W.I. July Meeting Report

Audlem WI July Open Meeting

Well, is it the end of the world as we know it? Will we live to rue the day we were allowed freedom of choice? After all we don't have problems with immigrants, we just have a problem with nincompoops!

On a brighter note, that British get-up-and-go, (which we have obviously just deployed) should hold us in good stead, but rest assured, Audlem WI ladies remain stalwarts yet again in the face of adversity!

As an eagle eyed member of the WI, I recently spotted a nattily attired Mike Haynes escorting members of the 'Britain in Bloom team' in a meander along Kingbur Place and around the village. This could mean ladies, that we will all need to touch up our paintwork, tidy up the bits that our gardeners have missed and expect an influx of visitors to our humble abodes.

We are also patiently awaiting a call from Joe Hoyles, who, having recently set up a Facebook page for Audlem CW3 to promote tourism, will be needing our ladies assistance in showing visitors around the real places of interest in our village such as where the best Garden Parties can be held ( Elizabeth Huntbach this year, Betty Minns last year ) combined with the necessary information on the best open evening event to be held in our village. This year it was the turn of the Back Row Singers, and, as Audlem WI are not known for their sobriety, a merry evening was had by all!

Now back in the ancient days when tiny little distracting wearable boom mikes weren't in existence, and our President Lin Nicholas could relax, we were taught to project to the back row, not that the Back Row singers needed any projection as the rest of the village, including our WI members and guests were delighted to hear them!

The evening commenced with a glass of Prosecco, and this time we threw caution to the wind and included a strawberry, freshly picked and washed that morning- that helped fill the pint glasses!

The Back Row singers consisted of John on the keyboard, Alex on clarinet and saxophone, and singers Jean, Chris and Val- who also told a lot of jokes, most of which we can't remember as we were too busy laughing, tears running down our cheeks ( nowhere else!) ruining our freshly applied make up, but who cared?

People feel starved of nice, glamorous entertainment nowadays. They want to see costumes and gaiety and singers, old-fashioned entertainment- it won't die easily, and the Back Row singers provided us with all of these things.

One thing Audlem WI has in abundance is a sense of humour, it doesn't mean you have to tell jokes. If you can't think of anything else, when you're my age, take off your clothes and walk in front of a mirror. I guarantee you'll get a laugh!

The Back Row singers appeared to have an abundance of props, showing us photos of their youth as they sang 'No-one loves a Fairy when she's forty', whilst they twirled magnificently in their tutus, engaging us all with their vitality and joy in the moment.

We were taken back to our childhoods with ' I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles ' accompanied by audience participation as we both drank and blew bubbles at the same time, yet another challenge we WI ladies have mastered!

Thank you Back Row for an entertaining evening. A well-developed sense of humour is the pole that adds balance to your steps as you walk the tightrope of life and you gave us it in spades.

After all this excitement, levels of anticipation were raised yet again as the draw for the raffle was made. Pat Smith had managed to acquire an amazing array of raffle prizes from local businesses, without too much arm twisting, so many thanks to them for their support, and our guests were stunned, almost into silence, at the beautiful bouquets that Pat had made which were handed out to our birthday members.

Jackie Creber,, Anne Huntbach, Christina Lawson, Maggie Phillips and Joy Taylor were the lucky birthday ladies this month.

Our President Lin Nicholas thanked everyone for coming and wished them a safe journey home.
Next month is our Garden Party, so watch this space as Audlem WI really let their hair down at Garden Parties!

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