SLOUGH CLUB In 1947 the Club was formed by 11 wives of Slough Rotarians and its Charter was granted. Since that time the membership has provided continuous service to the local community as well as internationally, and has raised a substantial amount of money to help the disadvantaged and those in need. At the same time the objects of the Association of Inner Wheel Clubs have been upheld with the formation of true friendships both within the Club and the wider organisation. We are very supportive of our Rotary Club and mutually provide assistance when needed, as well as joining together socially and for trips at home and abroad. In May 2007 the Club celebrated its Diamond Anniversary with a luncheon for past and present members and Slough Rotarians and their partners at a prestigious local hotel and looked back over 60 years of fun, fellowship, fundraising and service. Since the early days the Club has always kept up with the changing lives and roles of women and has always been imaginative and progressive when programme planning. Again we have a full programme of events in our Calendar as we look forward to another successful year. KEEPING FUN IN FUNDRAISING:
Our most ambitious fund raising event was our BOLLYWOOD BALL – A Glittering Spectacular Evening where ‘East met West’. In addition to the wonderful buffet of Indian and European cuisine, saris could be hired – dressing by experts. There was dancing, a cabaret, Indian head massage, exotic hand painting, palmistry, fortune telling and much more. Nearly 300 people enjoyed a superb evening raising many thousands of pounds which was shared between Nyambani, The Home for HIV Positive Orphans in Kenya, and a Tanzanian Charity supporting leprosy victims. Active Membership is now open to female relatives of present and past Rotarians and Inner Wheel or Rotaract members, female Rotarians either past or present or female partners of male Rotarians. INTERNATIONAL ACTION: Always ready for action when disaster strikes, following the tsunami members filled 7 aquaboxes with a selection of useful hardware, hygiene items and educational materials to be sent to the affected regions. Once emptied these boxes could be used to purify up to 1,100 litres of polluted water (enough to fill 5,000 cups - a basic supply for 4 people for about four months). The annual Champagne Lunch held in the garden of one of our members has not only provided members, their partners and guests with a delicious summer lunch but has also raised a significant amount of money for overseas charities.
A life’s first, was abseiling down from the roof of the Twickenham Sports stadium, an achievement by another member who wanted to celebrate her special birthday and raise funds for cancer research. SOME SERVICE COSTS VERY LITTLE Assisting in a League of Friends hospital shop.
RELAXATION AND FRIENDSHIP The above is just a flavour of how we have enjoyed meeting the objects of our Association in the 21st century. If you would like to get invited, inspired and involved, Contact Us, you will be most welcome. TWO OF THE BENEFICIARIES FROM OUR CHARITY LUNCHES
Above left: A new scooter to assist disabled shoppers Above right: A new blood pressure monitor for a local maternity unit Below: The official tree planting ceremony by the 2004/05 Mayor of Slough, Councillor Julia Long at Wexham Park Hospital.
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Our annual President’s Charity Luncheon, with a 3 course meal prepared and served by our members, has yielded many thousands of pounds for needs such as vital hospital/health projects, a mobility scooter for Slough Shopmobility, Thames Valley Adventure Playground, Tommy’s, to name but a few. The lunch has also provided an opportunity for our Rotarians to act as wine waiters and washers up – we like the help, they appreciate the plaudits meted our by our guests.
One of our members, a keen golfer, organised a Highland Games Evening at her home when members and guests participated in challenges like “Tossing the caber, Chipping over a bunker, Ladder golf, Boules” and the like, all followed by traditional Scottish fare of haggis, stoved howtowdie, rumbledethumps and salmon, rounded off with Cranachans or Butterscotch meringue pie. Fun and laughter was had by all and the profit went a long way towards the £2000 we needed to purchase a water pump (still intact and working well) for the Darfur region in Sudan. 
