Members were taken on the Silk Road by Susan Walker with slides of her travels and a chance to handle some of the treasures she had brought back with her.

Outings nearer to home were on the agenda, with a trip to the German market in Canterbury in December, an after-Christmas meal for members at Prested Hall on January 18, a chance to see Riverdance at Ipswich on April 15 and Pirates of Penzance at Witham’s Public Hall on October 29.

Margaret Clover and Carol Walker are holding their annual Macmillan coffee morning on Friday at the Labour Hall and would welcome bric-a-brac, jewellery, cakes and tombola items.

There is to be a litter pick on Saturday, meeting outside 68 High Street at 10am.

Teams were arranged for the WI county quiz and for the Rotary Club annual quiz.

Christine Saffell and Pennie Chaplin will represent the members at the county meeting.

Next month is the annual meeting and members were asked to volunteer for the committee.

There were three vacancies and Barbara Parkinson and Sally Carter offered to stand.

President Pat Cooke thanked Angela Maskery for hosting the August garden meeting, and wished Jill Hinds best wishes on her retirement as parish council clerk after 30 years’ service and thanked her for all the support she had given the WI.

The competition for a silk item was won by Pat Cooke with a sari, with Muriel Benson second and Ellen Graham third.

Next month’s meeting will include cheese and wine, and members are asked to bring finger food for tasting as a competition.