The July meeting, which is the first meeting of the new Inner Wheel year, was held at the Chalford House Hotel.
Pat Harper had agreed and was very happy to carry on as President for another year. Pat opened the meeting by lighting the friendship candle and welcoming everyone with special thanks to Linda Eaglesham who was taking over as Secretary from Val Algar.
She reported that 2015/16 had been a very busy year for fundraising and this year, although there would still be fund raising events, the club would be looking to give more help and support within the community.
Donations in the past year have been made to Guide Dogs for the Blind, Cancer Research, British Heart Foundation, Parkinsons, Splitz, Alzheimers, Wiltshire Air Ambulance, School in a Bag, Water Aid, Freedom from Fistula Foundation, Dorothy House Hospice, Crosspoint, Youth Action Wiltshire, Nestling Trust, Jabulani Project and District 20 Flood Fund. From the letters received all the charities were most grateful.
An outline programme was given for the coming year to include providing cakes for the Cafe in Capps Lane which is run on behalf of Alzheimers on the second Thursday of each month in the evening. Members readily agreed to do this commencing in August. Also suggestions were made to help support Crosspoint. It was agreed to provide items for the food bank to help the needy of the community and this again would be on a monthly basis. The club would also be supporting Rotary with some of their fundraising events and continuing to host them for one or two of their meetings.
The first fundraising event will be running a stall of cakes and produce etc at Bratton Village Fete on Saturday 16th July in aid of Inner Wheel Charities and member Maureen Chapman will be hosting a Tea Party on Thursday 11th August. Donations in aid of Water Aid. We will also be holding a street collection in October in aid of Splitz.
No meeting in August so the next meeting will be Thursday 1st September when the speaker will be Priscilla Gray on her work as a magistrate.
Sheila Buckton
Club Correspondent
