WOMEN'S INSTITUTE: Caerleon Women's Institute met on April 16, a week later than usual due to the Easter holiday.

Thanks to the energetic committee, the plant stall, book and bric-a-brac stalls were set up early and the noticeboard displayed forthcoming events with relevant dates.

Julie Triterelli opened the meeting by acknowledging the apologies for absences and then introduced the speaker, Mr Richard Jordan, whose subject was Route 66.

He then took us on a journey along the famous route. Members were intrigued to hear music in the background, and it was the famous song from 1946, Get Your Kicks on Route 66. Mr Jordan then took us on a journey, with the aid of slides, along the famous road.

He told us its history and showed so many slides that we really had a sense of travelling by car along the route. It was opened in 1938 as a single track, and over the years developed and progressed through Indian country and big cities etc.

Every so often we heard soft background music and remembered the famous songs and artists who featured Route 66.

This covered the Jazz Age right up to the present day.

Did you know that the huge McDonald empire started as a very small café on Route 66? We didn't, but we all know about it now!

It was a very absorbing talk and several members said they would like to hear it all again.

One lady was going home to look at her old 78rpm records because she knew she had bought a record of Nat King Cole singing Get Your Kicks on Route 66 and now she would understand what he was singing about. Mr Jordan was thanked for a fascinating talk.

After the tea break, the Gwent news and forthcoming events were discussed. Names were taken for the computer course and tickets were handed out for the ACM to be held at Cwmbran tomorrow.

Caerleon WI has a very full summer programme, and apart from the various courses there is the visit to Tyndersfield: The Rebel Stompers will be with us on June 11 at 2.30pm (line dance team ) and a coffee morning will be held on Wednesday, June 8, at 10.30am. Why not come and see what we are all about on that day?

The competition for Anything American was won by Julie Triterelli and Dianne Roberts came second.

Julie ended the meeting by mentioning one of our long-standing members, Peggy Wilson, who would be celebrating her 90th birthday this week. Peggy was not able to attend this meeting but a beautiful hand-made birthday card was on its way to her.

We all sent our best wishes to Peggy, and the meeting closed at 4.30pm.

Betty Westcott