Celebrating our 30th Anniversary in style!
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We celebrated our big anniversary with panache on 28th June, enjoying wonderful company and fabulous entertainment at London’s Caledonian Club, where we honoured our past and looked ahead to an exciting future.
Julie Goldstein, IWF UK Chair, paid tribute to the founders and former chairs of the organisation, recounting the many milestones since our beginnings in 1989. Pictured with their bouquet tributes are, left to right: Susan Young, Julie, Liza Macdonald Sears, Barbara Hosking, Geraldine Sharpe-Newton, and Mei-Sim Lai.
IWF Global Vice President Anne Duncan, a long-standing member of the UK forum, then spoke about the importance of promoting and amplifying the voices and impact of our members, who are game-changers in their diverse fields.
The evening’s entertainment included singer Julia Sequeira and the Henry Binning Jazz Quartet, a raffle of glittering prizes drawn by the inimitable Barbara Hosking, a testing quiz covering IWF UK’s three decades, set by our member Melanie Czarra, and amazing guest magician Louise Douglas.
Kathryn Pretzel-Shiels, head of the programme committee, was our superb Master of Ceremonies, and thanks were given to her, Louise Cowen IWF UK administrator, members of the programme committee and to the many generous members who contributed their time, expertise and donations to make it such a special evening.
As an extra touch, the dinner tables were named after the UK forum’s founders – Katharine Whitehorn, Heather Brigstocke, Mary Baker, Barbara Hosking, Rosalind Gilmore – and the first Chairs, Jean Denton, Pam Garside and Moira Black. (See photo below)
Alison Maitland
