Martello members enjoyed their trip to Colchester in May, when we ‘Rambled with the Romans' for the evening.  Our second trip of the year is on July 17th - a day-trip to Cambridge (contact SUE if you are interested).  Also in July, we have a visit from JENNY GIBBS, who will tell us about her ‘double life' in England and rural Turkey.  In August we have no meeting at the Centre, but a mystery trip instead - see the next issue to find out where we went!

Any ladies interested in joining us are welcome to come along to the Centre for one of our regular meetings at the Centre at 8.00 p.m. on the first Thursday of the month.  Alternatively, you can contact SUE on (01394) 277693 or PAM on (01394) 277557 to find out more.

                                                SUE HAZELWOOD

OFCA President WYN BRACKLEY reported the recent death of BETTY RAYNER to the General Council at its May meeting.  BETTY had been involved with OFCA for a number of years, serving as Gift Aid administrator from 1982 to 1991.  She also made refreshments at the Community Markets, and was active on the fund-raising front in the early days

Our guest in June, MARION BARNES, taught us, with patience, the art of making lovely necklaces out of buttons. I don't think people will look at a button again as just something that fastens garments. We hope that, by the time you read this, the produce stall which we ran jointly with the Felixstowe Morning W.I. at the Summer Fair was a great success.  Thanks in anticipation to everyone who supported us!

We're looking forward to having our driving skills refreshed when a speaker from the DSA will give us a talk on July 15th entitled ‘ARRIVE ALIVE' which I'm sure will benefit everyone.  If you would like to join us on the 15th or would like to find out more about the W.I. in general, just give me a ring on (01394) 276284. 

We meet at 7.30 p.m. on the 3rd Tuesday of the month (except in August) in the Margaret White Hall.  Like most W.Is, we do not meet officially in August, but there are plans to hold a social gathering.

                                                       SYLVIA BAKER

tttt... that OFCA has a projection screen (it's kept in the office at the Centre) which is available for use by any group using the Centre?  If you don't have a key to the office, please contact SUE FULCHER on (01394) 279124 in advance, and she'll be pleased to help you.

tttt.... that OFCA benefits every time somebody uses the bottle bank at the ‘White Horse' in Ferry Road?  A generous gesture on the part of ‘mine host' means that the recycling credits issued by the local authorities are paid to OFCA.

tttt.... that ONE HUNDRED members now pay their OFCA subscriptions using the stress-free, fiscally advantageous GIFT AID scheme?  As well as making life easier for you and your Area Rep (who still continues to deliver your Newsletter), OFCA gets a substantial refund from the government department now known as HMRC!   

OFCA is looking for volunteers to fill the posts of GENERAL COUNCIL TREASURER and MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE TREASURER.

If you would like further details of what is involved in these interesting (but not onerous) posts, please contact WYN BRACKLEY on (01394) 285008 in the first instance.

At our meeting on April 21st, FREDA BATEY gave a talk on ‘Hopes and Dreams', introducing people who had fulfilled their ambitions.

At our AGM in May the retiring committee agreed to continue in office for another year - we are fortunate to have such a dedicated team who work well together.

Also in May, we enjoyed lovely sunny weather for our outing, with an excellent meal at Frinton and a pleasant afternoon at Clacton.  We're now looking forwards to our week at Mundesley Holiday Village at the end of the month.

On June 22nd our speaker was GLYNIS POTTER from the Fairtrade shop ‘Harambee', who illustrated her talk with slides of Rwanda and explained the great need to raise money to help these people who live in such distressing conditions.

                                                           JIM  BATEY

There was a large turn-out for GILLIAN POULAIN from South Woodford; her demonstration, entitled ‘Dream Time', covered Aboriginal stories, daydreaming round the garden and general reverie. The stage ended up brimming with colour - from exotic orchids to the ‘humble' bluebell.  Members enjoyed chances of winning one of the arrangements, and opportunities offered by the Sales Table.

PENNY STONE from Colchester made the pièce de resistance of her colourful display, ‘In For A Penny', a birdbath-cum-pedestal with aspidistras, phormiums, pink roses and alstromerias cascading over the bowl.

Well done to all those who contributed a good number of entries, all of a very high standard, to our competition.   On Thursday 17th July at 7.30 p.m. SANDRA PRICE from WALTON-ON-THE-NAZE will be proving that ‘Clearly It's Glass'.  The practice piece will be ‘A design using a glass container'.  Do come along and enjoy a relaxed evening with us. For more information, you can also visit us at:  www.colneisflowerclub.org.           MARGARET MILLER 

A ‘full house' on the 10th of June enjoyed JOHN HEWSON's talk on ‘Greenhouse Gardening'.  He covered the selection of the appropriate greenhouse for specific needs; the importance of ‘top and bottom' ventilation; the prevention and treatment of pests and diseases; and making the best use of greenhouse. Our meeting on Tuesday 8th July will be a discussion, centring on our Annual Show at the Leisure Centre on the 19th and 20th of July.  There'll also be a quiz.

                                                   AUDREY BATLEY

In June the members were entertained with a talk by PIP WRIGHT on ‘The Suffolk Gipsy'.  At our July meeting, LEN GREEN will give a talk on the Chernobyl disaster, and our guest in August will be VICKI WESTREN, recounting her travels in Australia and New Zealand.

Members of the Club meet at ‘Mrs. Simpsons' each Wednesday morning for coffee, and Sunday lunches, theatre trips and other outings are also organised during the year.

Anyone interested in joining us should contact me on (01394) 286479, or attend one of our regular meetings at the Centre at 2.15 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month.                                     DENNIS HUTTON

We were very proud to win the group competition recently with a monologue on The Theatre written by ROSIE HOWE.  Our speaker in June was the very knowledgeable and enthusiastic MONICA PLACE.  She showed us slides of National Trust gardens and told us some of the history behind the many bequests of gardens to the Trust.

By the time you read this we will have hopefully enjoyed success at the Summer Fair, where we ran a joint Produce Stall with Brackenbury WI.

Our speaker in July will be WILLIAM TYLER, with his talk "Eat Your Heart Out Delia", and in August we're off to see the newly refurbished Theatre Royal in Bury St. Edmunds.

Visitors are always welcome at our meetings at the Centre on the 2nd Thursday of the month at 10.00 a.m.                                                    CLAUDIA BOND