Friendship Links

S.I. Llandudno & District visit to Friendship Club S.I. Belvedere, Vienna, Austria – December 2015.

Eight members of S,I, Llandudno spent a most enjoyable few days visiting their Friendship Link Club S.I. Belvedere.

We were given a very warm welcome by the President and members, who introduced us to their city, taking us on a sightseeing tour, inviting us to lovely restaurants, showing us the best Christmas markets, and welcoming us to their own homes.

Here are some photos of the highlights of our visit:

On our first morning Sissy took us on a guided walking tour of the city: St. Stephen’s Cathedral

Outside the cathedral we saw horses and carriages waiting patiently, near by was an excellent Christmas Market.

We walked to the Hofburg Palace and Gardens

Several members visited the Belvedere Palace to see the exhibition of paintings by Klimt.

We went to a special dinner to meet our Soroptimist friends and had the opportunity to see the Christmas lights in Vienna

A lovely lunch at Dora’s home:

Afterwards we went to the Schonbrunn Palace to see the entertainment at the Christmas Market there

No visit to Vienna is complete without indulging in Sachertorte, a world famous chocolate cake, at the Sacher Hotel

Our last evening at Landtmann’s restaurant, where we were joined by our Austrian hosts for our farewell dinner.

We were able to make a donation to one of SI Belvedere’s programme action projects.

S.I. Llandudno & District visit to Friendship Club S.I. Funfseenland, Germany.

Three members of S.I.Llandudno spent a most enjoyable weekend at the end of June 2014 visiting their Friendship Link Club, S.I. Funfseenland in Bavaria who were celebrating their 20^th Anniversary.

The first day was spent sightseeing in Munich. We arrived at 11.00am in time to see the famous Glockenspiel Clock at the Rathaus strike the hour.  The clock has 43 bells and 32 life size figures and it tells two stories from the 16^th Century.

This was followed by a walk through the famous food market and a visit to an amazing Rococo style church amidst a street of shops. The church had no windows but the light entered from the dome. In the evening there was a “get together” with members from the club, visiting members from other clubs in Germany and members from our other Friendship Link Club, S.I.Belevedere, Vienna who also have a link with S.I. Funfseenland.

Saturday was a hot sunny day and we all met at the lakeside in Herrsching  for a guided walk. This was followed by some visitors going on a tour of a local brewery while others went on a coach ride from Herrsching to Starnberg with a sail which included lunch on the lake. In the evening we met at a hotel in Seefeld for presentation of gifts to the club followed by a Bavarian feast.

On Sunday, the weather changed! The highlight of the anniversary was the unveiling and dedication of the statue of the Little Mermaid near lake Worthsee. The statue was first erected some time ago and had been damaged and suffered from the weather so the club decided to pay for the repair work to mark their 20^th Anniversary.

SI Llandudno has three Friendship Links, S.I. Pendleside in Lancashire, S.I. Belvedere in Vienna,Austria and S.I. Funfseenland in Herrsching,Germany.

We exchange news, run joint projects and organise visits.

The links were formed by members from SI Llandudno who were already friends with members in the three clubs. These links are becoming more meaningful as members get to know each other and learn more about their club’s activities. That knowledge is being used to support joint programme action work and also to promote visits between clubs.

Members from S.I.Pendleside and S.I. Belvedere have visited Llandudno, and members from S.I. Llandudno have visited Pendleside and Vienna.  Three members from Llandudno visited Herrsching in October 2012 and members from Herrsching joined us for our Golden Jubilee celebrations in March 2013.

S.I. Llandudno worked on a joint project with S.I.Belvedere when money was raised to re-equip the Gynaecology and Maternity department in a  hospital inCantemir,Moldavia.

Part of the proceeds of S.I. Llandudno’s sponsored walk held in August 2012 will be given to a joint project with the two clubs in Europe: “End Hunger: Walk the World” , an annual event to raise money and awareness for the United Nations World Food Programme’s efforts to fight child hunger and malnutrition.

The photographs show our Friendship Links with SI Pendleside in Great Britain and SI Belvedere, Vienna, in Austria.

One is a photo taken in The Palais de Congres in Montreal at the Soroptimist International Convention July 2011. Traudy is a member of SI Belvedere in Vienna and President of the Austrian Union seen here with Hilary, a member of SI Llandudno.

Above this are two photos of a recent visit by members of SI Llanduno to an event at SI Pendleside.

On Sunday, June 5th 2011, Ray and Gay Stythe-Jones , together with Sandra Snow travelled to the Higher Trapp Country House Hotel at Simonstone in the Pendleside area to attend the 62nd Charter Anniversary of the Soroptimist International Club of Pendleside and district. S.I. Pendleside is one of Llandudno club’s friendship links and It was lovely meeting friends from the Pendleside Club and joining them at their celebration which was well attended by members of Soroptimist clubs across the region of North West England and the Isle of Man. Mr Russell Greenhow proposed the toast to Soroptimist International and the response was given by the regional President Mrs Judith Grocott. The function was attended by two mayors due to the club encompassing two different areas – Pendleside and The Ribble Valley.