OUR 2011 meeting got off to a good start as the snow had at last disappeared. President Ann Nash welcomed everyone and wished us a healthy New Year.

The programme for 2011 promises an interesting year with speakers such as Ann Hardy "Theatrical Costumier" plus Tony Taber "Travels with my kitchen sink".

The Essex County annual meeting is to be held at the Charter Hall, Colchester, on March 11, when the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire will be talking about her incredible life and Ian Le Gros, curator of Hyde Hall, will be telling us of the changes taking place there.

On April 26, the Spring Group meeting will be held at Tilbury Community Centre and in June we celebrate our 83rd birthday with a lunch – we have outings planned as well as coffee mornings and a ploughman's lunch.

The ladies have been asked to have their cameras ready for photographs of a church doorway, country cottage, mode of transport or a river scene for entry in the Craft and Produce Show.

This year the Pat Howe’s Cup, for the flower of the month entries over the last year, was presented to Helen Chandler.

Our next meeting will be held at Corringham Village Hall on February 8 with June Wells, the storyteller, as speaker. Doors open at 1.45pm.