COMPANY VISIT: During the business section of the June meeting of Bamburgh WI, Anne Kirton gave a brief report on members' visit to Sanofi Aventis in Alnwick.
Bamburgh was joined by members of Beadnell and Belford Institutes and it proved to be a most interesting and rewarding experience.
In-depth information on the work this world-wide pharmaceutical company is involved in, researching possible solu
tions in health care, led to many questions from the visiting party.
The Sanofi Aventis staff answered all questions in a comprehensive and easily understood way and were excellent hosts to the WI members.
Three members of the committee had attended a programme planning meeting at the Cresswell House headquarters and they managed to fill their diaries with prospective speakers for 2010-2011.
The Barn at Beal is the venue for the monthly lunch club on June 25, when members will have the opportunity to see the rare bird flying display at 2pm.
Members will have the chance to take part in a photo shoot on August 12 when the 90th birthday bench in the Grove is officially unveiled.
The speaker for the meeting was Carol Taylor, a volunteer worker at the St Oswald's Hospice in Gosforth.
Carol told us about the history, the work ethos and function of the hospice and then gave us a personal insight into her very moving story about her family's involvement with this wonderful organisation due to her husband's terminal illness at a very young age.
As this was a very personal account Carol made her rapt audience feel privileged to share her moments of sadness, despair, joy and laughter as her family's journey unfolded.
This meeting was followed five days later by the fourth Bamburgh WI Sandsculpture Challenge.
The weather did not look promising with torrential, almost equatorial, rain falling in many areas of Northumberland but, yet again, Bamburgh was fortunate and with blue skies at 11am the army of bucket and spade carrying members descended on Bamburgh beach.
This year's theme was wild animals and before long, mounds of sand were taking shape in the forms of elephants, lions, seals, rabbits, alligators and many more animals.
Crowds of onlookers gathered round with cameras flashing, advice volunteered and quite a number of complementary comments on the sculpturing skills of the Institute's members.
The judge Derek Mallinson, an artist himself, had the extremely difficult task of deciding a winner but after much deliberation, a winner was announced – Hedgeley.
They received the silver trophy and Queen of the Castle brooch in the shape of a crown to hold for a year.
It once again proved to be a great day out, even for those Institutes who had travelled from as far as Wylam and Corbridge.
The leg-pulling and laughter that ensued as the sand sculpture teams worked with gusto made for a great feeling of companionship, despite the aching limbs and groaning muscles.
Well done, ladies, you certainly helped to entertain many visitors in this corner of Northumberland and the fish and chips from Doddington went down a treat.
Our next meeting is on July 8, when the speaker will be Mrs J Bowen speaking on the history of the Belford Workhouse – A Poor Little House.
Visitors will be made very welcome.
