Smiles talk for Inner Wheel members

Mrs Rosemary Dunlop from the Ballymoney Club was the speaker. Rosemary, a nurse, spoke about going to Romania under the auspices of a charity called Smiles which is based in Great Britain and America.

She told of the terrible poverty of the Roma people and the conditions in which they live. Many are in sheds that we wouldn't even consider fit to house animals.The villages are miles along cart tracks in the middle of forests.

Smiles have become involved, have built a school and medical centre and are trying to teach the people about basic hygiene and diet and make sure that food is delivered to some villages once every month.

Adrienne Wilson proposed the vote of thanks. She thanked Rosemary for speaking and said how touched the members had been by such a sad story but what wonderful work volunteers like Rosemary were doing. The Coleraine Club hope to support the charity when funds are being distributed soon.

After supper a short business meeting was held. Arrangements were made to hold the International Inner Wheel Day charity lunch (postponed from January because of ice and snow) on Friday, February 19 in the President’s home.