There is nothing like a ‘Mad Hatters’ party to shake off the winter blues according to the Pen Whisperers, who at the end of their meeting, put down their pens, donned crazy hats and ate ‘mad’ food.

They had fashioned their own hats, and being ‘Masterchefs’ of a different kind, created a variety of ‘mad’ dishes, both savoury and sweet, including cow pats, spiders in a web, black-bean brownies, and a chocolate and cherry brandy cake decorated with a myriad of umbrellas.

Jokes were both ‘mad and bad,’ and prizes were awarded for the best hat, the most outstanding food creation and the funniest joke.

In the picture (not all wearing their hats) are from left: Ann Sligo, Alison McLean (co-ordinator), Athalie Davey, Jillian Brown, Janet Ormsby, George Montgomery, who is partly out of sight behind Monica Goulden. Missing from the shot, but present are: Annie French and Vivien Edwards (who is behind the camera).