TEN years ago an advert was placed in a local newspaper looking for people interested in forming a Great Harwood Women's Institute.

The advert, put in by the Lancashire Federation of Women's Institutes, provoked a great deal of interest among women in the area and the first meeting on 31 March 1993 attrac-ted 36 women.

Now, a decade on, the group is an integral part of the community with more than 70 members, who meet once a month in Great Harwood.

The first president was Pauline Dean and over the years the group has been led by a further four women, including current president Jacqui Hunt.

WI member Sheila Baron said: "As we near our 10th anniversary our membership has risen to over 70, including 14 of the original founder members.

"During that time we have taken part in various activities including a craft class which we still run, summer and Christ-mas outings, and we have welcomed some very interesting speakers."

The women often enter competitions, showing off a variety of skills, and members of Great Harwood Women's Institute are regular competitors in the Clitheroe Area Women's Institute Show, where they have won certificates and trophies in various classes such as handicrafts, produce and preserves, horticulture, flower-arranging, confectionery and sweets.

As a celebration of the Millennium, the group produced a wall hanging depicting scenes from around Great Harwood. It is made up of 12-inch squares showing a Great Harwood map, the town clock, Mercer Hall and the Town Crier.

The piece was originally put together for a competition but the group was so pleased with the result that it donated it to Great Harwood Library, where it is now on display.

Sheila added: "It was for a competition to start off with and we were not sure what to do with it afterwards. The library was quite thrilled with it and it really does look lovely."

The Great Harwood Women's Institute meets at 2pm on the second Wednesday of every month at the Great Harwood Youth and Community Centre in Lowerfold Road.