Federation Programme Director: Hilary Ratcliffe

I would like to introduce myself to you all. I have been a Soroptimist for over 25 years. I belonged initially to the Chesterfield club and was a member of Midland East region. I was the club president for the 40th anniversary year. We then moved to the London area and came to live in Harpenden and so I transferred to the St Albans club.

I became club president and then became London Chilterns regional president. From there, my Soroptimist life took on a new and very exciting direction becoming the programme action representative for the region. I was elected as the chair of the UK programme action committee. This was both a challenge and a great opportunity.

I was enabled to represent Soroptimist International of Great Britain and Ireland at the 6O group of top women's organisations, work with our partners at UNICEF, UNIFEM and progress our representation at the Council of Europe and as a member of the Parliamentary and Scientific committee.

The main joy, however, was working with a committee of women who, when asked to do something, said YES and got on with it: what a privilege. That has led to an exciting new role as Assistant Programme Director for Education. Reading about all the work that clubs do in the field of education has been interesting ,exciting and humbling. We do so much and are unsung. We must be proud of our achievements. The APD team is great to work with and has, I believe, helped to raise the importance of the work we do.

Now it is the challenge of working with you all as Programme Director. I hope to meet many of you, visit your projects, report your work as a vital part of a worldwide organisation working to improve the lives of women and girls.

In my spare time!!! I am married with three children, three grandchildren and a husband who supports me all the way. I work as a freelance London tourist guide working mainly for a company called Original London walks.

I hope to meet many of you at Soroptimist events or, come on a walk and I will show you around!