AT the luncheon at Kings Court Hotel on May 11 members were told the sad news that Gillian Harris had passed away.

Speaker Anne Nicholas gave a talk on millinery. She lives in Pershore and was a home economics teacher in Quarry Bank. She started her career as a milliner in 1997 after seeing the hat her mother had made and decided she would like to try. After a while she took a course at the Jinny Ring in Hanbury.

Anne brought along a selection of hats from her summer range to show different styles, including the first one she had made for her daughter's wedding. She spoke of the different methods of using the block, originally made of wood and expensive to buy, but now available in polystyrene and much cheaper. Materials used were straw and sinamay. She makes hats to order, displays at a craft fair and also has hats for hire. Members were able to try on the hats if they wished.

Noreen Ratledge gave the vote of thanks for a very interesting talk and display.

The outing to Birmingham Botanical Gardens takes place on Wednesday, May 18 and the coach leaves at 9.30am. The next luncheon will be the AGM on Wednesday, June 8 and will start at the earlier time of 11am with coffee. After lunch speaker John Bunting will talk about 'Memories of VE and VJ Day.'