At the July meeting, President David Young was able to report that member numbers now exceeded 50, and thus the year’s target had already been achieved. Robert Earnshaw was our guest speaker, and he gave an excellent talk on the Wrens Nest Nature reserve.

This jewel is set deep in the heart of the Black Country, and is run by Dudley Borough Council. It is world famous for its unique geology.

Some 400 million years ago, in the Silurian age, this area was under sea.

Over aeons the remains of sea creatures sank to the seabed and formed limestone.

Today we can see the fossils of these creatures, over 700 types of which have been found at Wrens Nest. I ndeed 86 are found nowhere else on earth.

The most famous are the Trilobites, or what the limestone quarrymen of the Victorian era called ‘The Dudley Bug’.

David Ibbs recorded, on behalf of the members, his thanks for a fascinating insight into a real local wonder.

Any retired gent, looking for a pleasant way to spend one afternoon a month, after an excellent lunch at the Fox at Stourton, should contact new secretary Phil Wright on 01562 632495.