On Saturday 18 October 2025, Soroptimist International London Chilterns Region held the Annual General Meeting and Conference at the Lancaster Hall Hotel in London.
The AGM business was focused, with reports circulated ahead of the meeting to allow time to hear from the excellent speakers. As always at the AGM there was a poignant moment when we remembered Members who sadly had died in the last year. It was wonderful to present long service certificates to seven Members of the Region – including the incoming President Rita Beaumont – pictured here with her 25 year certificate.
President Kate was reflective in her final report to the Region:
“I’ve had the most wonderful two years as your President and my one regret is that I didn’t manage to visit all the clubs and those I’ve managed to visit, I thank you for your kind hospitality, listening and observing your amazing projects and connections with your local groups to support your/their local needs and aspirations
Thank you for your contributions to both of my themes of “celebrating inspirational women” and “impactful women.” I hope that you had a positive reflective time over the years. All eight meetings/conferences during my time were memorable in 
diverse ways. Special ones for me are the two International Women’s Day (IWD) events held at Knebworth House and at the University of Hertfordshire. I felt honoured and privileged that Lady Martha Cobbold acted as our tour guide to the mausoleum of her relative, Lady Constance Cobbold, and the University’s formidable senior leaders at the Law and Education Schools were so engaging 
with our work and how they aligned with our vision and mission. It was fantastic that the students both female and male plus staff joined us, and wonderful conversations and better understanding of neurodivergence were had by all of us. It was a pleasure to be able to facilitate such fantastic celebrations of IWD.
We were so fortunate with our networks who brought such a diverse range of topics to life and the speakers so passionate, knowledgeable, and experienced. I hope that you have read the outstanding write-ups on all events scrolling down through the news on the website https://sigbi.org/london-chilterns/category/news/.
I could not have performed my presidential duties without the care, kindness, and support of the Executive. Every home should have a Denise, Helen, Jane, Jen, Joanne, Pam, and Rita. Their experiences in all things regional and national was overwhelming at times but they guided me with such grace and humour. I can only recommend TEAM SILCR for being active inspirational members and sisters.
Last but not least are you dear Clubs, Members, and sisters. The story books are marvellous and keep on doing and spreading the Soroptimist way forever.
My last gig as President was last night with SI Milton Keynes at their Violet Awards evening where they bring together their local charities who nominate their volunteers for the award. It was humbling and a great celebration of some remarkable women carrying out supportive services, going that extra mile for their female clients. Thank you, Milton Keynes. Please do read the reports by the Exec officers and circulated to Clubs. Lastly thank you for having me….”
The focus for the two speakers was “Women’s Health” – a theme which will be continued through 2025/2027 with President Rita Beaumont who announced the theme “Good Health and Wellbeing – the Right of Everyone”. Please click here to read the Region’s President Rita Beaumont’s message https://sigbi.org/london-chilterns/president/
The first speaker was past Soroptimist International Great Britain & Ireland President Cathy Cottridge (pictured here). The eradication of cervical cancer is a global Soroptimist project, initiated by SI Africa. It is a completely preventable disease.
Cathy is leading the Cervical Cancer Campaign for the Federation and provided a lot of information in her presentation and talked about how Clubs can get involved, particularly in work to increase the take up of the HPV vaccine by both girls and boys and also in the encouragement of women to take up screening appointments to diagnose the disease. There is a graph in the slides that shows that where vaccinations are taken up the cancer rates can drop to nothing.
You can download Cathy’s presentation here as a PDF: SIGBI Cervical Cancer Campaign – CC – PowerPoint presentation – September 2025
If you would like the presentation as a Power Point file please contact us https://sigbi.org/london-chilterns/contact-us/
Please also click here for more information: https://sigbi.org/what-we-do/our-work/health/cervicalcancer/
Our second brilliant speaker was Sue Granshaw from SI High Wycombe (pictured here with Region Programme Action Officer Pam Robertson). Sue is a Community Champion for Alzheimer’s Research UK.
Sue explained that if nothing changes, one in two of us will be directly affected by dementia – either by developing it ourselves, caring for someone who has it, or both. Dementia is the 
leading cause of death in the UK, around 1 million people are living with it and is estimated to cost the UK economy £42 billion a year. There are no treatments to slow down or stop the progression of the condition. Sadly, this number is set to increase to 1.6m by 2050. No one has survived dementia. Yet. These are staggering facts, and show the need for research. It’s the only way to understand more about it’s causes, prevent it, diagnose it faster and continue progress towards lifechanging treatments. Sue encouraged people to take part or recruit others to take part in dementia studies – see the slide with the contact details.
Please click here to download and see Sue’s information packed presentation: Alzeimer’s Reseach Community Speaker Presentation.
There were lots of great questions at the end of the presentation – as there always are from Soroptimists!
During the day we heard from three Soroptimist Clubs about three very different “Impactful Woman” who had an impact on people’s lives in completely different ways. This wrapped up President Kate’s theme for the year.
Jackie Paling presented Elaine Keating on behalf of Soroptimist International Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead. Elaine is the Children, Young People and Families Engagement Lead at Achieving for Children, an organisation which provides a Family Hub Service providing social care, education and health services for the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead – you can click here to read more Impactful Women – Elaine Keating.
Pauline Panter presented Sally on behalf of Soroptimist International Bedford. Sally is “friendly, caring and compassionate but also very sensible and realistic” – you can click here to read more Impactful Women – Sally.
Yemisi Openeye presented Clarice Edmondson on behalf of Soroptimist International Greater London. Clarice spoke to the Club at their 100th anniversary event in Feb 2025. She cares for people who have experienced stalking – the families and friends as well as the victims. The Club had first met Clarice in 2013 when she was CEO and founder of a charity, providing six supported housing units in London for homeless men and women.
You can read about the other “Impactful Women” who were presented at the Region’s Summer Conference by clicking here and scrolling down the page: https://sigbi.org/london-chilterns/jun25/.
President Kate Belinis handed over the reins to the new Region President Rita Beaumont who then gave her inaugural address – you can click here to read it: https://sigbi.org/london-chilterns/president/
You can also click here to see the names of the Region Officers – https://sigbi.org/london-chilterns/region-officers/ We meet on Zoom and anyone is welcome to join the meeting or talk to any of the officers to find out more about getting involved with supporting the smooth running of the Region.
The official handover was at the Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland Conference in Birmingham at the end of October/beginning of November. Please click here to read all about it https://sigbi.org/london-chilterns/birmingham2025
Everyone is looking forward to the next two years with Rita Beaumont as President with the theme “Good Health and Wellbeing – the Right of Everyone”.
The next Region Conference is Saturday 13 December when it will be a Celebration of Human Rights Day on Zoom 10am to 1pm. Details will be sent to Clubs. For more dates please see the website https://sigbi.org/london-chilterns/programme/ On this page you will also find RED SILC the Region Events Diary for SI London Chilterns Region – the calendar of Soroptimist events across the Region.
This was another great conference, and we would encourage people to come along and find out for themselves what they are missing!