Franche W.I.

The members at the June meeting held in the “St.Barnabas Community Centre” Wolverley Road,” were entertained to a very interesting illustrated talk : “The wildlife of Chaddesley Wood” by Gordon Forrest.

It became a Nature Reserve in 1973 through the generosity of Mr. John Cadbury. & is managed by Nature Conservancy Council on a 100 year lease These 252 acres mostly woods & the two meadows Hockley & Black Meadow make up the Nature Reserve, the meadows are a cite of Scientific Interest.

It is a haven for wild birds, butterflies & animals such as the green wood pecker, (who has a tongue three times the length of it’s beak), the long tail tits, foxes, badgers , field mice, grass snakes, slow worms & many others.

The yellow meadow ant heaps which fill the meadow are covered by many wild flowers including orchids during the course of the year.

School children from all over Worcestershire pay visits to these woods & the next arrival will be their 50,000 visitor.

The meeting was Chaired by Sarah Delahay standing in for our President Pat Charles who had been at the W.I Royal Garden Party, at Buckingham Palace. We hope she had a wonderful day.

Birthday raffle winners were : Dulcie Salter, Joan Nutland, Joan Didlick, Kath Vaux & Ann Evans.

The July meeting will be an Open evening where there will be a “See Hear Quiz” by Ray Sturdy, the competition will be “A Paperweight”