PUMP House Women's Institute is full of surprises!

This week the session started as usual, with a happy buzz of friendly catch-up conversation - then SHE made an entrance; little black cape round her shoulders, regal crown on top and a regal smile all round, she made her way to the front (amongst curtseys and applause).

She graciously accepted a posy off flowers, spoke about her knowledge of The Women's Institute (including the tree planting here, and how her lawns were recovering from WI feet recently, following her party).

After her dramatic appearance, and departure, we heard from Linda Phillips, Co-ordinator of the Worcester Resource Exchange; (known as WRE); this exchange, situated in Shrub Hill Industrial Estate, is an Aladdin's Cave of low cost reclaimed resources for Creative Projects. She showed us exciting pictures with stacks of paper, felt, foam, fabric etc plus wood and paint, all saved from land-fill.

There are now 50 recycling centres in the UK, each one being independent, thus reflecting the life in that area ie. crockery in the Cornwall catchment area and leather in the North-East. An exciting video showed a Swap-Shop day, when the centres meet to exchange surplus stock (rather like a Harrods Sale Day but better). Anyone can join, either individually, or as a member of a group (telephone no 01905 726796).

One special Royal Day continued with our famousWI cakes (and tiny Union Jacks hand crafted) plus a glug of 'sparkly'.

JANET HASTINGS