She wore sparkly, high-heeled shoes with red, white and blue stripes, which, since it was the 80th anniversary of D Day, were very appropriate. It was also our 106th birthday and the lady in question was our entertainer, “Miss Vintage”.
Having arrived around two hours earlier for welcome drinks and a buffet supper, our ladies were in party mood. Our youngest member cut the cake, pudding was served and we settled down for an hour of songs `across the decades`. Miss Vintage was lively and engaging and her beautiful voice was well-suited to familiar songs from the 50s to the 80s. Feet were tapping, voices joined in and a few of our more extrovert ladies entertained with some ad hoc dance routines ! A party to remember….
A day before, one of our members represented us and three neighbouring WIs, at the National Annual Meeting at the Royal Albert Hall. At an Annual WI Meeting a few years ago, the Prime Minister Tony Blair was famously heckled. On this occasion there was no question of that : Nazir Afzal OBE , the Chief Prosecutor of NW England who was responsible for the successful prosecution of the perpetrators of the Rochdale grooming rings spoke so powerfully that he received a standing ovation; ex-Spice Girl Mel B, in conversation with Victoria Derbyshire, shared her experience of coercive control ; actor Tim Watson shone alight on the domestic abuse storyline around his character in The Archers . Another day to remember.
Later in the month, we`ll be selling tea and homemade cakes at Farningham Fete – come and join us.
Visitors are also welcome at our July meeting. We were taken by surprise when the election was called for 4th, particularly as it meant that the village hall would not be available for our meeting. However, all is not lost as we`ve rescheduled for Friday 5th July from 1.30.
Marilyn Wells
