WRAC Association North East Area

Chairman: Major (Retired) Dot Ryder

Secretary: Mrs Irene Maclean

Grimsby Branch

Chairman: Mrs Carole Tyler

Secretary: Mrs Gail Davy

The New Year started with deep snow and the January meeting had to be cancelled which meant the proposed party went ahead at the February meeting when we were joined by three members from Lincoln Branch. A jolly afternoon was had by all and the usual donations in lieu of Christmas cards were topped up to £50 for ABF The Soldiers' Charity.

Carole Tyler, our Chairman had been requested to knit and given a pattern for helmet comforters for troops in Afghanistan: by the March meeting 100 hats had been handed in! In April we were photographed and interviewed for the local paper knitting hats and appealing for more knitters and ladies to join the branch. The appeal snowballed and we now have at least 25 knitters and three ex-service ladies who want to join.

Carole and some of her knitting team

Thanks to Ann Jones, Secretary of the Band Branch of which Carole is also a member, for this newspaper clipping!

On St George's Day members met for a fish and chip lunch armed with flags and banners in celebration of the Day.

Sadly our Branch President, Lois Drury died. The funeral was attended by some of our members and the Branch Standard was paraded. At the April meeting, Audrey Porter was welcomed as the next Branch President.

In June we planned; an outing to Springfields Shopping Mall at Spalding for 20th July; another fish and chip lunch at the end of June and arrangements for the Standard and members to attend the Flag Raising Day at the Town Hall on 21 June and the Armed Services Day Parade on 26 June. Let's hope it will be a fine day for the parade and the flypast of veteran planes.

Notice of the Northern Area Lunch at Lincoln gave members another excuse to think about their tummies and to look forward to meeting old friend again.