Ravenstone WI REPORT OF AUGUST MEETING The President, Grace De'Ath welcomed the 16 members present, who were not on holiday! Jerusalem was sung with extra vigour to make up r the absence of the holiday makers! Adrienne Larkin, Trading Standards O icer r Milton Keynes Council was the Speaker r the evening and she told members how, previously, she had been involved with the enforcement side of issues relating to trading standards but now was concerned with advising people of their rights regarding the implications of the Sale of Goods Act. She has been particularly involved with the recent setting up of 'Consumer Direct', a new service set up by the Department of Trade and Industry, which provides practical advice on all sorts of consumer issues and complaints - from overcharging to ul and dangerous goods and from poor workmanship to reporting dishonest traders or scams. Is your time money? Do you have an old clock, vase, picture, piece of furniture or jeweUery that you would like to know the value o You may be surprised at just what you may find at home. We also provide valuations r Insurance Probate Family Division Professional and co dential service Onsite valuations and sales carried out Detailed illustrated website information If you have anything in a drawer or cupboard you would like to know more about bring it along. It could lead to time well spent! All this in rmation is contained within a very helpful folder of leaflets she distributed to members which tells ofYour Rights... things to watch out r, such as Deposits, Estimates and quotations, Buying on credit, Goods on order om a shop, Doorstep selling (comment was made on the Fish Men in a white van who have been around the district recently), Buying at auctions, Buying second-hand goods, Private sales and Telephone Sales, here the speaker advised anyone already on the Telephone Preference Service to update it every six months. Your rights .....Goods The law says that goods must be: of satisfactory quality, fir for their purpose and as described and Adrienne elaborated on these points. Your rights. . . Services The consumer is entitled to certain standards regarding services and these are that the job should be done with reasonable care and skill, within a reasonable time and for a reasonable charge. The above mentioned folder of leaflets even contains template letters for making complaints about ul goods and poor services. The telephone number for Consumer Direct is 08454 04 05 06 and, personally, I would advise anyone reading this to ask for a copy of this folder of leaflets on the above number or visit their website at www.consumerdirect.gov.uk Other informative leaflets distributed throughout the talk were on Postal Scams, and how to recognise a scam (from DTI w.dri.gov.uk), Mailing Preference Service (0845 703 4599 or registration form from MPS, Freeposr 29 LON20771, London, WlE 0ZT) , Having work done on your home, organisations which can help (O ice of Fair Trading, 0800 389 3185) Energywarch, people of pensionable age or with disabilities may be entitled to free services from their energy supplier. (0845 906 0708 or e mail: enquiry@energywatch.org.uk) Telephone Preference Service or how to stop unwanted telephone sales calls. (Registration telephone number: 0845 070 0707, or email rps@dma.org.uk) Adrienne was thanked r her useful, informative talk by Grace De'Ath. T he information she imparted to the members was so help l that is why I have included contact derails for the benefit of readers of this Report/ Notices for members included the dates of llowing meetings: Tablecloth: The following two dates should see the completion of the tablecloth in time r the 50th Anniversary in October: Wednesday, 14th September at 2.30p, at Barbara Wharton's home and Tuesday, 27th September at 2.30pm at Grace De'Ath's home. Book Club: T hursday, 29th September 7.30pm at Jean Harvey's home, to discuss members' own choice of book recently read. The September Meeting of Ravenstone WI is the Open Meeting to be held at Weston Underwood Village Hall when Professor Monica Grady will give an illustrated talk about British women scientists from the 17th to 20th century, entitled 'NOT SO "LITTLE WOMEN" at 7.30pm Tuesday, 20th September 2005. ALL WELCOME. Tickets £2.50 to include refreshments available from Grace De'Ath on 01908 551506 or Carolyn Freeman on 01908 551585. NB Tickers £1.00 for Children in time education. For further information on Ravenstone please telephone the President or Secretary on the above ticker contact numbers or visit our website www.bucks i.org.u ravenstone. PAGE 62 PHONEBOX 0Olney WI Ayres' poem "Will I have to be se at 60?" set the tone r Sylvia smith's address to members on 'Glamour er 60' at e August meeting. Facing e problems which can accompany the advancing years wi a sense of humour, combined wi helpful advice, le her audience feeling young and beautiful in spirit. Never too late r e 'Glamourous Granny' stakes! Many lovely earrings were entered r the competition; the very pret blue ones submitted by Kath Jestice taking first prize. • pening with a Pam