April Meeting
In the absence owing to illness of President Jane Narborough, Sylvia Richards, a former President was guest President for the evening as part of the 80th Birthday celebrations.  Sylvia welcomed everyone and gave information on Jane's progress in hospital. Best wishes were also sent to Val Evans who had just undergone an operation and was also in hospital.

At the recent Puddings and Poems evening we made £310 and it was agreed to divide this between two local charities,  Rhayader St John's Ambulance Team and Rhayader and District Community Support.  Martyn Price, Station Manager for Rhayader St John's Ambulance and Shirley Jones of RDCS received cheques for £155 each for their organisations from acting President Sylvia Richards. Thanking members Shirley explained the RDCS' new project to provide outings for tea and a chat to those in the community who are housebound, unable to go out since the Rhayader Day Centre at Hafan was closed.  Martyn told members that the money would go toward the £47,000 needed to purchase a new 4-wheel drive ambulance as the present one was 12 years old.  It had taken them 2 years so far to raise £20,000 but they hoped the required sum would be raised by Christmas.  Ambulances over 12 years old are downgraded to smaller stations, here in Rhayader owing to the terrain and past winters it was needed desperately, it was also able to be adapted to plough snow.

Sylvia thanked everyone for all the donations of cakes and help toward catering for the ACM in Llandrindod Wells and Liz Lloyd gave her report describing the entertaining speaker Susan Marshfield -"Barefoot to Buckingham Palace".  At the ACM Shirley was presented with our 80th birthday certificate by the County Chairman, Marilyn Thomas.
We now have a new County Chairman, Rebe Brick from Felindre WI - Sylvia showed members the photo of Rebe which had been in WI Life.

The mini-show was judged by Mrs Ann Edwards who kindly gave her time to do this.  Results to go forward to the County Show would be: Simnel Cake - Chris Phillips, Decorated Easter Cup Cakes - Chris Phillips, Hot Cross Buns - Ruth Hide, Easter Bunny - Sylvia Richards, Floral arrangement - Sylvia Richards.

There will be transport for anyone wishing to go to the County Show in the afternoon on 7 May at Knighton.  A table has been booked in conjunction with the Crafting Cousins club for WI books and Craft items at the Charity Fair on 14th May.  Gwen and Jen are organising a trip to Hampton Court near Leominster and Shirley is organising an outing to the musical 'Chess' at Aberystwyth Arts Centre, possibly a matinee in August. Shirley and Joan were drawn to go to the Jen Jones Quilt exhibition with Chris and Sylvia as reserves.

The Guest Speaker was Bryn Griffiths, a 'Life Coach', who told members how he became a life coach and his interesting career which led up to this.   His school boy ambitions lay in becoming an artist and an actor.  However he went into the army catering corps and has travelled the world enjoying being a caterer. He also kept on his interest in acting in the army.  He told members that life is competitive and how you face up to the competition is how you get on in life so you have to be motivated.  He acts as a motivator to his clients and is a qualified hypnotherapist.  Gwen Jones thanked Bryn for such an interesting insight to his life and career.

The raffle was won by Liz Lloyd. 

The competition was my favourite post cards and judged by Bryn Griffiths - results 1st Morfa Shaw, 2nd Liz Lloyd, 3rd Mavis Jones.