The November meeting was opened by chairman of the day Wendy Lloyd who welcomed members and visitors. The minutes of the previous meeting were signed and Rosemary Skidmore, treasurer, read the finance report.

Federation – Guild secretary Liz Moseley gave details of the Carol Service on December 13 at St Thomas’s Church, Stourbridge, with Townswomen’s Guild National Chairman Margaret Key together with the Lady Mayor and escort attending.

The service begins at 2.15pm. A trip to Liverpool is being arranged costing approx £20 but more details to follow. The outing to the flower Festival at Hereford Cathedral was very successful and inspiringly beautiful. The Himley Country Hotel is the venue for our Christmas Lunch on Monday 1st. December. A two course lunch is arranged at £11.50, meet 12pm for 12.30pm.

Coffee Morning on November 26 10.30am will be at the home of Pat Hadley. Members and visitors are always encouraged to come along to the coffee mornings and meet on this friendly social occasion.

Theatre Group. Barbara Taylor told members of several local musicals during November including ‘Ghost’ by West Bromwich Operatic Society.

A candlelight Christmas event at Harvington Hall, for which the guild had shown an interest in visiting was, unfortunately, fully booked for this year but it was decided to book earlier next year to avoid disappointment.

Our stall at the Community Centre Christmas Bazaar on November 29 is booked and members were asked to donate chocolates etc, for a ‘prize every time’ chocolate table. The annual Grand Draw tickets were available with first prize of a ‘weekend away for two’ courtesy of Group Travel.

Wendy then introduced our speaker Pat Boyd whose theme for today was ‘Watch Your Language’ There are several ways to express oneself by speech, body and sign language and facial expressions. Many foreign countries teach English as a second language taking phrases from Shakespeare as in our own country.

Doubling up on words to form expressions such as ‘spick and span, rack and ruin’ etc. We also swap words to make words of different meaning i.e. basket work to work basket. Pat described the origin of sayings as far back as the civil war up to modern day idioms. Pat ended with Shakespeare’s sonnet number 18. Pat Hadley gave the vote of thanks.

Tea and coffee and biscuits were then served.

The December meeting will be led by Stan Proudman with seasonal songs and carols and festive refreshments.

Visitors are always welcome to the meetings, at a small charge of £2.50, which are held at the Wordsley Green Community Centre on the third Monday each month at 10am.

For further information call 01384 288219.