SI Sevenoaks held its annual President’s Lunch at St Julians Club on 23 March for President Jill Davison organised by club member Ann Hines  http://www.stjulians.co.uk/ We were very pleased to entertain 40 guests, including the Chairman of Sevenoaks District Council, Pat Bosley; Sevenoaks Town Mayor, Roddy Hogarth; and the President of SE Region, Carol Infanti. Other guests welcomed by our President were representatives from SI Bromley, SI Croydon and SI Tunbridge Wells. We were very happy to see several previous members and also a prospective member [our numbers are expanding thanks to tireless work by Past President, Sandie Higgs!]. Our loyal band of SoroptiMISTERS were there to support us and individual guests of members had come as they so often do to functions. In responding to the toast to the guests, Pat Bosley gave us a brief insight to the community work that SDC carries

We were really pleased that our speaker at the March club meeting was Linda Larter MBE chief executive and town clerk for Sevenoaks Town Council. Linda has a background of working in local politics. She outlined her areas of work and her vision for the town. She has spearheaded the regeneration of The Bat and Ball station which now has a community centre. She has established a thriving, well used and much-needed youth cafe in the town centre. Linda has been most enthusiastic about Sevenoaks entry into the South and South East England in Bloom Competition. Club members volunteered to help in the Sevenoaks gardens and have established a  partnership with the town council.  Linda was invited to join SI Sevenoaks and we are delighted that she has agreed to join. We look forward to having the benefit of her experience and hope to find more projects

Really excited to collect our new leaflets designed by West Kent College Design student Marie and club member Penny Robbins. The leaflets were displayed and handed out at our recent Quiz.

We held a very successful fun Quiz evening at Kippington Church Hall.  Monies raised on the night went to the very worthy International Charities Camfed and WaterAid and local charity SAYT (Sevenoaks Area Youth Trust).

Sevenoaks Club meets once a month on the second Tuesday in the month in the Beatrice Wilson Common Room at Rockdale Housing Association Sevenoaks. They have just set up a new Facebook page to follow their news please click the following link https://www.facebook.com/Rockdale-Housing-Association-373142319906990/ Club Member Penelope Robbins can be seen here showing some residents of Rockdale Housing Association and club members a presentation of the Soroptimist International Great Britain & Ireland (SIGBI) website and club website.  

We welcomed our Regional President Carol Infanti who attended our monthly club meeting. Carol gave us an informative talk and insight into her new position as SIGBI Assistant Programme Director for Economic Empowerment. She explained the new 5 “Ps” based on the UN Sustainable Development goals – Prosperity, People, Partnership, Planet and Peace – with an aim to helping women across the globe towards economic empowerment. Carols own particular links are with clubs in the Caribbean.

We were very proud our lovely West Kent College Graphic Design student Rachel Whitewood designed a fantastic news card which we sent to all our Soroptimist friends and friendship link.                        

In Novembers club meeting we welcomed John Ingram to speak about the Bradbourne Residents Association (BRA). Local residents have been campaigning for seven years for improvement and restoration to the Lakes. John also in his presentation explained about the history surrounding the lakes and the house, which was very informative and interesting. Link to their website http://www.bradbournelakes.co.uk  

We are absolutely delighted that Sevenoaks Town was awarded Gold in the SE Blooms Awards for both the Town Centre and The Vine gardens. Our club has been volunteer gardening each month with Nicholas Cave Town Council Garden Team  to create a Sensory garden at The Vine. Mayor Roderick Hogarth went to Eastbourne to collect the award.

Rockdale Housing Association and Residents invited members of SI Sevenoaks to their afternoon tea for friends and businesses across Sevenoaks.  This was an enjoyable community event meeting new people and residents.  It was particularly significant to us as Beatrice Wilson was a very active Soroptimist and founded Rockdale 60 years ago. Find out more information here http://www.rockdale.org.uk/about_us.  Still to this day we hold our monthly meetings in the Beatrice Wilson common room at Rockdale.