Busy programme for Townswomen’s Guild

During the summer months the ladies of Westbury Townswomen’s Guild have continued to enjoy a busy programme.

We were very well informed about how to protect ourselves personally and keep our homes safe and secure with a talk by Mr. Mick Leighfield from  The Bobby Van Trust, a charity which advises and helps vulnerable and elderly people in their own home.

The Queen’s 90th birthday celebration could not pass unmissed and so the committee organized our own celebration in the form of a buffet supper, a quiz linked to the Royal family and memorabilia spanning the last 90 years including fabric from Queen Mary’s wedding dress. Mrs Liz Atchison won the prize for the quiz.  Everyone agreed it had been a most enjoyable and memorable evening.

Our next social get together was in July for our annual lunch, which this time was at the Farmhouse Inn, Southwick. As usual, with lively chat and camaraderie. Marg Samways was thanked for organizing this.   

A week later we met again, this time to listen to a most interesting talk given by Mrs Priscilla Gray recalling her  24 years ‘sitting on the Bench’.  She was appointed as magistrate in 1986 at the age of 46 and started on the  Westbury Bench progressing to the Warminster Bench where prisoners were held in cells. The position is unpaid though expenses can be claimed. Priscilla retired at the age of 70 which is compulsory.

No summer is complete without a garden party and cream tea so August saw us gathered together  including three husbands in Wendy Bartlett’s garden.  With bright sunshine, a bring and buy stall doing brisk business, raffle and a relaxed friendly atmosphere all contributed to a quintessential English Summer afternoon.

Our speaker at the August meeting was Ellie Dickinson who spoke on the relationship between feet and shoes. Apart from a selection of  different shoe styles on display, Ellie also had a model of a foot. She explained the anatomy and physiology of the foot and how and why bunions, hammer toe, dropped arches etc  occur and how the discomfort they  cause can be rectified. She explained the different types of leather, how it is cut and the importance of choosing the correct shoe style for our foot shape.  Ellie is currently Chairman of the National Shoe Fitters Association, has worked for a large Healthcare company gives talks and conferences for the NHS and has her own shoe shop in Hungerford with fully qualified shoe fitting assistants. She was thanked for a most interesting and informative talk.

Westbury Townswomen’s Guild meets the 4th. Thursday of the month at Grassacres Hall, Westbury 7.30pm. Any ladies and friends who would like to give us a try and make new friends will be assured of a very warm welcome. Call Wendy on 01225 764515 for more details.