Inner Wheel Club of Andover.

The Inner Wheel Club of Andover welcomed their new President Eileen Stainton at their Annual General Meeting.

Eileen has been resident in Andover for many years and is a long standing member of this active club. She will undoubtedly bring her experience, enthusiasm and commitment to furthering the Club’s aims in the coming year.

As always the AGM was an opportunity to review the many threads of Fundraising, Community Service, International Support and social activities that Inner Wheel has engaged in over the year. In excess of £2,000 has been raised through a variety of fundraising ventures, including a coffee morning, Bridge tea, Barn Dance and a quiz evening. Donations have been made to the Philippines Appeal and other international charities, the ME Association, the Alzheimer’s Society and Whizzy Wheels. The Club was also pleased to sponsor a much needed holiday place on the Inner Wheel District Holiday scheme in Bournemouth for a lady from Andover who leads a very demanding life caring for a member of her family.

Community Service projects have included serving teas at Blood Donor Sessions, hosting Contact The Elderly tea parties, arranging a tea party at the Guild Hall, hosted by the Mayor of Test Valley for a group of visually impaired people and making regular contributions of items for Andover’s Food Bank. Members have also supported Andover Rotary Club in the organisation of various youth competitions for the Town’s school children and for their very successful Charity Concert in St Mary’s Church.

Internationally, Andover Inner Wheel Club has continued to support an orphanage in Grenada, collected haberdashery and made up box collections of such items for Tools for Self Reliance, and supported Rotary with their Christmas Shoe box Appeal. Additionally, members have collected a large number of Wellie Boots for the Philippine Community fund and knitted soft balls for inclusion in Shelter Boxes so that children can play safely in the confined space of a tent.

Ladies of Inner Wheel have enjoyed hearing a number of Guest Speakers at their monthly meetings. Over the last year Speakers covering topics as wide ranging as St Valentine and the Marriage Service, a visit to Capadocia and the history of Twinings Teas have informed and entertained members and their guests.

Past President Jan Yeo was thanked for all her work over the last year and members wished Eileen Stainton every success for her term of office.