The May meeting took place at Mawgan Recreational Hall. President, Dot Rogers, welcomed members and also WI members from Manaccan, St Keverne and the new Mullion Cove and Avril Woolcock, county representative.

The meeting started with a rousing rendition of “Jerusalem” and business was dealt with. Dot Rogers reported on the excellent Spring Countdown meeting held in the Hall for Cornwall to put forward the Resolution, the result of which will be presented at the AGM in October. The speaker at the meeting was the widow of the late Fred Dibnah. She gave a highly amusing talk on life with this extraordinary man.

The reason for all Meneage group members being present was to hear Avril Woolcock give details of the resolution to be voted upon. The resolution “An SOS for honey bees and to pressure HM Government to finance urgent research into bee health.” This research is vital when a third of the human diet is dependant on bees and the fact that 30% of the bee population is lost every year through disease. There is to be £10 million funding into insect diseases, but this money will cover all insect research.

One member who kept bees for many years condemned the practice of beekeepers importing foreign queens, who are known to spread diseases. A vote was taken from all the WIs present and the resolution was passed unanimously.

Dot Spragg, a member of Mawgan Recreational Hall, explained the funding of the proposed refurbishment of the hall and were pleased to give her the monies raised by a bring-and-buy sale to help towards the amount still to be raised.

After a supper enjoyed by all the ladies, the president devised a quiz, whereby teams had to identify 60 pictures of well known personalities, which proved to be a testing exercise.

The competition of a small flower arrangement: 1, Dot Rogers; 2, Sue Barnes; 3, Elaine Lane. Flower of the month: 1, Jayne Hocking; 2, Kathleen Warden; 3, Sheila Hocking. Hostesses for the evening were Jayne and Sheila Hocking.