ON a warm summer evening President Margaret Coulson welcomed members to the June meeting.

The Minutes of the last meeting were placed on the top table for members to read.

In this month’s newsletter members are reminded about helping at the Three Counties Show, with outings to Sudeley Castle, the Llangollen Music Festival and Weston super Mare and Clevedon plus lots of other articles of interest.

In place of our advertised speaker who was unable to attend James Stewart spoke about being a member of the IMB which stands for an Independent Monitoring Board. Members are independent, unpaid and work an average of 2-3 days per month. Their role is to monitor the day-to-day life in their local prison or removal centre to ensure that proper standards of care and decency are maintained. This service is something the general public know very little about. James outlined his working life from teaching to becoming a solicitor in the Crown Prosecuting Service, thereby gaining knowledge of the criminal justice system and then being ordained as a parish priest for 15 years. Retiring to this area in 2010 he responded to an advert in a local paper for new members of the IMB, so becoming a member. James starting visiting Gloucester Prison before it closed in 2013 and now visits Long Lartin near Evesham. There is unrestricted access at any time to talk to prisoners in most areas of the prison playing an independent role with any problems that arise. This was a thought provoking talk and many questions were asked about rehabilitation through work and study and how the prisoner’s family is affected.

Refreshments were then served and members enjoyed some social time.

Tickets at £7 are now available for the Ledbury Group Meeting on Wednesday 28 September at 2pm, when the Dance Group ‘Courtesie Early Dance’ will entertain.

Birthday posies were given out and the winners of both the competition and raffle announced.

Dates for the Writers and Craft Group were given and also for lunch at Countrywide.

The next meeting on Wednesday 13 July is a talk by Rebecca Edmonds on ‘Hynotherapy – The Power of the Mind’.

Meetings are held at the Parish Room, Catholic Church, New Street, Ledbury.

Visitors and new members are always welcome.

JENNY TREASURE