President Bernadette O’Donnell welcomed members and visitors to the June meeting of Little Leigh WI. 

She commented on how good the speakers from the Joshua Tree had been at the last meeting.

Arrangements are still being made for member’s night in August. The meal at Byley had been enjoyed by all who attended.

A number of thank you letters have been received including one from Brenda Smith’s daughter, Lisa and her husband Chris, for the attendance of the WI choir at their wedding; Marie Halpin and Pauline Gregory for the beautiful flowers given to them of the occasion of their special birthdays and Emily Rowland, the new WI May Queen who is very much looking forward to representing the WI at other local village events.

Forthcoming events include: a keep singing day on September 20, at Byley Village Hall, 10am to 3pm, £6. Canal art and knotting on September 27, at Lower Withington, 10am to 4pm, £12.

Members were asked to decide how they would like to celebrate the centenary next year. One possibility is a garden party.

It was agreed to set up a sewing sub-committee to produce a banner and bunting.

The May fair was very successful and thanks were given for all the help on the day. Special thanks were given to Elsie Evans for all her hard work.

Tickets for the Queens Mother’s fundraiser raffle should be returned before the July meeting.

Group news: Chatsworth House, June 25, £25; Group Meeting October 15 at Winsford, tickets £4.

Speaker for the evening was Maureen Williams, who gave members an interesting and enlightening talk on the family run Cheshire Production Company which was founded by her late husband Godfrey and is still very much family orientated with her son David, his wife and daughter running a cheese factory in Crewe and a large delicatessen in Sandbach, as well as selling family produced cheese it has a coffee roasting facility.

Maureen told of the many awards that the different cheeses have won and how proud the family are to have been awarded the ‘Best Delicatessen in the Country’.

Members had the opportunity to taste and purchase some of their products and were told to look out for the Godfrey Williams stand in the cheese tent at the Cheshire Show where the cheeses will be on sale. Maureen was thanked by Jan Whalley.

The competition for a mouse ornament was won by Sylvia Watkins; 2. Anne Antrobus; 3. Kathleen Hewitt.

The next meeting is on July 2 and will be the annual strawberry evening. The competition is ‘Five Flowers from your Garden’, flowers: Elsie Evans; teas: Val Hensby, Chrissy Watson and Margaret Smith.

Jan Whalley