Members have been busy with a variety of events.  There was a stall at the Maidenhead Duck Derby on 26th May which raised funds for the girl we are supporting through university in Nepal.  A coffee morning was held at Irene’s home which raised money for our speakers.  On 15th May a group volunteered to help the British Heart Foundation at the Frogmore House & Garden Open Day.  Finally on 29th June there will be a stall selling jewellery at the Rotary Summer Fair in Alexandra Gardens in Windsor.

Forty members and their guests attended the Charter Lunch at Stirrups Country House Hotel near Maidenhead where they enjoyed a ‘proper’ Sunday roast in elegant surroundings.  During the year the club had raised funds for the Cancer Care Unit at Bracknell and so were delighted to welcome Jessica Higson, who is the Macmillan Matron for Oncology at Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, to receive a cheque and talk about the plans for cancer care in Berkshire.   The photograph shows Jessica with club members Irene and Sylvia.

International Women’s Day event Sunday 17th March 2010 “Opportunities for Women and Girls” This joint event with SI Thames Valley and SI High Wycombe and District was very successful with approx. 70 attendees from a number of local women’s organisations. Soroptimists from Oxford, Greater London, Hertford, and Freetown attended as well as members from the organising Clubs. We also had the Mayor of Slough, Paul Sohal, and the Deputy Mayor and Mayoress of Windsor & Maidenhead, Colin and Samantha Rayner.  I would like to thank all of you who took part for making the event go so well. The speakers were excellent and inspired everyone. DCI Christina Berenger was unable to attend at the last minute but DCI Penny MacKenzie stood in for her and spoke about issues affecting women in the Thames Valley. Ex Club member Gerry Lejeune spoke about The Berkshire Community Foundation.

After the success of last year’s Conference, three local Soroptimist International Clubs invite you to join them on Sunday 17th March 2019 at the Desborough Theatre, Town Hall, Maidenhead, SL6 1RF, from 2.00pm to 5.30pm to celebrate International Women’s Day. The theme of our Conference is: “Opportunities for Women and Girls” As a local organisation or as individuals, you are invited to join us to celebrate this unique day to learn about some of the issues faced by women locally and internationally. We also wish to raise awareness of the work that women’s organisations are doing. Our Guest Speakers include:- Gerry Lejeune OBE, CEO of Berkshire Community Foundation on Fundraising and Grant Giving to local community groups Christina Berenger, DCI, Thames Valley Police on issues facing women in the Thames Valley Alaa Fawaz (Chairman) and Raakhi Sharma (Representative) of Slough Youth Parliament – two schoolgirls

Club members enjoyed a festive evening at Fredrick’s Hotel in Maidenhead on 5th December when they got together for a Christmas meal and a happy social occasion after a busy year.  On Saturday 8th a group helped at Daniel’s Department Store in Windsor where the British Heart Foundation had arranged for Christmas presents to be wrapped by volunteers.  It proved a good opportunity to increase awareness as well as displaying the nimble fingers of some of our members.  Donations were accepted on behalf of the charity. On Sunday a large group attended a Christmas Tea Party in aid of the Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice.  Members enjoyed a wide selection of savouries and cakes and donated £110 to the charity.

During the Autumn members have been collecting goodies to make Christmas stockings for all the current residents of the refuges run by DASH.  On Thursday 28th November the stockings were filled ready to be handed out on Christmas Day.

At the club meeting on 21st November Phyllis Sigsworth was presented with a Certificate to commemorate Fifty years as a Soroptimist.  Phyllis was a member of SI Morpeth for many years before she moved south to join the Home Office and came to live in Maidenhead.  She was also presented with a bouquet by the club.  Earlier in the evening a speaker from The Medaille Trust talked about the work of the Trust in aiding victims of trafficking. The charity currently operates nine houses in England, providing support and help to people freed from exploitation. They provide a safe place to stay, and both physical and mental aid.  

SI Slough Windsor & Maidenhead took a stand at the always busy Charities Fair in Maidenhead on Saturday 3rd November at the Desborough Hall.  Many local churches and charities participate each year in order to raise funds for a wide range of local activities.  Its a great place to stock up on Christmas presents and marmalade!  The Fair presented us with our first chance to use the new banners which the club purchased recently and this certainly helped to signpost the stand.  There were baubles and silk items on sale in addition to handbags and jewelry created in the Philippines from recycled materials such as ring pulls and magazines.  Twelve members helped during the day and the event raised awareness of the club as well as fund raising for the Purple Community Fund which aims to help poverty stricken families and communities transform their own lives

Soroptimists from Slough Windsor and Maidenhead Club have just returned from a 2-week trip to Nepal. Whilst overseas they visited their sister Soroptimist club in Kathmandu allowing them to personally present a donation of money to the Nepalese club. This money will help the Nepalese ladies to continue with their projects educating and enabling women to help themselves. They spent the afternoon enjoying the generous Nepalese hospitality whilst sharing information on their latest club projects and heard how the destructive earthquake of 2015 had impacted Kathmandu. It was explained that one of the results had been the dramatic increase in trafficked children from the country and how the club was working with various non-government organisations to help combat this serious problem. Whilst in Nepal the members travelled into the “hills” to visit several Pahar Trust schools and a medical centre. The Pahar Trust was the