Stourbridge and District Ladies Circle are proud to announce that they raised a sum of £540 by organising a Quiz Night at Halesowen Cricket Club.

This money is to be added to the Paul McCann Fund for Needy Children which is a fund set up by the family of Paul who lost his life last year in a tragic Submarine accident whist serving in the Royal Navy. Paul’s fund so far has raised in excess of £23,000 to be used to aid good causes. The photo shows Paul (left) with Anthony who also lost his life in the disaster.

Paul’s Sister Sharon is an active member of Ladies Circle and is determined to see that the fund that he would have been so proud of do the most it can for needy local children.

Fish 'n chips, wine, blow up matteresses, sleeping bags - even a mini TV to watch the final of I'm a Celebrity!

And thanks to a very kind vicar of Curdworth, a very warm Church Hall.

How lucky were we!

Not quite the experience of being homeless and having to sleep rough, as my daughter was very quick to point out, but the main thing was we raised £628.80 for St Basils - a local charity that works with young people to help prevent homelessness by providing accomodation and support.

We also had a brilliant evening, caught up on all the gossip and did manage to get a few hours sleep.

Thanks Denise for making it all happen!

It was with some trepidation that I joined 23 other Circlers from around the country at Tutbury Castle late in November. It was a dark and stormy night – no really, it was! – as though someone had spoken to Mother Nature and ordered the perfect meteorological backdrop for our meeting with “the other side”. For this was no ordinary Circle meeting. This was a Spooky Sleepover in what is reputed to be one of the most haunted castles in the country. Clearly not for the faint-hearted!

Sustenance came in the form of a pre sleepover meal – spookily “last supper-like” at a local hostelry and then it was off to the Castle and into the unknown.

The first surprise for some of those who had never had the pleasure of meeting Lesley Smith was seeing what they believed was a wax figure sitting on a throne.

“Oh, doesn’t it look lifelike!” was quickly followed by a scream as Lesley opened her eyes and stared straight at the speaker.

We were superbly entertained by Lesley in full Mary Queen of Scots costume and character and then we were taken into the Kings bedroom. Several women felt the presence of a spirit but the more sceptical of us were yet to be convinced – there was time yet!

Lesley departed and left us in the capable hands of two staff members who were to look after us for the rest of the night – they were only a scream away! Vigils were held in the Kings bedroom and some braved the weather and returned to the torture chamber in search of the spirits.

I can’t say for certain that I experienced a ghostly presence but there was something unexplainable going on. We all heard a “pop” noise and even I know that buildings don’t pop – creak, squeak or groan, yes, but pop??

The smell of sulphur was experienced by one who, before the evening, admitted to being a complete sceptic. There were other reports of shadows, a sudden and distinct drop in temperature in the bedroom, a red light but no fully fledged figures of anyone.

Very little sleep was had by your intrepid reporter but I have to admit that this was mostly down to the amount of women who snored! All went quite just as it was time to get up and have breakfast – typical!

All of this in the name of charity! ChildLine are the lucky recipients of our brush with another world. We were each sponsored to take part and will have hopefully raised over £1500 towards this year’s national charity.

Well done to Felicity for organising this unforgettable experience and congratulations to everyone who took part and managed to stay the whole night!

Rising from the ashes like a Phoenix, Stourbridge and District Ladies Circle are up and running and ready for action.

From the depleted Hagley, Halesowen and Stourbridge Ladies Circle the girls have got together and created a new force going under the title of Stourbridge and District Ladies Circle 154.

They are joined by a few other friends and new members to look at Ladies Circle from a new angle and a new perspective to keep the organisation fresh and interesting.

This band of sisters is headed up by Vicky Perry, picture front right at the inaugural meeting at the Bell and Cross in Clent together with the new members, honoraries and special friends associated with the group.

Vicky is the outgoing Area 27 Chairlady who hopes to keep the momentum going from the excellent year she had in the Chair and hopefully raising money for charity whilst having fun and enjoying the friendship of others. The diary for the coming year is already starting to take shape and is filled with both active and cultural events to stimulate the body and the mind. The opening numbers are 9 but there is always room for more new members with new ideas. Watch this space as we have big plans for Ladies Circle for the coming year, and beyond.

50 Circlers from past and present including 6 past Area Chairmen came together to bid farewell to Halesowen Ladies Circle as it is currently known.

Adele Hall – current Circle Chairman and Jackie Flint – current Tangent Chairman co-hosted this evening of memories and farewells.

Stories from the past included re arranging function room furniture/decoration, grotty hotel rooms, plenty of alcohol and a pair of laddered stockings that were left in the back of a Tablers car by mistake and nearly caused a divorce!

All is not lost as some of the Halesowen girls will be joining the new Stourbridge & District Circle forming in May.

Vicky Perry Area 27 Chairman