THE 187th meeting took place at The Swan Hotel on January 23.

The president welcomed visitor Mr Wyn Kendall.

He gave the news that Arthur McMellan had returned to Alcester Hospital after his operation at Warwick Hospital and would welcome visitors.

Brian Wood read grace.

After the meal, the Loyal Toast and a short break, member speaker Mike Johnson gave a talk entitled The Royal Enfield.

Mike explained that his presentation was a video showing the history of the Royal Enfield Company in Redditch from its start in 1880 up to 1935.

It was made 20 years ago and featured the late Eric Mutton.

It illustrated very clearly how the company developed from the manufacture of pedal bicycles to power driven two wheelers, then to motor cycles powered by various power units that were manufactured by other well known companies like JAP.

Brian Wood thanked the speaker and admitted to being a vintage motorcycle addict himself and also jokingly spoke of the dangers to happy married life that this addiction posed.

The president gave details of the next meeting on February 26, when speaker member John Stanfield will talk about the SOE in China.

The committee agreed to a proposal made by Bob Woodfield and seconded by Bert Randall to increase the charge for each monthly meeting to £7.