The Inner Wheel Club of Wellingborough’s Annual International Strawberry Tea    On a very hot sunny afternoon on 10^th July, we held our now popular International Strawberry Tea in the clubhouse at Finedon Cricket Club.  A lovely venue.  We have always been lucky with the weather, but this year it was perhaps a little too warm – better than rain though!   There was frantic fanning from an array of fans – large floor standing ones, handheld ones, small table ones and new to me, neck ones. This did not stop 53 ladies from enjoying a sumptuous tea with the usual egg sandwiches (always a favourite) smoked salmon & creamed cheese, ham and tomato etc – all beautifully fresh, crusts removed and daintily cut into triangles.  There were homemade scones with clotted cream (or butter) and strawberry jam and every type of cake imaginable – fresh meringues and more cream…, coffee & walnut, fairy cakes, ginger cake, lemon drizzle, shortbread, fruit cake and more.  Washed down of course by many cups of tea.  Thank goodness for the hot water urn and member’s kettles when the urn ran dry. The tables looked lovely with centrepieces of vases with beautifully arranged garden flowers.  Several members have ‘proper’ tea-sets which are always put to good use on this occasion.  There was much evidence of friendship with chatter and laughter in abundance. There were the usual splendid raffle prizes – including 2 hampers, a fruit basket, bottles of wine, plants, chocolates and more!  This raised £260 towards the total of £850 (after expenses had been deducted).  Thank you to the members from 9 clubs in D7, our members and their guests, for making this a very worthwhile and happy event. An extra big thank you to everyone who prepared the room, made the sandwiches, cooked the scones and cakes, arranged the flowers, provided the raffle prizes…….and made and poured the tea! Some of us were very glad after cleaning and washing up to get home and dunk our feet in cold water! See you in 2026 everyone, when the tea-sets will be unwrapped again and another lovely afternoon will be enjoyed at Finedon Cricket Club. In Friendship Shirley & The Team