THE annual branch dinner was held on December 6 in the Masonic Hall and attended by 56 members and friends including local MP Ian Liddell-Grainger and his wife, Jill.

Everyone agreed the four-course meal followed by mince pies, coffee and mints was the best in over 30 years of staging the event. Committee members Ann Snelling and Gordon Horobin sold raffle tickets for almost 20 prizes and this raised £200 for funds. Branch chairman, Tony Knight thanked everyone responsible for making the events of December so enjoyable and financially rewarding before briefly mentioning the successes of the branch over the past 12 months when over £4,000 has been raised through membership and events.

Tony said he was at a loss to fully understand the thinking behind the present Government’s actions to ease the economic situation and cited the 10p tax fiasco, the likelihood of zero interest rates and the reduction in VAT. In each case he showed how they added misery to the lower paid, pensioners and small businesses. Following a few amusing comments really aimed at himself, he called on support for Party candidates at the 2009 county elections, and a vote for the Party at the Euro Poll.

Ian Liddell-Grainger spoke of recent happenings at Westminster including the arrest of MP Damian Green, which was condemned by all parties and the contents or rather the lack of content in the Queen’s Speech. He praised the leadership of David Cameron and the direction he was taking the party. Ian continued to praise the works of the branch and spoke highly of the leadership given by the chairman.

Ann Snelling presented a gift to the chairman on behalf of the committee in recognition of his comeback to leading the branch during the past two years.

Annual coffee and mince pie morning: The annual charity coffee and mince pie morning organised by the Watchet and Williton Conservative branch and supported by St Decumans Church congregation, members of town organisations and friends, was held on December 6 at the home of Cynthia Davies. Both Cynthia and Tony Knight, chairman, welcomed people and Tony sold raffle tickets which alone raised £260 for this year’s chosen charity.

In the kitchen serving the refreshments and washing-up were June Phillingham, Ann Snelling and Mike Radford while a heavily laden stall was in the capable hands of Pam Thomas and Rosemary Woods. Mike Whetlor took charge of a guess the number of sweets in the tin when the winner was Derek Langford.

Winning numbers in the raffle were held by Pam Thomas, Jacky Stares, Jane Don, Janet Strong, Sheila Williams, Alan Jones, Elisa Day, Maidie Ford, Keith Wiseman, Sandy Owen, Pam Bosley, Gareth Purcell, Mike Radford, Brian Stainton, Steph Yeandle and Wendy Bass.

Tony and Cynthia thank everyone for their support especially the helpers and the efforts of Pam Thomas, Kirsty Cornish and Kate Norman for the splendid array of cakes and chutneys. The total amount raised for the Oncology Unit at Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton was a magnificent £621.75.