was looking into setting up a new WI in Dunmow for younger women. An exploratory meeting will be held at the Musketeers Restaurant at 8.15pm on September 18. Birthday posies were prepared for Brenda Squires, Vera Taylor, Jay Ainge and Viv Applin. The speaker was Chris Winter, an undertaker who worked in Hackney and whose talk was entitled 'Where there's a will there's a relative'. He told members about turning up at the wrong hall to find they were expecting a strip-o-gram; speaking at another meeting where his audience kept disappearing to the chiropodist in the next room. There were numerous references to humorous epitaphs on headstones and church notice boards and a letter sent to the undertakers signed 'Yours Eventually'. On a visit to the USA he discovered that advertising for their funeral parlours is not discreet - they do guided tours in minibuses which include a visit to the souvenir shop. The only perk of his job was a free funeral and 30% discount for his wife! A speaker to be highly recommended.The half yearly council meeting is to be held on October 19, at the Civic Hall, Blackshots, Grays, where the speaker will be Jim Wight, son of James Herriot (All Creatures Great and Small). There will be a visit to the Chocolate Lady at Steeple Bumpstead on October 4. The next meeting is on September 13, when the speaker will be Sean Brady on the subject of 'Handcrafted Porcelain Jewellery'. Meetings are held in the Talberd Room of Foakes Hall on the second Wednesday of the month and begin at 7.45pm. New members and visitors are always welcome.

For details call the secretary, Carolyn Trowman on 01371 859040.