This month we held our Branch AGM, and it came as no surprise that all our officers were returned unopposed. Our thanks go to them all for their dedication and hard work.

Afterwards we were entertained by six of our members, who showed us some of their family heirlooms, each with its own story. This interesting selection included a school exercise book from the 1800s, pretty glass dishes, a china biscuit barrel and a working oil lamp. There was a collection of  commemorative books about our royal family, and an Indenture prepared for the sale of a Monmouthshire cottage, handwritten in 1870. Each one a precious link with the past.

Finally, we were shown a potential heirloom for the future: an invitation to a reception by the Queen at Buckingham Palace, in appreciation of  years of voluntary charity work.