WI

ON 2 March, the branch celebrated St David’s Day.Local harpist Heledd Davies brought her two harps: the magnificent 47-string Gwynedd harp, made especially for her in Llandysul and the smaller 36-string Celtic harp.Heledd, a farmer’s wife and mother-of-three, is still passionate about harp music, both playing and composing. The music was interspersed by WI members reading a Welsh folk-tale, poetry and telling Welsh jokes. Members enjoyed a traditional Welsh tea of scones, bara brith and Welsh cakes. The raffle was won by Margaret Davies, Tanyderi.On 4 March, Llanilar WI Book Club hosted a lunch at Nanteos Mansion with special guest Jane Blank, author of the Shadow of Nanteos, and her daughter, Cari. Over 30 Ceredigion WI members enjoyed a question and answer session with Jane about the book and her writing generally.Shadow of Nanteos was published last year and became Waterstones’ Book of the Month in November. The novel is based on historical facts about the Powell family, who inherited a new and fashionable Nanteos Mansion in 1750. On 9 March, Bethan Williams gave a talk entitled 100 Cheers for 100 Years – a history of the WI and especially the centenary celebrations last year.Bethan is a delegate for the Associated Countrywomen of the World, as well as a WI national council member.She spoke of the WI in Ceredigion having grown out of the Suffragette movement and the need to grow more food during the First World War. The competition was for a WI souvenir. The raffle was won by Barbara Bartholomew.On 16 March, Medwyn Parry from Blood Bikes Wales and two of his riders, Chris and Linzi, visited the group.They brought their bike, which members admired and even sat on.The charity provides a free out-of-hours courier service to the NHS, carrying blood, frozen breast milk and any other urgent NHS equipment or supplies.The Aberystwyth branch was set up in 2015. Riders have to have advanced motoring qualifications. Locally there are 13 riders, with one on duty and one on standby at weekends and holidays.The competition was for an Easter biscuit and was won by Betty Wakelin. The raffle was won by Janet Parry.On 30 March, the meeting was entitled Organ Donation.Nic Clarke, director of fund-raising for Kidney Wales, who had only been in the post for three weeks, stepped into the breach when the advertised speaker was unable to attend.Nic informed the group that since December 2015 the Wales Organ Donation Scheme has presumed consent for organ donation, unless people have opted out in writing or online, which only amounts to three per cent of the Welsh population.It will take a few years to see how much the new law increases the pool of organ donors.It is exciting for Wales to be in advance of the rest of Britain with this scheme.The meeting was attended by members of several other local WIs, in particular Gay from Tregaron, whose fit, active son suffered kidney failure in October 2015.He currently endures four hours of kidney dialysis several times a week and is awaiting a kidney transplant. Donations to Kidney Wales were given by Gay’s family and by Llanilar WI.Six ladies won raffle prizes and excellent refreshments, with sev-eral types of homemade biscuits, were served.