Association President


Liz Thomas Dear Inner Wheel Friends


I can’t ever remember a year that has gone by so fast! It seems only yesterday that I set off in July in great trepidation for the first Rallies. Since then trains, planes, coaches and cars have taken me from Aberavon to Alderley Edge, Dublin to Devon, Forfar to Felixstowe, visiting so many places for the first and I hope not the last time. In short, ”so many miles, so many smiles.”


The District Rallies are all different but with two things in common – the warmest of welcomes and the most wonderful friendship – and what wonderful friends I have made.


The past few weeks have been very hectic. After almost two years of planning, the 2018 Conference in Bournemouth was over in a flash. In spite of the snow causing disruption and travel problems at the start, all went well in the end thanks to Conference Chairman Margaret and her Committee. For me, the stars of the show were Ralph, the Medical Detection Dog, actually at work on stage, the astronaut, Helen Sharman, and The Opera Boys. It was disappointing that we could not do our dare-devil zip wire descent but are planning to in June.


This was followed by the very enjoyable RIBI Conference in Torquay, hosted by President Denis Spiller and his wife Penny. Keynote speakers included H.R.H. The Princess Royal and Angela Rippon who spoke on dementia. Jill Cobley (IWC of Otter Valley, D.17) ran an Inner Wheel stand in the Rotary Showcase for the first time and attracted interest – well done Jill!


I am very lucky that this is a Convention year and Melbourne was a marvellous opportunity to connect with fellow members from 47 countries and exchange views on the future of Inner Wheel. The message from Melbourne is that Inner Wheel must adapt; change is vital if it is to flourish and I encourage Clubs to take full advantage of open membership and to make meetings fresher and less formal to appeal to a new generation.


I am writing this on the Ghan train on the way from Adelaide to Alice Springs now that there is some welcome downtime before I begin the last two months of this Inner Wheel year, looking forward to the last eight Rallies - see your President up close and personal with a gorgeous koala called Edmund on the cover.


I know that for many this has been a challenging year and I thank the District Chairmen for their hard work and dedication. Thanks also go to all those who have taken office this year, including my fellow Executive Committee members, for their commitment to Inner Wheel and a big thank you to everyone for all you do in the name of Inner Wheel, not forgetting Melanie, Helen and Cassie at Warwick Square. A very special thank you for the tremendous support you have given me and Children’s Hospices.


My very best wishes go to President Elect Ann and her team for a happy, rewarding and enjoyable 2018/19.


Sightboxes for the Gambia


I am a member of Neston Inner Wheel and Chester Riverside Rotary and Ambassador of Sightbox. I give a lot of my time to work with the visually impaired children at St Vincent’s School, Liverpool and having taken the first Sightbox to a school in Nepal in Feb 2017, I have now just got back from taking another two boxes to two different schools in The Gambia.


What an experience it was to work with the visually impaired and give them something to help change their lives by building their confidence and team spirit in sport. Looked after by Bijilio Rotary Club, I was asked to go live on City Radio with a phone-in session, be interviewed and videoed by National TV which went out on National News, give a report to the National press and meet not only the Principal Director of Education for Special Needs but also the Head of Government for Health and Social Welfare.


Now back home I am continuing to raise funds so that Sightboxes will continue to travel the world and make a difference.


Angela Williams MoC D18


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Innerwheel


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