MEMBERS of Great Budworth WI finished the year with an excellent cookery display and tasting by Mike Cullen.

Mike was delayed in a two-hour traffic jam and was warmly welcomed to the meeting

He managed to unload his 'kitchen' in record time while members enjoyed the Christmas meeting glass of wine.

Everybody present signed a Christmas card to send to the Surrey link WI in Burstow, together with a Cheshire WI calendar and a newly released recipe book published and sold to raise money for a local campaign, Help Mhairi to Advance.

Mike was highly entertaining and very informative and his dishes looked and tasted so good that members had no room for the mince pies laid on by the tea hostesses.

His savoury and sweet dishes incorporated a variety of herbs not usually associated with flavouring and enhancing dishes.

During the business part of the meeting, members were given the list of speakers for 2005, a diverse and interesting selection, including an organic cheese-making demonstration, a talk on the Whitworth Gallery, the Air Ambulance Service, tales of a clergyman, Queen Victoria, and the magic of toys with Bob McGregor.

This will be on January 5 in the Great Budworth Parish Hall at 7.30pm. Visitors are very welcome.