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The Womens Royal Voluntary Service in 2009
(posted: 2010-01-04)

A short autumn update on our latest activities.

On 26 September 2009 the Car Boot Sale in Carcavelos market was another successful event. With 51 cars taking part we raised €1,300.00 and this was delivered to ‘O Século’ on 4 November towards their project for a shelter for victims of domestic abuse and violence.





On 24th Sept The WRVS was represented at the IWP Activities Fair where we gave information to potential members and at which 4 ladies joined. Some of our members are also IWP members and they raise funds for our charities through the coffee mornings and lunches they organize there.

On 20th Oct our speaker at the Social Tea at Quinta Da Fonte (QdF) was Wing Commander Stephanie Johnston (Ret’d) It was a privilege to hear her stories of commitment and a way of life that most of us only imagine or catch a glimpse of when watching the news or on Remembrance Day. Her sense of humour in sharing tales of some of her 'scrapes', balanced the more sombre reality of all our Armed Forces' dedication.



On 7th Oct we celebrated the 70th Anniversary of the WRVS in Portugal. Our Honorary President, Mrs Teresa Ellis invited us to hold the event at the British Residence. We said a huge thank you to all the members of WRVS who, through the past 70 years, made this day important enough to commemorate.



Over several weekends in Oct Member Simon Webb and friends prepared and painted corridors in QdF. Pat Westheimer gave a well documented talk at the social tea on 17th Nov about her recent experience teaching English at a university in China this summer, and her trip to Datong’s Hanging Monastery. On Dec 15th Margot Dias delighted everyone with a fun and engaging quiz. We have had our last Social Tea before Christmas, but we have lots more to organise and find speakers for, in the New Year.

At this time of year we organise the distribution of Christmas gifts, which includes all the lovely knitting done by our members over the year. We distribute gifts to many, such as Pisao, home for the mentally retarded in Alcabideche. the Salvation Army Children’s home in Sintra, and the Irmas do Bom Pastor. Always ongoing are trips to visit charities and helping with shopping and visiting. If you would like to be involved in any activity, let us know ahead of time or watch for the emails with the information on timings to add your name to the team going.

As we have sold almost all of our WRVS cookery books we would like to gather a team together to create a new one. If you are interested please contact Ruth Hurst.

Our special commemorative Tea cloths are on sale at €5. You can find them at our Social Teas and other gatherings, or from any of our Committee. They would make excellent gifts, especially light for posting back to the UK!



The WRVS Committee wish you a happy and healthy New Year.
wrvsportugal@gmail.com Heather Shiell, Chairman.