WI: The September meeting opened with news of some events held during the August break. The president Rachel Renfree, thanked Olive Thomas for her successful coffee morning.

Those who attended the Brompton Ralph garden party had enjoyed the event.

There were many members who wished to attend the Tone Valley Group meeting at Wiveliscombe on September 18 and the autumn council meeting at Wellsprings on October 25 when there is a request for redundant spectacles.

The NFWI AGM will be on June 3 in the Albert Hall.

After forthcoming local events were discussed, Carol Talbot was introduced with her talk on ‘Tiaras and Coronets’. She delighted her audience with her anecdotes and descriptions of her method of assembling an array of headpieces for brides (and their mothers) and for other occasions.

Her skill with rhinestones, pearls, fine plastic leaves and flowers (dyed and sprayed) and gold and silver wired and soldered sprays of other materials was much admired in her dainty tiaras.

She had used carefully prepared quills and feathers for Fascinators and demonstrated the use of Sinamay (banana fibre) for making hats and their decoration. She was much applauded.

Those celebrating birthdays in August and September were Audrey Waymouth, Frankie Goldsmith, Margaret Skeeles, Gillis Burgess, Brenda Cathcart and Olive Thomas and were presented with birthday plants.

Coffee followed and a social time of tiara making, resulting in a notable and ingenious array of newspaper concoctions.

The next meeting marks the 75th birthday of the WI when Yvonne Bell returns with a talk, this time on ‘Love and Marriage, Edwardian Style’, on October 7 at 7.30pm. All are welcome to celebrate with the group.