North Lodge WI: BRENDA Dawson welcomed members, and also Tina Bickerdyke, county visitor. Mrs Bickerdyke presented Mabel Winter with the monthly competition trophy.

Outings were discussed, one being a train ride to Edinburgh. The treasurer and secretary then gave their yearly reports. All members were presented with a badge commemorating 90 years of the WI.

Mrs Bickerdyke conducted the ballot for president, which resulted in the re-election of Mrs Dawson. Five committee members retired, one being Joan Sears who had been on the committee for 40-years. Four new committee members were welcomed.

After an excellent talk by Mrs Bickerdyke, who is a learner WIA, members enjoyed a pie and peas supper.

The next meeting will be on April 4, at the United Reformed Church, Chester-le-Street, at 7pm. New members and visitors welcome.

Hermitage TG: THE guild met in Red Rose School on March 8 for the annual meeting. Mrs Wood read the minutes of the February meeting, which included thoughts on the design of a banner for the guild, to be judged in May at the Federation At Home Day.

Other crafts such as flower arranging , photography, baking and knitting will all have The Tall Ships as their theme to work to.

The treasurer Mrs Halford thanked members for the wonderful response to the Dutch Auction event, which raised £78 for the tsunami appeal. She gave the annual report, which showed the guild was financially sound.

The speaker, Mrs Tindall, gave a very entertaining account with accompanying slides about witchcraft in the seventeenth century.

The competition, an old fashioned remedy, was won by Mrs Rochester.

The AGM followed and all existing committee members and officers were re-elected.

The topic for the quarter selected by National Council concerned shopping preferences and questionnaire forms were filled in during the evening. Members wished the quiz team Mrs Hedges, Palmer and Gorman every success in the federation quiz.

The next meeting is on April 12, at 7.30pm. The speaker is Val Pickering from Washington Wildfowl Park. Visitors welcome.

Wentworth Park WI: THE March meeting was held inOustonCommunity Centre. After a whole-hearted rendition of Jerusalem we took a quiet minute to remember one of our members Nancy Harris, who sadly recently passed away.

The minutes of the last meeting were read and the WI celebrated birthdays with Doreen Cantwell, Olive Harwood, Mona Wood and a special birthday with Emily Hepburn.

Members competed as the best dressed Geordie for the Geordie Evening, the winner being Betty France. The evening also included communal singing with special pieces from Olive Norwood, Maureen Barwick, Freda Weatherspoon, Audrey Stephenson, Olive Harwood and a Yorkshire piece from Janet McDougal.

The committee provided a tasty stottie cake supper.

Maureen Barwick had members scratching their heads with a Geordie quiz, which we should have know all the answers to, but as usual were caught out.

Christine Logan won the door prize.

The evening ended with Jean Brabham being the auctioneer for items donated by members, which raised more than £30 for funds.