by Joan Howard

VISITORS from other Cheshire-based WIs attended the last meeting where the guest speaker was Pollyanna Pickering and her equally glamorous daughter.

Their cool, sophisticated appearance, however, belied the extremes that these two ladies are prepared to suffer for their cause of highlighting endangered species in various parts of the world.

In their talk, entitled Sleeping dragons and giant pandas, they explained how they climbed mountains in China in their quest to discover, photograph and paint the giant panda, which is almost extinct.

A prolific artist, Pollyanna has captured many favourite pets and wildlife in her paintings and every home in Britain has probably received a greetings card featuring her work.

On this visit to China, Pollyanna and her daughter were two of the first western women to travel to near the Tibetan border, to work in a clinic dedicated to sick pandas. They helped rear an abandoned panda and were also lucky enough to see a giant adult panda in the wild.

Everyone was enthralled and fascinated by their dedication and talent.

A wildlife painting was won by Celia Sutton of Park WI.

Our Autumn meeting will be held on October 17 with a performance by Warrington Operatic Society.

We have an outing to Ripley Castle on May 11 to see an exhibition of Extraordinary women celebrating 90 years of the WI.