The Inner Wheel Club

On the evening of Saturday November18, the Inner Wheel Club of Dunmow held their annual overseas evening at the Rowena Davey Centre. This year, the theme was South African. The club is very fortunate to have a member, Shevonne Marriott, born in South Africa and living there until shortly after Nelson Mandela had been freed from prison in 1990. June Milne holds the post of overseas organiser within the club and she worked closely with Shevonne to give a South African atmosphere to the day centre's dining room. It was adorned with strings of South African flags, South African flowers, picturesque South African table-mats and table-cloths. President Brenda Smith welcomed everyone to the special event in the club's calendar, while June Milne in her turn introduced Shevonne Marriott so that she could tell members a little of her life in her formative years in South Africa. Shevonne described in heart-warming detail her young days when she walked, ran and played with her native South African friend in complete friendship, and with her advancing years the dawning realisation that her happy life was so different from that of the native population. She concluded with her experience of the release of Nelson Mandela, his tumultuous acclamation by his people and her comprehension that it would perhaps be a good time to leave South Africa and begin a new life in England and now in the relatively few years she had been in this country she accepts it unquestionably as her home. When the applause died down a very interesting South African meal was served, including a main course of Bobotie, voted by all to be delicious. Between this and the selection of sweets, June presented a short "international" quiz. This was hotly contested and the honours were shared between vice-president Olga Burrell's table and Rotary immediate

past president Phil Milne's team with friends from Bishop's Stortford. Following the results of the raffle, it was the happy task of district member of the council and member of Bishop's Stortford Inner Wheel Club, Margaret Webb, to thank the Dunmow Club for all their hard work and meticulous organisation in providing all with such a happy and enjoyable evening. It was then June's turn to thank everyone, give a list of the type of overseas charities we would be subscribing to, and to announce that the evening would, she hoped, raise between £700 and £800 for these charities. President Brenda Smith concluded the evening with wishing everyone a safe journey home.