The Bermuda Presbyterial of the United Church of Women of the Methodist Churches is struggling for membership as young women are not interested in joining the organisation.

President of the Maritime Conference United Church Women of the United Church of Canada, Ruth Gamble, from Sackville New Brunswick was in Bermuda for the local Annual General Meeting recently, and took time from her busy schedule to speak with The Royal Gazette .

Mrs. Gamble said she had visited each of the Wesleyan Methodist Churches in Bermuda and said the concerns of the United Church of Women was that there was a serious shortfall of new members and that young women were simply not joining.

She also said that the older women were not getting so involved in the running of the Church.

Mrs. Gamble commended the local hospitality and said the annual general meeting held last week at the Wesleyan Methodist Church was attended by 50 women and was "superb''.

During the meeting, new officers were installed that are elected for a two year period, and she talked about the Church and its future.

Mrs. Gamble also extended an invitation for two Bermudian women to attend the United Church Womens conference in New Brunswick in April next year.

In her first trip to Bermuda, Mrs. Gamble said: "It has been a very busy week,'' and added that she had been hosted by a wonderful group of people who had every reason to be proud of their country.

She had enjoyed meeting the Governor, Thorold Masefield, as well as the Mayor of Hamilton, Lawson Mapp, and was soon to meet St. George's Mayor, Henry Hayward.

She said she had enjoyed being here and had a wonderful experience, and she encouraged each United Conference of Women in going forward and to keep in constant communication with each other and fellowship together.

Mrs. Gamble had one free day and she enjoyed some shopping and was driven around by her kind hosts.

She got her feet wet at John Smith's Bay and said that the flowers and greenery were very refreshing, and hoped to take the time to go for a ride on the ferry.

It was all the more refreshing as Mrs. Gamble said there was still two feet of snow in her home town.

Mrs. Gamble also attended the Peppercorn ceremony which she enjoyed and said that although the British Monarchy is still celebrated in Canada, it was not as much as in Bermuda.

She was joined by her husband Fred on the trip and they have two children and four grandchildren.