We also heard about changes planned for the Legal Aid scheme, which will mean reduced essential help for very vulnerable women and children.

The Women’s Institute’s website is very informative; we are encouraged to write to our MP.

Our speaker Mark Wilkinson then introduced us to the County Air Ambulance, with which he is a pilot.

In this country, this service is free (unlike America where Mark said air ambulances “descend like vultures” to an accident, to be financed by the victims’ insurance).

Mark said that all the pilots are ex-Armed Forces; two paramedics on a two-year secondment from the NHS are in the small rear compartment, along with extensive medical equipment.

From the time their air ambulance is called, they can be airborne within two minutes, and a radio link to an accident and emergency consultant is always available.

This wonderful service is totally dependent on contributions and we can support it by a legacy, individual donations or the Air Ambulance Lottery.

During any other business Sheila asked for cake stands to borrow for our Ritz-style birthday tea party in April.

J HASTINGS