How do you choose when your Club has done so many amazing things this past month?   And have yet more in the pipeline over the coming few weeks?   We’re positively spoilt for choice!   It’s so hard to know where to begin!

Our 100 Women of Empowerment Kenilworth Town Trail 23rd-30th August

Not long now before we celebrate our Centenary!   The bios for each woman are ready and the representations created.   We’ve got the maps and quizzes sorted, we just need to set everything out.   We’re going to be super busy over the next few weeks.   But we’re looking forward to the reactions, and the discussions the Trail generates.   Who would you choose as one of your women who you think has made a difference to our world?   Do you disagree with any of our choices!   We’re sure there must be some unsung heroines we’ve missed.   You can buy the maps and quizzes from Kenilworth Books, The Tree House Bookshop and Marion Shaw.  For more info, read about the Trail in the Kenilworth Nub News.

Have we held our last meeting via Zoom?

We certainly hope so!   For our July speaker meeting we were joined by Elaine Johnston from The Parenting Project.   Amanda gave the vote of thanks and brilliantly captured our thoughts about the amazing work this Charity does.

 ‘I used to teach child development as part of a Psychology course and was watching a video one day, where a psychologist said something that really resonated with me. He said “people think that parenting comes naturally; it does, but it comes naturally the way you learned it.” It seems to me that the services you offer are helping the parents of the future to have better learning experiences.

I think that you have done a wonderful job of explaining the work you do and why you need support- especially in these difficult times where, as you say, disadvantages are likely to have been magnified and more people are struggling with mental health issues. I can only imagine how difficult recent times have made such a personal and tailored approach.

It is a wonderful testament to your program and vision that you are so popular as a placement for newly qualified counsellors, and I am heartened by the high measurement of positive outcomes that you reported.

I am sure that we are all delighted that the Parenting Project will benefit from donations made during our Women of Empowerment trail, and I really hope that it will be well supported.

Thank you for making us all more aware of such a worthwhile, and local, organisation that is really making a difference.’

So why did we still meet via Zoom?

Although this meeting could have been ‘face to face’ , our usual meeting place had suddenly changed to a quarantine hotel.   We are aware of various investigations that have shown that single women have not felt safe in these places.  Do click on this BBC website link. to read more.   We have always had a very good relationship with the Holiday Inn.   So to help them manage this and support women travelling solo, our Programme Action team prepared an information sheet.   This can be added to their welcome pack.

List of Organisations for support at Quarantine Hotel

It’s always nice to get a ‘thank you’

Not that Club members support women and families in order to be praised but is always lovely to be thanked.   We were able to supply a bed for a little one at short notice.   And these are the ‘thank-you’ pictures Mum is happy for us to show you. Beautifully drawn by her little ones we think you’ll agree.

In order to raise some money for our Well Being fund, Rachel has decided to walk a minimum of 2 miles a day.   This equals 100k which seems very apt for our Centenary year!

And last but by no means least, we’re still doing our bit for the planet.

This is what 4.75Kg of plastic lids looks like, on their way to Mencap for recycling!