MORE than 70 members of the Isle of Wight's WI took a coach trip to a village south of Oxford where they all learned new skills.

The 71-strong party from across the Island set off by coach from Fishbourne towards their final destination, Denman, the WI owned College in the village of Marcham, south of Oxford.

There was great excitement on the coaches as planning for the weekend had started in June last year. Members were consulted as to which courses, from hundreds available they would like to do, from which six were chosen.

Each member attending then chose one from - Singing the Musicals, Tai Chi: Ageing Gracefully, Calligraphy, Beaded Decorations & Jewellery for Christmas, London: Beneath the City’s Street and Modern Vegetarian Cookery.

Some members had been to Denman many times before but for some it was their first visit.

Dorothy Maskell, the WI Denman Ambassador for the Isle of Wight, received this message from one of the attendees:“I have just returned from having the most brilliant time at Denman and would like to say a huge thank you to all involved in organising the Island event. I chose “Singing the Musicals” and it was hard work, but lots of laughing, concentration and plenty of singing culminating in a short performance for the other members. I just loved the whole weekend”.

Dorothy said “ This quote is what so many other members were saying and makes all the work of organising the weekend so worthwhile”.