Published at 15:45, Wednesday, 03 February 2010

MRS Hartley welcomed members and visitors to the first meeting of 2010. Mrs Stamper was thanked for organising another successful party which was held at Hunday Manor. The next car boot sale will be held on Sunday, February 28, at Egremont.

May Smith was thanked for her contribution over the years as a valued member of the committee, but has decided to stand down from office this year. All the other members of the committee were willing to serve again.

Audrey Woodward took over the running of the AGM. Mrs Pat Davies had been nominated for committee and had agreed to serve. The committee now has the seven members required. Mrs Hartley was re-elected president, Mrs Anderson as secretary and Mrs Stamper will continue as treasurer.

The business of the evening over, it was now time to welcome our popular guests, Judy and John Hall. Their talk was a slideshow showing their journey around Europe. The boat they travelled on was the Johann Strauss and there were 190 passengers aboard. There were various excursions. The cruise began at Budapest and followed the Rivers Danube, Main and Rhine to Amsterdam. There were locks to pass through which added more interest to the journey and of course there was the fantastic scenery. They were shown around numerous churches and also the magnificent Schonbrunn Palace where Maria Theresa lived in the 18th Century. Wachau Valley is an area renowned for growing apricots and grapes used for speciality liqueurs and wines. The Benedictine Abbey at Melk stands proud overlooking the river. The cruise continued to Cologne, Utrecht and then to Amsterdam and the end of the trip. Mrs Davies thanked Judy and John for such an interesting account of their holiday. It was announced that there would be a Bring and Buy sale in aid of the Great North Air Ambulance at the March meeting. The raffle winners were Mrs Barnfather and Mrs Wallace and the winners of the Competition for an illustration of a water scene were Messrs Anderson, Money and Brion.

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 17, at 7pm, in Rosehill Barn, when the speaker will be Douglas Cook. The competition will be a quaint/curious object.

Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk