OUR president Joan Jarvis opened the meeting by thanking Ann Hambleton for the beautiful poinsetta for the president’s table and welcoming one new visitor.

Speaker for the afternoon was Graham Stirrup telling us about animals at war. Graham began by showing us a poster of Lord Kitchener pointing and asking for volunteers to go to war.

During the First World War vehicles were pulled by horses and both vehicles and horses were in short supply. A million horses were used to transport food, water, etc to the battlefields.

In the Second World War elephants were used to cross rivers carrying logs for bridge building. We were told that a beautifully carved memorial to animals can be seen in London’s Park Lane.

Graham’s talk was thought provoking and much appreciated.

Christine Adams, Christine Seddon and Edna Worthington were wished a happy birthday and as Edna had a special birthday she was presented with a bouquet.

We were reminded about the outing to Chester Cathedral on November 18 and two plays at the Octagon in January and February.

Raffle winners were Helen Slattery, Madelaine Kirk, Mary Bardsley, Janis Porter, Margaret Barron, Margaret Fletcher and Jill Berry.

Our next meeting is on December 15 when we will be entertained by Joe McGrath with ‘A Christmas Musical Afternoon’.