THE final monthly meeting of 2001 was a festive occasion and a warm welcome awaited everyone.

Members arrived in party mood to a very nicely decorated hall and a 'safari type buffet' after being entertained with a selection of carols, played by the hand bell ringers, and Christmas readings.

The first meeting of the new year started with a most inspirational set of photographs taken by a member of Cookhill Camera Club.

Mr Barron, with the help of his wife, had put together various sequences of pictures with a musical background and members had the pleasure of seeing five of these.

These were 'The seasons in the grounds of Hewell Grange','Besford Church', 'Batsford Arboretum','No artificial colours - nature's way' and lastly, an extremely humorous sequence entitled 'Male Gardener', when he showed how he would like to see his garden look, using pictures of well known, professionally tended acres .

Forthcoming events include a Black Country Night with Aynock and Ayli at Cookhill Village Hall on March 16.

Tickets are now available from any member.

An invitation had been received from Bentley WI to a Scottish Night on January 29 and to their pancake race.

Requests were made for a shoebox of goodies to send to The Gambia.

The next meeting on February 13 is a talk by Mrs Mountford of Redditch Talking Newspaper.