THERE'S nothing like a chat with girlfriends to catch up on all the news, exchange gossip and ideas, and talk about life, death and the universe, if that's the way the conversation takes you.

There are no hard and fast rules when the women of CHAT get together.

The women's group was formed just over a year ago by Salisbury businesswoman Susi Mason, who owns Casa Fina in the High Street.

"I had the idea of getting together different groups of friends when I was out driving one day," she says.

Her brother had died the previous year and she thought an evening out with the girls, having some fun, was also a good way of raising some money for the Salisbury Hospice Care Trust.

Around 48 women joined her for a meal at the Boot Inn in Berwick St James for the first meeting.

"Everybody wanted an evening out," she says.

"It was very noisy, the food was brilliant and we raised over £350 for the hospice."

The exercise was repeated twice more last year - bringing the total raised for the hospice to past the £1000 mark - and earlier this month, CHAT celebrated its first birthday with yet another convivial bash at the Boot.

The only criterion for "membership" is being female.

Susi says it's a complete mix of people.

"Some are working, some not, some have children, lots have businesses, others do alternative therapies, some do networking but it's not hard sell - it's about having a laugh and a nice evening," she says.

She now has more than 100 women on her database.

"I knew most people at the first meeting, but it spreads out quite rapidly and somebody knows somebody who knows somebody else."

The meal itself is a very civilised affair with a menu devised by Kathy Duvall at the Boot and a seating plan drawn up by Susi and Julie Lane, who works at Salisbury register office.

Falling, as it did, in Lavender Week, money raised by the birthday bash went the Lavender Trust, which aims to raise awareness of the concerns facing younger women with breast cancer.

The Boot isn't closed to other customers during CHAT's get-togethers but Susi admits that not many men venture in.

"The odd male comes in for a drink at the bar and sits there blushing the whole time," she laughs.

"The noise level usually drives them out."