ON a very blustery rainy night the President Margaret Coulson welcomed 28 members and two visitors to our January meeting wishing all a Happy New Year.

Business matters started the meeting with the minutes from the last meeting placed on the top table for members to read.

As subscriptions are due members were asked to pay Jo the Treasurer and receive the 2015 programme/WI Membership booklets.

For our afternoon August meeting members notified that a decorated hat would be the competition.

Voting slips for this year’s seven named resolutions were completed and collected. The number of votes against each resolution will be totalled and the result advised to County.

AGM Observers – members asked if they wished to attend the Centennial AGM in June.

In the current newsletter two items which members may wish to attend read out, a Quiz evening on March 19 and a concert in Hereford on March 27.

Members have received an invitation from Saltmarshe WI their twinning WI to their afternoon meeting in February or March and six members expressed their interest.

The speaker was then introduced Cameron Addicott – 20 years under Cover.

This proved to be a very interesting talk on his time spent working with the undercover investigations of HM Customs and SOCA (Serious Organised Crime Agency) against drug traffickers, money laundering and the various activities of the top villains in the world.

Drugs, cocaine being the drug of choice, are a huge problem and enormous sums of money change hands, starting with the least to poor farmers in South America onto the middle men and then the big bosses. Money laundering distributes the proceeds of these crimes. Various examples of successful cooperation between countries were given and we were given an insight into this world of criminal activities. A BBC series The Interceptor is soon to be broadcast based on a book written about Cameron’s time with the Agency. Many questions were asked and a vote of thanks given.

After refreshments, birthday posies were given out and details of the various groups (Writers/Craft & Luncheon) were announced.

The next meeting on Wednesday , February 11 at 7.30pm will be a talk on Fair Trade given by Jason Donaldson from the local Co-Op.

Meetings are held at the Parish Room, Catholic Church, New Street, Ledbury. Visitors and new members are always welcome.