WIs all over the country are campaigning for local library services to be value for money, but also meet local needs.

February 10 had been designated National Library Day, but as our wonderful mobile library only visits Bulphan once a week, we had to demonstrate our support on February 7.

It was a bitterly cold and icy evening, but our members gathered to link arms and hug their library van to show their appreciation and support for the continuation of a mobile library service to Bulphan.

Jo Olsson, director of the Thurrock Council department overseeing libraries (amongst others things) and Cllr John Kent, leader of the council, will be coming to Bulphan Village Hall at 8pm on Thursday, March 8, to hold a library conversation.

This will be part of the consultation on what library services residents would like and is open to everyone in Bulphan, Orsett and Horndon-on-the-Hill to come along and take part in the conversation.

If you had been travelling along Fen Lane on the evening of our February meeting, you would have been amazed and delighted to hear 40 ladies voices singing in harmony in the school hall.

The effervescent Doreen Potter was leading and accompanying us as we sang for our supper.

Between songs, Doreen amused us with poems and anecdotes and then we were all rewarded with French bread, cheese and salad, with wine, served by Pierre, Thierry, Jean-Paul and Henri.

Next month we will be back at the village hall, to hear Richard Furnivale-Jones, who will tell us all about Harrods.