THE president welcomed the members and guests, Mary Turner, Jean Carrick, Lynn Garnham and Rita Brockbank to the meeting. The speaker for the evening was Marianne Baker, from Cambridgeshire ACRE, a charity that helps with funding for community groups, wo

THE president welcomed the members and guests, Mary Turner, Jean Carrick, Lynn Garnham and Rita Brockbank to the meeting.

The speaker for the evening was Marianne Baker, from Cambridgeshire ACRE, a charity that helps with funding for community groups, working with children and young people in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. The aim of the Local Network Fund is to enable children to enjoy activities, and make a positive contribution to their own lives as well, as contributing to the community. One group in the Fens is learning about food and have an allotment where they grow their own food; they are taught to how to prepare and cook food. It has been successful with boys who have been excluded from school, who regularly turn up to help with the allotment; this has given them a project with which to relate. Also, another group has set up a lending library in the village, where the library van does not call.

Following the business, Fleur Kerrecoe gave a talk about 'The Village Plan'. A group of volunteers from the village will produce a questionnaire for all age groups in the village to complete, with their views and how the facilities in the village can be improved. This can range from improving the street lighting to forming interest groups for young people, or helping with existing organisations of all ages.

The meeting on March 6, is an outing to Newmarket Hat Hire, at Fordham, starting at 7pm.

We are having an open meeting on April 3 at 7.30pm at the Arkenstall Centre, so if you would like an opportunity to find out about the WI, do come and join us.