The latest meeting took place in Exbourne Village Hall on Tuesday May 9.

The president, Margaret Cleveland, welcomed everyone, Jerusalem was sung and the AGM followed.   The secretary (Anne Leaman) and the president’s reports were accepted by the meeting. Unfortunately, because her house was flooded, the treasurer, Sally Kenealy, was not present to give her report.   Details will be given at the next meeting.  The president, secretary and treasurer are all continuing and the committee is vice-president Gillian Townsend Green, Cherry Chidwick, Irene Harrison, Karen Hunter, Maggie Brady, Anne O’Riordan and Rosy Dunn.  It was proposed and carried that the April and September meetings be held, like the winter ones at 2.30pm.   It was proposed and carried that non-members attending meetings should pay £4 per person.

There is to be a meeting to decide what to enter for the Okehampton Show, the subject to be ‘A Special Event’.  There is a visit to a garden at Spreyton on August 8 and the Walking Group are visiting Bow on Friday May 26.

The speaker was Ruth Hollingsworth, who was accompanied by her retired Hearing Dogs for the Deaf Dog, Grant.   Ruth had been a volunteer for many years and gave a very interesting talk on the work of the charity.   Grant also played his part, obeying several commands.   Ruth was thanked by Margaret Cleveland.

The competition winners ‘A Dog — any medium’ was won by Doris Piper and Vera Hawkings and the winner of the Flower of the Month was Margaret Rook.

The next meeting is on Tuesday, June 13 in Exbourne Village Hall at 7pm   The speaker is David Ramsden MBE talking about ‘Climate and Ecological Crisis?’.  Visitors welcome.