Stunning images of wildlife from the ‘Lone Kayaker’ and help for Ukraine were the topics of the day at the March meeting of the Coads Green WI.

Rupert Kirkwood, retired vet, open water kayaker and wild life photographer made a very welcome return and third visit to an open meeting of the Coads Green WI.

The presentation entitled ‘All at Sea and up the Creek’, encapsulated some of Rupert’s favourite encounters with sea mammals, fish, wild animals and birds, as he kayaked around the coast and along the rivers of south west England, the leats of Dartmoor and beyond.

He shared some rare sightings through stunning photographs and videos of, amongst other creatures, a great crested grebe consuming a pike, an ocean sunfish, basking sharks, a bluefin tuna, spotted off the Dodman, and two juvenile osprey, who spent two weeks on the Fowey river, before heading off to West Africa.

Rupert’s quest in recent years has been to find and photograph whales from his kayak. This was achieved when he spotted Minke whales near Fowey, but this was, later, superseded when he was able to film footage of a humpback whale breaching and feeding in Mounts Bay, a true highlight of the evening.

The speaker’s fee and additional contributions made £100 to go towards the Ukraine Disaster Fund.

The photographic images are recorded on Rupert’s blog ‘The Lone Kayaker’.

Pat Mallett gave the vote of thanks, concluding that this had been an outstanding illustrated talk.

Gerry Rennie and Linda Willan served the refreshments.

In the business side of the meeting, president, Daphne Tucker, drew members’ attention to the new programme and that, despite losing three local groups in the last two years, the remaining WIs would still be having a strong presence at the Launceston Show on July 28.

Alison Gribble is establishing a walking group on the last Wednesday of every month and there will be a members’ lunch at the Manor House in Rilla Mill on Thursday, April 21.

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 13, at 7.30pm when guest speaker, Dale Wood, will be talking on the topic of bees. New members and visitors will be made very welcome.