Clare McNaughton was then introduced as the speaker for the evening and her most amusing talk was entitled A Modern Military Mother. Clare is a writer and journalist and started a blog about the life and reflections of a military wife/mother, her husband being a RAF Chinook pilot, and this lead to a series of three books on the subject. The first one was entitled A Modern Military Mother – Tales from the Domestic Frontline and she read several extracts from this interspersed with amusing anecdotes about family life. Her husband was away for long periods of time with trips to various war zones and used to a strict regime and all the responsibility involved and so as Clare describes herself as a feminist who dislikes housework and with a more relaxed attitude to life adjustments had to be made when he came home which produced some hilarious and some difficult moments.
Following Clare’s talk a buffet provided by members was enjoyed. Then two members were presented with goblets in recognition of 40 year’s membership of the WI and a draw was made for a bursary for a member to attend a course of her choice at Denman, the WI’s college in Marcham, nr Oxford. The competition for the evening was for a useful item made from recycled materials and the Nancy Kirby Salver was presented to the winner who had made some delightful sunhats and a most pleasant evening concluded with a raffle.