Please double click on this photo as we insisted our feet should be included…. June, Lesley and I attended the international evening organised by Cannock Club.  President Lakhwinder thanked her international committee for organising the event and said that it had little to do with their President being Indian herself!  It was a celebration  of the support that Cannock Club and others in the region give to Soroptimist Initiatives in India.  Lynn Dunning, as speaker, talked of her visit to India when she was International President.  One of the projects trains girls in the skills to work in sweat shops – seems bizarre until she tells you that the alternative is begging or prostitution.   A raffle raised £180 for the emergency relief fund – Lesley and June both had winning tickets and I was decidedly sullen about not winning.  In fact, so much so, that Lesley

A lovely warm welcome from members of Sutton Club at their annual dinner at The Terrace Restaurant.  It was the first time that Tracy and Donna had attended a dinner and they enjoyed it.  Our Sutton table hosts were delightful, Stephanie Powell (bespoke tailor and dressmaker) and her husband William.  She met him when she was asked to measure his inside leg 30 years ago!  Pat Nixon – President of Midland Music Makers and singing teacher for our very own Lynn Jenkins.  Marjorie, a pianist who taught till she was 75 and that was 5 years ago!  Marjorie and Pat would be delighted to help us with our entertainment event for the ‘Live at Home’ Project.  They play and sing all the old favourites in a way that encourages active participation – just what we need! 

We made it into a glossy!  What a lovely article about an evening that was absolutely delightful.  Thanks once again to the Gazette for coming out on the evening to watch it all ‘live’!!

  This was the article in the Mercury last Thursday.  A lovely picture with Dishi and Heather kneeling and Sylvia at the back.  The Brownies were delighted with the books they received.

Please click to see the full pictures – I will have to resolve this at some point! A lovely evening where we wore pink (and of course I have to take it to the extreme!) to make it a Breast Cancer Awareness Meeting.  I was delighted that Jean Jackson accepted our invitation to join us and formally did so tonight.  Jean works in communication at Loughborough University, funding projects that will help Britain reach its renewable energy targets for 2010 and beyond.  We look forward to hearing more from her about her exciting role. We seem to be so ‘soroptimism busy’ these days that time runs away with us – no problem, we are going to start earlier!!  If only there were more hours in an evening….

Another wet day for the Sherriff’s event on Sunday.  The sherriffs from all over the country gathered in Lichfield last weekend, the venue that comes around every 14 years!  Bob, Chaplin and I braved the elements and went to watch the spectacle.  Chaplin made a few friends and got us properly noticed as he tried to get near to his friend, the Mayor! The Sherriffs processed from the Guild Hall to the Cathedral.  Deputy Mayor Terry took the opportunity to ride one of the horses – as Sherriff last year he had had riding lessons to be able to do the Sherriff’s Ride, all 20 odd miles on horseback! David Wain was spotted on the steps of Keely’s, a good vantage point as he was taking photos for a guide book that is to be published.  I’ll settle for one or two snaps on this website!!

What a wonderful evening!  Bob and I were guests at this buffet dinner evening at Sandwell Golf Club.  We sat with President Tish of Wolverhampton who incidentally has sold 10 poppies for us and asked for 12 more!!  What a star! There was a bottle tombola at which I won a mint liqueur, ribena, lime juice and tomato ketchup!!  I aslo won a lovely raffle prize so a very lucky evening too. The speaker, Christine aka Dr Dudley talked about Dudley Zoo and its role in the worldwide attempts to sustain breeds of animals that are in danger of becoming extinct.  A local school has made links with a school in Madagascar to heighten awareness of the dangers of losing the rainforest.  Christine was so inspiring that those of us who have not visited, will be visiting the zoo to see the animals she talked about.  The

St Giles Hospice spreads its net far and wide with fundraising.  My friend had wonderful support when her Mum was ill and she arranged this evening at The Fox in Birmingham, inviting all her friends and family.  She and her friend sang (used to be semi-professional) and we joined in on many of the favourites.  An auction of a signed Villa shirt from the key 1994 match agianst Manchester United was auctioned and that and the raffle raised over £300.  The event was sponsored by Barclays who doubled everything raised.  Well done!  A good night’s entertainment and money for a good cause to boot!

A surprise awaited Vanya, Julia and I as we attended an enrolment of 2 new girls into the pack.  After them, I was asked to come to the centre of the circle and I too was inducted on behalf of Lichfield Soroptimists.  I went very pink – not often the wind is taken out of my sails!!  Even more of a pleasure was the way that the girls are getting to know us and are pleased when we arrive.  Bethany was our hostess for the evening and served us tea and snacks.  Parents and family of the new Brownies attended and were very proud as their girls made the pledge. I was able to give out books to the girls that had been absent at the Literacy evening.  They then had a special request, would the Mayor, Mark please visit again?  I explained that he

Today we turned out in force to Bilston Club’s Charter Lunch.  A lovely meal in lovely company.  Lichfield Club received a special mention in despatches as Simone, the cuddly camel we gave them at our lunch has become their mascot!!  Miss Joyce Abrahams was our wonderful table host and she made sure we had everything we needed and told us about some of her adventures,of which there must be many more!  We congratulate them again for winning a Federation Award for the Kenyan Camel Library Project and know that their performance of the ‘camel song’ will bring the house down in Barbados! We were entertained by Nonnie with chat and songs, almost all nostalgic.  Our favourite was when she read out a chain letter that asked for it to be forwarded to 5 women and to bubble wrap your husband/partner and post to the name at