Croft WI by Chris Hill (From Warrington Guardian)
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Croft WI by Chris Hill
10:48am Thursday 22nd March 2012 in WI and Clubs
Croft WI By Chris Hill Our president Doreen Clare welcomed 82 members and one visitor to our March meeting. Doreen opened by thanking Nicky Adams for providing flowers for the president’s table and donating them to the raffle. Notices were then read out: Our team came fifth out of 20 teams in the County Quiz, reading group meets on Tuesday March 27, luncheon club at the Horseshoe on Wednesday March 28, bowls club meet April 6 1.30 – 2.30pm, new members are always welcome. Forthcoming trips include the Winslow Boy on april 4 and a visit to Ironbridge on May 2. Next Group meeting is April 23 at Croft Memorial Hall.
Our speaker for the evening was Gordon Medicott, who was Britain’s last Lighthouse Keeper. He described his experiences from 32 years of service, and amused us with anecdotes from service in 22 different lighthouses. His three favourite postings were Farne Islands, Needles, and South Stack off the coast of Angelsey. Three men operated a lighthouse for two months at a time, and on the offshore lighthouses 20 miles out at sea living accommodation was basic with no electricity or running water. They listened to the radio and took up knitting to pass the time. Lighthouses were automated in the 1980s and Gordon’s final year of service was as head keeper at North Foreland at Broadstairs in Kent, which was the last manned lighthouse. It was de-manned in November 1998, after 500 years of continuous lighthouse keeping.
At the end of his talk Gordon patiently answered questions from the audience, then enjoyed a well deserved cup of tea while he judged our competition for a nautical item. Winners were – 1 Ann Tansey, 2 Jill Hillam, 3 Katherine Watkin.
Our next meeting is members night on April 18.. The theme will be An Afternoon at the Races, and the competition will be a joke or anecdote “From the Horses Mouth”.’.
New members and visitors are always welcome contact 764555 for more information.
