For our meeting this month, we enjoyed a leisurely “cruise” up and down the Basingstoke Canal. Whilst June 2016 has been unseasonably cool and wet, for us the weather came up trumps as it remained dry with occasional glimpses of sun throughout the afternoon. We left from Odiham and travelled towards Basingstoke, stopping at Odiham Castle, where many of us got off and took a stroll round the remaining ruins and read the informative boards on its relevance during the reign of King John in the 13th Century.
Back on board the John Pinkerton, which is owned and operated by The Basingstoke Canal Society, it was time for our scrumptious cream tea, scones, jam and cream with, of course, a welcome cuppa as we turned around for the return journey. Our crew was first class, and we all felt it had been a lovely relaxing afternoon with time to catch up and chat with fellow members as well as enjoying the scenery and calmness of the canal. Colleen Jackson had done a brilliant job of coordinating the cruise and caterer
Our President spoke briefly so that we could officially call it a meeting (and not a jaunt!) and presented us with our Programmes for the Year 2016/2017. There is a lot to look forward to in the coming months. Seizing the opportunity of having a captive audience, sign-up sheets were sent round for the summer outing to Syon Park and the WI teas for the village fete on 3rd September. It worked!
Our meeting on 28th July will be celebrating HM The Queen’s 90th Birthday. Members have been asked to bring along nibbles – or a bottle – for the evening’s festivities and the competition is something Royal. That is unlikely to be Her Majesty so we can safely sing Happy Birthday, it is doubtful it will be heard as far away as Buckingham Palace, as she has hinted that perhaps she has heard it once too often this year already.
Diary Dates:
09 July – Walking Group
14 July – Supper Club (please contact Aileen Catterson for further information)
28 July – Monthly Meeting – 7.30 p.m. in The Village Hall
02 Aug – Reading Group
