FOLLOWING the humorous speech contest at the previous meeting, it was always likely that last week’s would strike a more serious note.

And so it proved, with three unusually serious and thought-provoking contributions, starting with Margot Roche’s thoughts, both personal and general, about the ever-topical subject of weight loss. A question that gave many of her listeners pause was to ask how many of them drank the recommended two litres of water per day. Not many hands went up!

Next up was Sarah Colloby, with a moving and deeply felt talk entitled Time to Talk, Time to Change – a heartfelt plea for more understanding and sympathy for the widespread and complex problems of mental illness in today’s society. It including the courageous revelation that she herself had suffered in this way – something that came as a surprise to her many friends in the club, coming as it did from one of its most cheerful and upbeat members.

At most meetings that would probably have earned the accolade of best speech, but as it turned out it was outvoted by Cate Cody’s The Blob. This was a six-minute description of another very personal experience – that of the physical and emotional progress of a teenage pregnancy from the young mother’s point of view. What made it more remarkable was that it was in verse form throughout, and delivered from memory without a single reference to notes.

Coping with disability was again the theme of the winning Table Topic from near-blind member Allan Roberts, who travels by train from Droitwich to attend the Malvern meetings. A keen cook, his account of his sometimes inflammable experiences in the kitchen, complete with visits from the Fire Brigade, were both touching and funny.

On lighter note, fresh lustre was added to the Malvern Speakers name when a representative team were clear winners of at last Friday’s well-supported and enjoyable Malvern Community Action charity quiz at the Mount Pleasant Hotel.

COLIN JACKSON 01684 577604