RETIRED Hartlebury academic Pat Van Zyl who has taken over as national chairman of WI Country Markets, has set out her stall for the year ahead.

Mrs Van Zyl, a former lecturer in sports and exercise science at the University of Birmingham, wants to raise the profile of the organisation which has an annual turnover of £11 million. New national WI Markets boss Pat Van Zyl.

WI Country Markets, now no longer part of the WI, is a non-profit making organisation selling freshly prepared baked goods, craftwork, home-grown fruit, vegetables and plants.

"All the money made after the deduction of expenses is returned to the producers who can be male or female, aged over 16," she said.

Mrs Van Zyl, 57, of Pye Hill Farm, added: "As with many organisations, most of our members are getting old and we need new producers and new customers.

"We need to promote our markets nationally much more.

"We've been low-key, whereas farmers' markets have got all the funding and the publicity - that's what we need to do."

She said the WI markets offered home-grown or produced quality, food, without the use of pesticides, using free-range eggs where appropriate, as well as plants and crafts.

In all, there are seven markets in the county opening once a week with 500 branches in England, Wales and the Channel Islands.

Hagley market, of which Mrs Van Zyl is controller, draws 12 suppliers, and is held every Friday from 8.45am until 11am, at the community centre next to the library.

The mother-of-one, whose son is now studying at Birmingham University and whose husband Chris is a retired professor of physics, is also a member of Hartlebury Women's Institute.

"Recently we took part in the local history exhibition in Hartlebury where we had a display and we also joined in the Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations," she said.

Mrs Van Zyl, who hails from London, moved to Birmingham and settled at her current home in Worcestershire in 1975.