The Earth Science Centre - wow!

From the viewing platform

Thank you very much to Gill Odolphie and her team at the Earth Science Centre, Stoke St Michael, for a most interesting and varied day. Also, thank you to Ann Orpwood for suggesting the visit last September at our programme planning meeting, and to Caroline and Graham for getting all of the organisation sorted out for us. it was lovely to share the day with some members of the Active Living Centre.

Preparing for the quarry visit

A Wayward Woman and some Rocks!

After a rather hectic start (first because I couldn't find the extension lead - thank you Barbara for saving the day! Secondly because we couldn't make the laptop play the right game - thank you to Daniel for solving all of those challenges!) we had a fun-filled evening! Judy Annan's talk about her travels all over the world was nothing short of amazing! From Mongolia to Lapland, from Madagascar to Syria and many, many more.
Once Marguerite and Val had made drinks for us all, we sat down to listen to Gill Odolphie who told us all about rocks and how we owe everything to them: where we live, the food we grow..... And she gave us a brief introduction to the different types of rock, passing samples around for us to study, including some rather rare black quartz which is worth £1,000 as well as an intricate Mexican fossil, millions of years old which was bought for 50p!

We all had a really sociable time, lots of members stayed afterwards to chat; and both of our speakers who had listened to each other, decided that they would like to come back again to hear our next speaker.

More visits!

Yvonne and Jeni have been to the County Summer Garden party, Marguerite and Gill went to Windsor with Buckland Dinham WI and Marguerite and I have just come back from the County organised tour around Hinkley Point Power Station!

Here's Yvonnes's feedback: The Summer Garden Party at Pitney was the usual collection of games and stalls etc. The aim being to raise some funds for the county federation.  Jeni and I
arrived about 1.30, after finding the usual route closed.  We were lucky that by then the rain had eased.  We both met peoples that we knew.  Most people were dressed up against the cold!!!  The sun did come out before we left.  The cream tea was fine.

The trip to Windsor was a great success! Lovely weather, with a couple of hours to wander around Windsor followed by a boat trip (and cream tea) along the Thames. A most relaxing and enjoyable day.

Hinkley Point Nuclear Power Station was a thoroughly fascinating visit. This was the second group of 20 WI members to visit, all arranged by Nicki from the County PAINT committee. As usual with their events, it was very well chosen and well planned. The EDF  tour guides were very knowledgeable and very helpful, making the whole visit most informative.
The next PAINT event is a Great Food Debate on Wed 23 October, with speakers from the NFU, the Soil Association and Sainsbury's. Details will be available in the next County News.

Milton Lodge Gardens visit

What a gorgeous evening! The gardens and the setting are simply stunning! Thank you to Barbara and Richard for these photos; so you will get a glimpse of what we experienced. Excellent choice of venue, Val!

Accused brought to trial....

Our Murder Mystery evening was a great success! We caught the culprit! Everyone arrived dressed in their finest Annual Plant Show attire! The food and drinks were delectable, and we all had a really fun time! Thank you everyone for joining in and for helping!
Here are a few of Barbara's photos:

Ivy Lodge, looking as innocent as you like!

Getting ready to go!



Maggie Nolia, our Southern Belle, enjoying a Mint Julip, or two!