ANGELA welcomed everyone, including special guest Pat, and birthday cards were distributed.

The minutes of the previous meeting were read and signed. Members were asked if they wanted to join the 200 club again and it was agreed to buy another ticket.

Speakers’ auditions are on Wednesday, April 22, at Burrowbridge and details of the trip to North Wales were available.

Knitted hedgehogs will be sent to Wilton Lodge to be displayed and sold to raise money to protect hedgehogs.

A draw was made to see who would attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace and the winner was Nan Austin.

Two letters, one from John Tucker and another from Rosemary and Alan Davis, thanked everyone involved in organising the quiz night and the catering. The evening raised £389.48. It was agreed to give £100 of this to the defibrillator fund.

The pantomime group sent a letter thanking everyone for the cakes supplied.

Angela asked for any nominations to the committee to be handed in at the April meeting.

A photo of Diana in hospital following her hip operation was passed round showing her holding the application form for the London Marathon.

Enough funds were available for the balance of the Kerling equipment and the purchase of new croquet mallets. ACWW has been sent £62.11 and postage stamps are being collected for them.

West Buckland WI is coming for a return visit and Kerling match on Monday, April 20.

Future events: voting for 12 new members on the board of trustees; day at Long Sutton on May 16; Dillington tea party on May 6; Chard WI quiz on April 14; skittles match against Ilminster WI on April 20 at the Bell & Crown, £4.50; Tiverton Canal trip, June 24, £19.80 including coach there and tip.

The speaker, Malcolm Welshman, was welcomed and his talk was It's a Vet’s Life. As a child he lived in Africa but he came to the UK eventually to work in London Zoo as a vet.

He settled in West Sussex where he practised as a vet and also wrote books and features for papers and magazines. His books feature a vet named Paul Mitchell but are based on Malcolm’s own experiences.

The next meeting is on Thursday, April 16, when the talk is Will’s Women – a Nun, a Tart and a Dark Lady