THERE was a wide variety of members’ work on display at our July meeting.

From a large number of hats of various designs and fabrics in response to Miriam’s latest challenge, to felt items produced during the recent Westhope weekend.

This very popular venue has been booked in advance for 2016.

It offers members the opportunity to sample new crafts and generally enjoy a weekend away in the congenial company of likeminded people.

Grants have recently been awarded to the guild for the purchase of books, a defibrillator, projector and screen respectively.

Members were invited to put forward book titles for consideration as soon as possible, preferably in time for the September meeting.

Helen, our speaker, is a conservator and archivist at Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester.

Her talk was on the subject of Walter Crane who was born in Liverpool in 1845 and later taught at Manchester School of Art.

A leading member of the arts and crafts movement, he collaborated with William Morris on the goose-girl tapestry.

Crane became known as the artist of socialism, depicting conditions such as alcoholism in a fantasy world.

He died in 1915 a few months after his wife, who had become mentally ill, threw herself under a train.

It was an interesting talk which covered his eccentric life and some of his illustrations.

The next meeting is a UFO day on August 15 from 10am until 4pm. It will be free to members at the Baptist Church, Sankey Street.

Visitors and new members are welcome.