PRESIDENT, Joy Hadley, welcomed members to the October meeting, with a special welcome for visitors.

Jerusalem was sung to the accompaniment of a keyboard. The business meeting followed. The committee has organised a skittles evening for November 13 and a Pudding Evening in March of next year. Several members are taking part in the WFWI visit to the National Memorial Arboretum, and also the Autumn Council meeting at the Three Counties showground.

The speaker for the evening was Yvonne Cocks who was the first female paramedic for Hereford and Worcester. She told her audience did not excel at school and had several false starts whilst seeking a career. A fortunate encounter led her to join the ambulance service which was a job she really enjoyed and found extremely rewarding. However, events moved on, and when the helicopter service started she was put forward for training. She made the point that this was a man’s world and she found the physical training she had to undergo very hard. Yvonne found this new service exciting, rewarding, but also stressful, and with other events in her life she sought help for stress. She was introduced to a technique which was very successful for her. In 2011 she took early retirement from the helicopter service and now advises others who are suffering from stress.

Yvonne’s talk was very informative and one has to congratulate her on her achievements. She was thanked by Doreen Dyson.

The November meeting is a Members’ Evening and several ideas are being planned for a relaxed, sociable time. Visitors are always made very welcome.