MARCH president Ruth Smith welcomed members to the meeting.

Alison Middleton reported on her enjoyable day at a workshop at WI House and gave the treasurer's report, stressing the need for more funds to be raised.

Volunteers were requested to undergo tests for osteoporosis and members have been invited to an open evening at Moulton WI on April 11.

The subject of this month's talk was Fair Trade Fortnight in Thailand. It was given by speaker Judy Talbot, who promotes Fair Trade products from poorer countries.

The aim is to support fair prices mostly for tea, coffee and bananas which will then support the village communities, but they need to have guaranteed continuous orders.

Judy joined a tour from Tradecraft to visit Thailand. The government is supporting many of the villages to prevent an influx of labour to Bangkok.

The women are very skilled and most of the men are subsistence farmers. Judy illustrated her talk with slides, showing women with silk worms, spinning the silk, dyeing and then weaving stunning silk fabrics. They also make beautiful silver jewellery. Some men were also shown doing embroidery.

One interesting aspect was the making of dung paper. Elephants are now no longer needed for logging so they are kept in sanctuaries; the dung is collected, the grass extracted and then made into paper.

Judy displayed many items being promoted and members were all tempted to part with cash and to look out for, and support, Fair Trade products. Alison Middleton thanked her.

The next meeting will be held on April 13 in Davenham Methodist Hall and the talk will be on photography.