Our Meeting
WE MEET on the fourth Wednesday of each month, 2 p.m. - 4 p.m., in the Amblecote Suite, Stourbridge Town Hall. New members welcomed.
Activities include walks, visits to places of interest, pub lunches and theatre.
On the 9th of December a group of our members had a very enjoyable visit
to Haddon Hall, a stately home in Derbyshire.
Our Events
Guest speakers, Eugene and Margaret Schellenberg, were invited to the August meeting to discuss the setting up of the Ifakara Bakery Project in Tanzania.
Eugene opened his talk with an introduction to the history of Tanzania and the Swahili language. They had visited their son (a doctor) in Ifakara, a small rural town and had observed that the population suffered a restricted diet, living on maize products with fruit and vegetables available for only two months of the year. It was this sparse diet that Eugene and Margaret Schellenberg felt could be enhanced by a supply of wheat bread.
The Sisters of St Francis in Ifkara also wanted to supply a staple food by setting up a bakery. Money was raised by Eugene and Margaret to buy, equip and set up the bakery. In 2001, after being taught the art of bread making, the Sisters produced 100 loaves of bread per day. This has now grown to 400l loaves per day, providing good quality bread and employment for the local people.
Because donations continue, the "Free Bread Fund" was set up. £50 buys 200 loaves, benefiting the local orphanage, leprosy centre and hospital.
Generous donations from an enthralled audience were appreciated by Eugene and Margaret.
Forthcoming Events.
September
At our next meeting on September 22nd will be Brian Draper MBE, his subject being "Wild Life in Scotland".