THE well-attended October meeting was opened by the chairman with greetings to new members. Handing over to the group organiser it was announced that the country dancing group was being put on hold owing to administrative problems, as was the pub amblers group. Further information could be obtained from respective group leaders.

The speaker for the afternoon was Brian Draper, whose talk was on the River Severn.
Starting at the source on Plynlimon, we were enthralled by a gentle tour down the upper half of the river, full of fascinating descriptions of people and places along its course.
Having worked on the river for 40 years, he very obviously had taken an intense interest in the history of the places through which it flows.

Illustrated by his photography, he was able to secure our rapt attention with anecdote and fable, described with lightness of touch and humour.
I am sure many of us left the meeting with intentions of renewing and enlarging our familiarity with the river, and greatly looking forward to a possible sequel description of the remaining lower reaches.
The next meeting is on Tuesday, November 6, when the talk will be by Dave Wilk on Brother William, a 12th century Cistercian monk.