THE president, Maureen Smith, welcomed the members to the June meeting. The visit to the Botanical Gardens had been much enjoyed. Ann Darlow was thanked for arranging it. The president said the group social meeting had been good fun. Secretary Catherine Kealey gave an interesting account of the TGM.

Unfortunately, the speaker organised for the meeting was ill but Martin Kealey stepped in. He had worked for 31 years in the Prison Service. Sylvia Hancox thanked him on behalf of the institute. Sylvia gave a reading of humorous verse.

At the July meeting, the president gave a special welcome to visitor Doreen Bowen. It was pleasing to note that £120 had been raised at the coffee evening for the MRI Appeal. Members were asked to donate old spectacles which could be taken to Hamptons the Opticians, or brought to the institute.

The speaker, Margaret Cooper, a historian, gave an interesting and informative account of the life and work of a district nurse cum midwife of the pre-NHS era.

She cited her own village, Cutnall Green, and Hanbury as examples of how hard these good ladies worked and how poorly they were paid. Dot Bridgewater gave the vote of thanks.