Past Presidents’ Charities
November 2008 to April 2010 Patricia Painting
“Education – it’s never too late” was the theme for the period. This led to some interesting talks on a variety of topics, including: life on the amateur stage; the contribution of wildlife bodies to educational programmes; views on the importance of education programmes in prisons from a prison governor and a former life prisoner. 
We also heard about the Kidbrooke School Teen Talk Project; how Shirley High became a performing arts college; about the Croydon Family Learning Week; and the important benefits of Music Therapy. To link with this education theme, the Helena Kennedy Foundation was the charity chosen as the main focus of the Club’s fundraising. A total of £3369 was raised which paid for two bursaries – one for law and one for medicine – awarded in September 2010.
2007-2008 (Nov) Jean Naish and Penny Veness
“Caring and Sharing” had been the theme of Presidents Jean and Penny and the interesting speakers were all involved in ‘caring’ in some way, and ranged from fighting illicit trafficking of women and girls, to the founding of a local ecology centre. For their 18 month term of office, they chose The Young Carers Support Project as their charity. This project is a part of Off The Record, a local agency for young people who live, work or study in Croydon. It began in 1997 and has grown into a service that provides support and advocacy for around 370 children and young people who care for a parent or sibling. At their Outgoing Supper, a cheque for £2,400 was presented to the Croydon Young Carers Support Project.
2006-2007 Lynette Richards-Murray
Croydon Women’s Aid was the main charity chosen by the president for support during the year. CROYDON AND DISTRICT CLUB has been a long-term supporter of the refuges run by CWA. This year we focussed our efforts on those families leaving the refuge and starting a new life in the community. The 2000+ raised will go towards the purchase of home starter packs of basic cooking utensils and cleaning products for those early days when there is so much to do in a new home.
2005-2006 Patricia Painting
The environment and fair trade were the themes for the year. The programme included talks on trade justice, on how climate change is measured, the ‘digital divide’ in Africa, the BedZED Sustainable Living Programme, and successful wood recycling in Brighton. During the year CROYDON CLUB supported WATERAID which, with its partners, uses practical solutions to provide safe water to the world’s poorest people through projects that integrate domestic water provision, sanitation and hygiene education. WaterAid
2004-2005 Jean Naish
CROYDON CLUB was encouraged to Reach out to the local community” and one of the ways we did this was to undertake a survey of transport problems experienced by the elderly in the borough. Croydon Neighbourhood Care Association (CNCA) was the charity chosen for the year, an umbrella organisation offering neighbourhood care in Croydon to some 47,000 people. The charity has more than 1,300 volunteers who provide a variety of services to help isolated, vulnerable or frail people in the borough. A lasting legacy from President Jean is the laying of a Soroptimist wreath at the annual Croydon Remembrance Day Service, which she instituted in 2005.
Croydon Neighbourhood Care Association (CNCA)
2003-2004 Juliet McDonald
The Orpheus Centre, based in Godstone, was the focus of this year’s fundraising efforts. The Orpheus Centre is an inclusive, residential performing arts centre founded by Richard Stilgoe in 1998 to give everyone the opportunity to take part in making music and performing arts. Facilities include first class accommodation for 30 people, kitchens, workshop rooms, multi-media studios, music technology and recording studios, a fully equipped theatre and landscaped grounds. Orpheus Centre, Godstone
2002-2003 Meera Kohli
This year the club supported Learning For Life, a charity which supports children’s education in Asia, focusing on girls, refugees and the rural poor. Since 1993, the charity has funded 250 schools and teacher training projects, bringing quality schooling to over 20,000 children, with little or no access to education. Learning for Life
2001-2002 Vilma McKenzie
The Aplastic Anaemia Trust was the chosen charity for this year. Aplastic anaemia is a life threatening form of bone marrow failure. Few people know about this disease despite the fact that it is as common as some types of leukaemia and just as devastating. President Vilma was the driving force behind the establishment of the Volunteers In Action group and the annual Young Carers’ Tea Party. Through her contacts in Croydon Council, President Vilma also worked tirelessly to obtain for the club, the honour to display the Croydon Council Badge on all our stationery. Aplastic Anaemia Trust
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