MOTHERS UNION - The meeting on Monday heard an illuminating talk by Albert Attwood, a reader in the Leominster Team Ministry, about officiating at funeral services. Enrolling member Rosemary Brown thanked Albert on behalf of the members. It was proposed that a coffee afternoon and sale of interesting items would be held on May 10. Members will be preparing posies for the Mothering Sunday service at St Mary's Church on Sunday, March 21. The next meeting will be on April 5 at 2pm at 4 Probert Close.

COFFEE MORNING - Dilwyn villagers filled the Crown Inn on Saturday in support of the WI coffee morning where the sale of cakes and raffle tickets raised £160 for the National Meningitis Trust. The next meeting will be today (Thursday) at 7.30pm.

SURPRISE GUESTS - Much to the surprise of Kath Hanson, a fourth cousin, Anthony Leeds and his wife, Wendy, from Saskatchewan, Canada, walked into the WI coffee morning on Saturday at the Crown Inn, in search of family relatives. Anthony, aged 28, is retracing the life of his grandfather, James Hughes, who was a first cousin of Kath's late father Charlie Scandrett of Rogers Farm, Napton, until he retired in 1954. James Hughes was born on the Lower Wintercott Farm, Ivington in September 1903. He died, aged 100, on December 9, 2003, in The High River Nursing Home, Alberta. His family raised purebred Herefords in Ivington that originated from a purebred herd founded by his great uncle in1845. In 1928, James moved to a ranch in Alberta and was joined by his brother Tom in 1932, when they bought a purebred herd of Herefords, showing them successfully from Calgary to Montana and Toronto. In 1984, James received an award from the Alberta Hereford Association as an Outstanding Commercial Hereford Breeder. The recently made western/action film Open Range, starring Kevin Costner, that is due for release in UK next month was filmed on James's ranch. Kath reminisced with Anthony, recalling her visit to his grandfather's ranch with her father in 1954 when, in true western film style, they witnessed the Indian ranch hands lassoing the cattle for branding with the letters JH.

ST DAVID'S BABY - Congratulations to Paul Chandler and his partner, Michelle Evans, who gave birth to a baby boy on St David's Day. Oliver Rolfe, a brother for Rebecca, weighed in at nine and a half pounds. Paul and Michelle now live in Sydney, Australia. The proud grandparents are Michael and Barbara Chandler from the Haven and Peter and Barbara Evans who used to run the Crown Inn, Dilwyn until retiring to Hereford.