PRESIDENT Jenny Friar welcomed members to the July meeting at Cuddington and Sandiway WI. Congratulations were given to Thelma Manning for receiving the Citizen Award for Sandiway and Cuddington Village for her fund raising in aid of Hearing Dogs for the Deaf. Her efforts had raised more than £10,000 for the charity.

Ray Jackson of The Wild Animal Rescue based at Lower Moss Wood near Knutsford was the speaker for the afternoon and he told of his life working with injured and abandoned animals and birds from tiny bats the size of a thumbnail to Roe deer, badgers and foxes which would be brought in or reported by the public.

For 26 years it has been his passion; his other being music and playing in a rock band. He adopted two fox cubs and discovered how smelly they are as he was travelling home with them.

He explained the food cycle and how vital it is that we do not kill the insects, slugs and snails in the gardens so that different species can survive. His talk was illustrated with many photos and it was obvious that his dedication to the care of animals has become a very important part of his life The site at Lower Moss Wood is to undertake a huge transformation soon with a new hospital being built on-site. Thanks were given by Maureen Ashton.

First place for an animal made from a vegetable went to Ruth Dawson for her mouse created from a potato followed by a dragon-fly created by Brenda Makepiece and a giraffe by Jean Williamson.

Val Miller