International Programme Director Hilary Ratcliffe represented Soroptimist International at a reception hosted by Queen Elizabeth II. This reception was held in celebration of Commonwealth Day (March 14th) and Her Majesty’s diamond jubilee. She reports back from an eventful evening, plus a brief history lesson!
“Pussy cat, pussy cat where have you been?
I`ve been to London to visit
the Queen” *
Or so runs the nursery rhyme, written in the 16th Century for Queen Elizabeth I.
Well I am not exactly a pussy cat but I did
go, on your behalf, to London to visit the Queen. Last Monday 12th was Commonwealth Day. It is a
great day of celebration for all that the Commonwealth stands for. We have
Commonwealth member countries throughout all four Federations so it is right and proper that we
get involved in these events.
We have been very active through the Commonwealth Foundation over the past 12 months as an affiliated Civil Society Organisation. Many of you will have read the news stories and reports from the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting held in Perth in November. SI was represented by Past President
Margaret Lobo and SISWP Programme Director Robyn Cain. In March last year our SIHQ staff, President Alice and I attended a parliamentary event celebrating the 2011 theme ‘Women Agents of Change‘. We have also been to several meetings and consultations held for NGOs affiliated with the Commonwealth on the future of the Commonwealth and the role of NGOs. And exactly a year ago, President Alice attended the 2011 Commonwealth Day reception and also had the honour of meeting the Queen!
Given all the great work we have accomplished together this past year, in all Commonwealth countries, it was with great pride that I
represented SI at the Commonwealth Day reception. It was held at Marlborough House in London. It is a
magnificent building! With my tourist guide hat on I can tell you it was
built originally by Sarah Churchill as her London home in the
early 18th century. She and her husband, John Churchill, built Blenheim Palace near Oxford and she was
for a time the great favorite of Queen Anne. She was also the ancestress of
Diana, Princess of Wales. She was a feisty lady and perhaps would have made a
good Soroptimist!
I was able to talk with several High
Commissioners (ambassadors) from countries where we have members including Malawi,
the Solomon Islands, St Vincent
and the Grenadines, India and
Bangladesh. I also met the High Commissioner from Belize
and when I said we did not have clubs in her country she said we must have
Soroptimists there! So a challenge for the future!
I was able to speak to the Queen and felt very privileged to represent us and make us known as a relevant and
important organisation in a world forum.
- Visit the website to see photos from the event. If you scroll through the set until the third one from the end you can see me meeting the Queen!
* The story of the rhyme: One of the ladies in waiting of Queen
Elizabeth Ist had a cat which roamed throughout her castle at Windsor. On
one occasion the cat ran under the throne and startled the Queen. Luckily she found it funny and decreed that the cat could wander about
the throne room, as long as s/he kept it free of mice!