THE president welcomed members to the February meeting and the minutes were then read and agreed.

There were a number of notices given, including invitations from Broomhall and Pump House WIs, a day visit to Denman College, a trip to Winchester in July and a jubilee garden party in August.

Fairtrade fortnight was remembered with a small amount of goods put on the trading stall for members to purchase and try and a box of fairtrade teabags among the raffle prizes.

We had lost our last skittles match but by a very small margin and we play one more in February and one in March.

As neither St Peter’s or Pump House WIs can send a delegate to the AGM in London, our WI will be represented by Jean.

The president then welcomed Gareth and Polly, who gave us a most thought-provoking talk.

Gareth is a magistrate and Polly a probation officer, and they gave an insight into the reasons for sentences passed on different crimes.

We were given an example of a news item of someone stealing a medicine bag from an ambulance, punching the female paramedic causing her to fall against the elderly patient.

When asked if members thought this deserved a custodial sentence most agreed it did, but they then explained fuller details of the case not printed in the paper, and explained what other options could be taken. A community order is not necessarily a soft option as a large amount of freedom is taken away from the offender in various forms and this often stops them reoffending.

The talk certainly gave us food for thought, for which Gareth and Polly were thanked.

Refreshments were then provided by Janet Coopey and Janet Simmons, while some young students from Pershore Sixth Form College set up a display for their product for a Youth Enterprise scheme.

This was lip balm in many different flavours, and members could buy if desired.

Happy Birthday was sung to three members, Kate had just celebrated, Biddy in a few days’ time and Avril at the beginning of March.

A number of prizes were drawn in the raffle and the meeting ended at 9.30pm.

We meet again for our 16th birthday on Tuesday, March 20, at 7.30pm at Whittington Village Hall.