Food, security and healthcare were the topics that dominated the meeting - when members of the Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead Club of Soroptimist International met at Fredrick's Hotel in Maidenhead on Wednesday last week.

The Soroptimists are a worldwide organisation of professional women.

The speaker was Rita Beaumont, who will be campaigning on these issues for the next two years.

She is Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland's (SIGBI) Assistant Programme Director Food Security and Healthcare.

She reminded members of the importance of clean water, sufficient food and a good lifestyle for all throughout the world. Soroptimist Clubs support many projects and Ms Beaumont highlighted food banks and breakfast clubs in the UK and the Meru Women's Garden Project in Kenya.

Soroptimists continue to be concerned with the health issues affecting all women and girls especially those who have been trafficked, are in prison or in women's refuges.

Other areas of concern that Ms Beaumont will be campaigning on are the homeless, elderly, women with cancer and female genital mutilation (FGM).

The Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead Club has a full programme planned for the summer. On Sunday. July 23 it will host a fund raising garden party in aid of Windsor's Thames Hospice.

On August 16 the speaker will be from Slough Homeless Our Concern (SHOC) when members will be donating warm clothes and socks. The photograph shows Judy Nixon (left) who chaired the meeting, Rita Beaumont (centre) and Jen Simpson (right) Regional President.

If you are interested to know more about this club contact Sally Radford at sally@theradfords.org.uk or on 07887 951514