A beautiful summer’s day and the gorgeous building and grounds of Ingestre Hall provided the setting for Cannock Soroptimists’ 60th Anniversary Year Summer Celebration.
Members and guests enjoyed Kir Royale while they took in the gardens. They then went into the Hall which was set for afternoon tea to be entertained by Notty Hornblower of the Costume Museum in Derby. Five models – four ladies and one man – modelled clothes which would have been worn over the last 60 years, costumes ranged from evening dresses to swimwear, tennis dresses to the mini, and ended with a display of wedding dresses spanning the years. Everyone loved not just seeing the beautiful original clothes but also hearing Notty’s tales of where she obtained them and sometimes of the original owners.
Soroptimist Jenny Holmes thanked Notty, her models and their dressers for providing such a lovely afternoon. She presented Notty with a Friendship Plant to spread the friendship she has enjoyed as a Soroptimist. A plant was given by Jenny to each lady present.
Afternoon Tea of a selection of sandwiches, Bara Brith, Victoria Sponge, Lemon drizzle cake, strawberry tartlets, warm scones with jam and cream and pots of tea was then served and thoroughly enjoyed.
A raffle with prizes of a tea set, selection of teas, selection of preserves and selection of home made cakes raised £232 for the Club’s main charities for their Diamond Year: Staffordshire Women’s Aid and Pathway; both have refuges for women victims of domestic violence as well as providing many other services for these women in need.
At the close of the afternoon President Janis Lomas thanked everyone for being there and all of those Soroptimist members who had worked so hard to organise the event and dress the Hall for the occasion.
Photo attached: 1. Team of Soroptimists – and one Soroptimister! – who organised the event; 2. Soroptimist Jenny Holmes with the models in bridal wear