Invited to tour the impressive building, the visitors in turn brought along a token of their appreciation, a copper coloured necklace/brooch in the shape of a maple leaf.

Autumn Leaves founder, Mrs. Helen McFadden, who, unaware of its significance, chose the gift, explained.

"We thought the night before that it would be nice to take her something," said Mrs. McFadden. "When she opened it up she was really delighted; I didn't know it, but it turns out her husband is Canadian and she said he would love it."

The maple leaf is of course central to the Canadian flag.

Last Wednesday's visit, part of the Dromore club's second birthday celebrations, was the result of an invitation extended by Mrs. Long via Dromore engineer Neil Reid, a friend from University whose aid trips overseas with Habitat for Humanity the Autumn Leaves supported.

More than 20 club members made the trip, arriving at 10.15am for a brief look around before tea at 11am in the Lord Mayor's parlour, where Mrs. Long greeted her guests soon afterwards.

Said Mrs. McFadden, "She explained the mayoral chain, which weighs one stone and has gold shamrock between each link, the names of the mayors engraved on the back and an inscription in Irish on the medallion; it was all very, very interesting."

Equally interesting, she said, was the Lord Mayor's bathroom, a replica in dark wood panelling of the bathrooms aboard the ill-fated, Belfast-built ocean liner, The Titanic.

The Autumn Leaves themselves brought along a copy of their celebrated, dare-to-bare, charity calendar and other fundraising items to show Mrs. Long.

"The Lord Mayor spent a lot of time with us," said Mrs. McFadden, "and she presented us with a Belfast City Council plaque.

"We all really enjoyed it; we signed the visitors' book and had our picture taken.

"I told the Lord Mayor how very impressed we all were with the beautiful building."

Next in line for the visitors were the city centre shops, before stopping off in Lisburn for a meal on the way home.