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.

Our member Mary Hogarth sent through a few more photos of our successful stall at the Town Fayre 

An excellent and informative talk was given by Charles Marshall of the British Red Cross. Charles spoke of the tremendous good work they do in the local community which includes their wheelchair loan service, support to the fire and ambulance services, the provision of everyday first aid training in schools and in youth groups and services that help older people to live safely in their own homes.

Our very talented Marie Gaitke completed her 2nd Year degree course in Graphic Design. Penny Robbins went to see her work displayed at the Tonbridge Campus. Marie had been working on a teach yourself German/English booklet. Marie is part of the West Kent College Design Volunteers programme and has been working with the Club to produce our material for events and publicity leaflets.

Members of the club visited Knole House Sevenoaks and a special highlights tour was arranged by Isobel Groves.  The tour included the Great hall, Cartoon gallery, Reynolds Room, Kings Room and The Orangery. The showrooms display Knole’s outstanding collection of textiles, furniture and paintings, which have all been enriched by recent cleaning and conservation.  This was a lovely social event which followed on from a talk given by Carol Cheeseman from Knole House volunteers group about Vita Sackville West at the clubs June monthly meeting.  

https://equaliteas.org.uk/ Club members Penny Robbins and Isobel Groves were invited to attend SI Tunbridge Wells club member Caroline Auckland’s Equalitea afternoon tea. This was a lovely event meeting new people, sharing a laugh and learning new facts whilst playing the Suffrragrette Boardgame. Of course, a sumptuous tea prepared by Caroline was partaken of.

Sevenoaks Club had a stall in conjunction with WaterAid at the Sevenoaks Town Fayre held at the Vine grounds. Beautiful weather, with many local stalls enjoyed by families and the children, loved the egg game!  

Members of the club attended the WW1 Celebration on the Vine in Sevenoaks with Mayor Roddy Hogarth and our member Lady Mayoress Mary Hogarth in attendance. Also, War Veteran Patrick Moore aged 97 who was in the Royal Engineers and at the D Day landings attended the short service and went onto the Town Fayre!