Lovely lunches and Scottish twirls in the West Country

7 April 2000




Farm Womens Club

Lovely lunches and Scottish twirls in the West Country

CORNWALL FWC held their annual lunch in Padstow this year. I volunteered to tick names against the list as the members arrived at the Metropole Hotel but remembered my fathers advice – "Never volunteer" – as I struggled to understand the Cornish accents.

Jane Bailey is contact leader of this group, how lucky the Cornish members are to have such a "treasure" to organise outings and meetings for them throughout the year. She really cares that women in her area benefit from the club and the proof of that was shown in the 85 smiling faces that left the hotel after a good lunch, great company and ready to fight another day.

To demonstrate the diversity of the FWC the following evening found me Scottish country dancing with the Devon Evening Group in Carole Drakes living room. What a hoot we had learning the steps and whirling around the room, then collapsing on the sofa when it all got too much.

Isabel Hare was our teacher, a local farmers wife, probably half most of our ages but the evening proved what fun can be had between the generations so long as you are prepared to bridge the gap.

The next day found me still in the West Country but enjoying the company of Dorset members this time. They had a very interesting speaker in Grace Armfield who is a friend of Shakespeares Globe Theatre. She certainly whetted my appetite to go to a play there this summer.

Jean Howells


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