It was a sunny evening for our June meeting and after a rousing rendition of Jerusalem we heard the usual business. Last month’s Resolutions had been passed, the GFWI AGM had been broadcast over Zoom and the trip to Llanthony Priory had been enjoyed by those who went. Details were given for our August outing and we were reminded that the Group Party in early October will have a beach party theme. Our Lunch Club are enjoying meals at various places and we are still taking donations for Quedgeley Pantry.
Our speaker for the evening was Rachel Treweek, the Bishop of Gloucester. She gave a warning that she could “talk for England” but what she did tell us was very informative and enjoyable. She was born in Hertfordshire and in her family the church was part of her life. She wanted to write children’s books, be a doctor or teacher but she trained as a speech and language therapist at Reading University. She eventually went on to study at a theological college and in 1992 the church voted for women to be ordained as priests and Rachel was ordained in 1994. She worked in deprived areas of London and also with several prisons, progressing to Archdeacon then in 2015 became the first female Bishop of Gloucester with all the work it entails. This includes a seat in the House of Lords and she explained what it was really like and not what people thought it was as the Lords reviews legislation, holds the government accountable and contributes to debates. As Bishops have to retire at 70 it will be a few years before Rachel leaves her very busy post as Bishop of Gloucester. July will be rather different when the speaker will be talking about The Life and Times of an Adult Tutor with the competition being a saucy postcard!