Westgate and Birchington Inner Wheel in District 12 held their 40th Anniversary Lunch on Thursday 19th October at St Augustine’s, Westgate on Sea. 62 members of 9 Inner Wheel clubs and 5 Rotary Clubs sat down to a superb 3 course meal, and then enjoyed Anniversary cake with their coffees. District 12 Chairman, Chris Head-Rapson presented joint Presidents, Margaret Hawkins and Lily Doody with a certificate signed by Assn. President Anthea Tilsley commemorating our 40th Anniversary. Following the meal, we enjoyed a musical interlude with ‘The Serenaders’ a local ladies choir. We are privileged to still have 3 founder members, (Liz Hobcraft, Chris Wilkinson and Iris Harvey) connected to our club, and they were delighted to cut the cake, which was donated by IPP Iris Harvey. All the ladies were given a red rose as a token of friendship from the club, a gift from our Treasurer, Kath Porteous. Inner Wheel Clubs represented were Broadstairs, Canterbury, Cranbrook & Hawkhurst, Crayford and Danson, Dover, Gillingham, Gravesend, Margate, Sidcup and Westgate and Birchington. Rotary clubs represented were Margate, Rye and Winchelsea, Thanet, Thanet Sunrise and Westgate and Birchington. We were also privileged to host 5 PDCs, Elizabeth Martin, Sheila Grainger, Elizabeth Weaver, Sheila Cragg and Betty Selfe MGA. President Margaret and Secretary of W and B, Hazel Hedges are also Past DCs.
Photos show DC Chris Head Rapson presenting the certificate, the three founder members cutting the cake, the Anniversary Cake, and the four executive members, Hazel Hedges, Margaret Hawkins, Lily Doody and Kath Porteous.

Once again, this year the Inner Wheel clubs of Thanet, (Margate, Westgate & Birchington and Broadstairs) joined forces with the Rotary clubs of Thanet, (Thanet, Margate, Broadstairs, Thanet Sunrise and Westgate & Birchington), to celebrate Christmas with a Carol Service, in St Thomas Church, Minnis Bay, Birchington.
The event was organised as usual by Chris Hedges, IPP Westgate & Birchington RC and MoC Hazel Hedges and Margaret Hawkins, President of Westgate & Birchington Inner Wheel.
Chris trains a choir every year to perform some special carols, and the traditional readings are all read by representatives of all the Thanet clubs. It takes place in the beautiful setting of the ‘Christmas Tree Festival’, which is held yearly. The choir rehearses every Wednesday evening from October. The congregation always joins in with gusto to sing the traditional congregational carols. Local retired vicar, Peter Russell, played the organ and Rev Mark Ham gave a bidding prayer and a final blessing.
2 Rotary clubs, W and B and Thanet Sunrise and W & B Inner Wheel club decorate a tree for the festival, usually showing their charity work throughout the year, and the Thanet Sunrise club provides mince pies and drinks.
It is a wonderful occasion which draws in people from all over Thanet, and really publicises both Rotary and Inner Wheel. This year the church was packed with 108 people. £250 was raised for local charities, and a donation of £75 was made to the church to go towards heating and lighting for the service and the tree festival

Club  Programme

October
Tues 3rd                 CAMEO at Carla’s home, 2.30pm
Wed 18th                District Meeting
Thurs 19th              40th Anniversary Lunch at St Augustine’s 12.30 for 1pm

November
Tues 7th                  CAMEO at Lynda’s home, 10.30am
Thurs 9th                 District International Rally, Charity ‘Book Bus’ Our theme is Treasure Island and we are selling jewellery.
Thurs 16th               Club meeting

December
Mon 4th to Fri 8th   Christmas Tree Festival at St Thomas Church
Thurs 7th                  Club Christmas Dinner
Fri 8th                       Joint Thanet Inner Wheel & Rotary Carol Service St Thomas Church
Wed 13th                  CAMEO at Lily’s home, 2.30pm

Afternoon Tea
In May, our joint President, Margaret, hosted an afternoon tea in her lovely garden to raise funds for the overseas charity ‘Bees Abroad’. The delicious tea was laid out in the conservatory. Guests attended from all of the Thanet clubs as well as our own members, so it was a delightful occasion and a chance to catch up with other clubs. We raised £212.
In the past year we have also had a Quiz evening and a Race Night to raise funds for our charities.