AT THE July meeting, members were entertained by Mel Rees with his talk Brought to Book: My family and other setbacks.

An only child burdened, he felt, with the name Melvin, he then added train spotting and living in Battersea, London, plus supporting Charlton Athletic Football Club, to gain our sympathy.

We thought he was a Grumpy Old Man being of a certain age but he then entertained us with tales of his family.

His father was still driving at 92 years old. His mother, who still treated him as a child when he was 40, was head hunted at 70 by a rival firm.

Her knack of using malapropisms endeared her to her fellow workers.

Mel, as he preferred to be called, was not a natural with girls but still managed to meet and marry Margaret, who declared it was more like Care in the Community than marriage.

Living with his younger son was problematic until his son’s 18th birthday but now his grandchild has inherited this behaviour and his son now feels the pain.

Even the rescued dog Ben proved a handful. Therefore it was no surprise when Mel decided to write a book about his family but no publisher wanted it, so he printed and published the book himself.

He then took it to bookshops and other outlets and was lucky when a local paper reviewed it.

Mel has now written many books on his family, life and train spotting. He has also produced compact discs.

Mel, who talks to all types of clubs and WI all over the country, certainly entertained us and many members brought autographed copies of his book.

After tea Aileen Kocurek from Hextable and Swanley WI came to report on the Annual General Meeting at the Royal Albert Hall in June.

She was the representative for both our institutes and one other and voted on the resolution, SOS for honeybees.

This was Aileen’s first visit to the AGM and she recommended members should take the opportunity to go if possible.