RBL Women's Section, Little Common

The dance held in aid of the Poppy Appeal was a fun evening and raised £400 which was splendid. The afternoon tea also in aid of the appeal was greatly enjoyed and raised £171. Everyone appreciated the home made cakes and scones.

Next year’s National Conference will be held in Eastbourne on May 7 and 8.

We will need a new delegate for the meeting.

On November 18 there is an outing to Polhill Garden Centre, where there is a Christmas display. On the way we will be visiting a

hobbies centre. A coach is booked for November 30 to visit Winchester for the Christmas fair - the cost will be £14. Tickets for the Christmas party on December 8 are now available.

A river trip on the Medway in June next year has been suggested.

Our popular speaker, Ann Chance, made her third visit to the Club. The intriguing title of her talk was Sea Sick in the Sinai. The sea-sickness was as a result of the rocking gait of the camels as they progressed across the desert.

Ann had a dream to live and travel in the desert with the Bedouins, so she tried it - hence the Sinai. The equipment needed for survival in desert conditions included water bottles worn around the neck for easy access. Though covered, the water still became very hot in the high temperatures.

A large cotton square scarf was also necessary to protect the head from the sun and provide cover for the face when a sand storm struck.

Sunglasses were also a must. The daytime temperatures soared and shelter had to be found in the middle of the day but the nights were very chilly and warm covering was essential. Woolly hats were a great advantage.

The travellers were told not to wander too far from the camp as it is not easy to always get your bearings in the sand dunes. The most lethal snake was the viper but luckily never made an appearance. Flies were also a problem and would attack the group in swarms covering the mouth and the face.

We had a most interesting evening and our next meeting will be on Wednesday November 10 at 7pm. This will be the AGM and is open to members only.