The Winchester Embroiderers' Guild celebrates its 40th birthday this year and, to mark the occasion, it held an exhibition at St Swithun's School.

Works past and present were on display and two professional embroiderers gave talks on their accomplishments while every visitor to the event, among them the mayor, John Steel, and his wife, Gill, received a gift of a strawberry pincushion.

Work by the guild may be seen in the corridors of the Royal Hampshire County Hospital and the refectory of Winchester Cathedral. The exhibition will move to Winchester Guildhall on Friday, April 25th, where it will remain until Sunday, May 3rd.

The chairman's meeting at Shawford Village Hall included reminiscences from four long-standing members spanning the 40 years since the branch was established.

The first meetings were held in members' homes, gradually moving to larger premises as the membership increased to its present level of over 100.

Members also heard about the formation of the Young Embroiderers and their enthusiasm and successes, now working in two groups in association with the branch.

The next meeting, on May 14th, will be as usual at Shawford Village Hall when Tamara Frost will speak on textile conservation.