Aston & District W.I. February Report

There was a good turn out for our first meeting of 2024 at Sound and Broomhall Community Hall which was chaired by one of our vice presidents Heather Pass ,after updating us on the many activities and opportunities happening locally over the next few months Heather read out the 4 proposed WI resolutions for 2024 and a vote was taken ,resolution 2 "impacts of poor housing conditions "was the most popular choice,we will wait to see if this is of national interest too.

Our speaker for the afternoon was Mr Mark Hignett with a talk entitled "Soldiers In Love " and wow did his talk inspire us.

Mark is the curator of Oswestry museum and during his research into local stories came across love letters written during WW2 between a soldier called Gilbert Bradley who was stationed at Park Hall camp in Oswestry in 1939 and "G" ,they had met just before the war and had a 3 year relationship which Mark has managed to piece together via the beautiful letters that they exchanged,hundreds of them.

Through his research Mark established that his sweetheart was in fact a gentleman called Gordon Bousher,at the time a forbidden love affair.

Not only do the letters tell of their love story ,but offer up an insight into the war years, the circles they mixed in ,their lives in general and has raised so much interest that Mark has been approached by many sources to tell their story...Hollywood included !

The story was so interesting and Marks enthusiasm for his Museum was so infectious that i think we will need to visit the museum to see and read the letters in person.

Next month we meet on March 1st at 2pm at Sound and Broomhall community Hall where we look forward to a talk called "The Biscuit Club " by Victoria Graham

The Walking group meet at 10:30 on Wednesday 7th February at Nantwich football club

The Luncheon club meet at 12 for 12:30 at The Globe Nantwich on Tuesday 7th February

Vicky Kershaw