Highlights this month -
- Member of the Month - Julie Goatham
- Book Club - An extract from "The Shadow of the Winds" by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
- Gardening - Chris's August is all about the rewards of a lovely garden
Message from our President
Bienvenue!
Welcome to the website of the Dordogne Ladies Club International. We are a vibrant and enthusiastic community of women of all ages and nationalities (with English as the lingua franca) who have settled across a wide area of the Dordogne. The DLCI was formed almost 35 years ago with the original aim of cultural exchange and providing mutual support for new lives in another country and we remain true to that today. There are many opportunities to meet regularly, both informally and through more structured events, which are designed both to entertain and inform. We enjoy exploring the beautiful countryside through our guided walks. We are also very proud to acknowledge that we raise significant funds for local charities. Some of our members work and many, though retired, are active on a voluntary basis in our local communes. Some of us have been in France for many years and others have only just arrived. Whatever your situation, you will find a warm welcome from the DLCI. I hope I have whetted your appetite and that after you have browsed our website, you will get in touch! I feel very privileged to belong to such an active and friendly association and I look forward to meeting you in the near future. Cordialement Kathy John |
Book Club Passage
The Dordogne Ladies Book Club Extract from The Shadow of the Winds by Carlos Ruiz Zafon “ We are now back! Our first outdoor book club meetings took place in June in Monpazier and Bergerac and everyone reported how nice it was to get back together again. There were lots of books to discuss as you can imagine after such a long confinement. Everyone's feedback about what they had been reading and enjoying was shared and enjoyed by all.
Our next meetings are scheduled for - Bergerac at Rody Chocolaterie, Rue du Mourier, Bergerac at 10.30am on the 3rd September. We will be reviewing our chosen book - The Shadow of the Winds by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Monpazier Group are meeting Thursday 2nd September at 'Bière de la Bastide', 14 Rue Saint-André, 24540 Monpazier, at 3 p.m. If you wish to attend please contact Sue Morrison. This month's book, which we will be discussing, is The Shadow of the Winds by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Keep an eye on the DLCI book club facebook page for updates. The book club page on Facebook has the reviews of the books the group has read and we encourage all members to share their reading experiences with us. To join the Book Club or for more information please email: Patricia.a.fielding@gmail.com Once you join you will receive a copy of our book list and have access to our Facebook page. |
Gardening Column
|
|
Member of the Month -August 2021 Julie Goatham
My Story - Julie Goatham
My love affair with France began aged 14. A school trip to Normandy, staying in the small seaside town of Saint-Pair-sur-Mer and including visits to Mont St Michel, the Bayeux tapestry and the beaches of Arromanches, was the catalyst. This was augmented by a trip to Paris in the 6th form. This feeling was cemented by numerous trips to the Champagne region, the war graves and the Ardennes whilst living in the French (Walloon)-speaking region of southern Belgium and enhanced by learning to ski in the French Alps. We also introduced my parents-in-law, Margery and Jim Goatham to the same delights. They enjoyed it so much that they moved to France in 2005 and Margery was encouraged to join the DLCI by friends who were already members and living in France. We finally moved here in 2008 and I realised my dream, buying a property, which incorporated a gite. Margery dragged me to a DLCI lunch about 5 months after I arrived. The first 3 ladies I met were much older than I and were respectively, in a wheelchair, using a walking frame and the third, walking sticks. So aged just 45, I was thinking “Oh gosh!” Then on entering the room fully, I discovered lots of women of various ages. But I quickly learnt not to be so judgmental and that these ladies were so interesting, so diverse and that I could learn so much from them and the Club and enjoy myself. 7 months later Margery persuaded me to put my name forward to join the DLCI Committee. After that I had various roles - Membership Secretary, Events Coordinator, Vice President and President. Then after a short time off the Committee I returned and became Secretary. There were challenges whilst on the Committee, but it was always rewarding as I was in the company of truly admirable ladies, all giving up their time to benefit the Club. I thoroughly enjoy the events, the lunches, the talks, the trips to the opera and the ballet, the quizzes and so on. I have got to know lots of new restaurants and places, and meet some fascinating and lovely ladies and I have made some lifelong friends. So thank you to the DLCI. |
Members on the MapYou are never far away from another member; we are in total - over 100 members across the region. Everyone who comes along to a lunch will be given a badge. Each badge includes a small dot in different colours. This indicates members who live in similar areas so if you spot someone with the same colour take the opportunity to say hello. Pink dots - Bergerac and surrounding area Green dots - South East Blue dots - South West Yellow dots - North East Red dots - North West Events are held in different parts of the region so you will have the opportunity to join activities close by. Our previous 6 months of Members of the Month articles - Click on the members name to read the members stories
June 2021 - Gillian Beattie May 2021 - Juliet Acland April 2021 - Sheila McPhee February 2021 - Mary Clabaut December 2020 - Philippa Tillyer November 2020 - Evelyn Bernardi |
Charities
The Dordogne Ladies Club International was founded to provide friendship and support as well as to raise money for local charities. We aim to do this in a way that is sustainable and maintains the beautiful environment in which we live. We look after our planet the way she looks after us.
We are proud that in the last five years we have given in excess of 20,000 euros in donations to local charities chosen by our members. Each year the members will nominate and choose new charities to receive the donations.
We are proud that in the last five years we have given in excess of 20,000 euros in donations to local charities chosen by our members. Each year the members will nominate and choose new charities to receive the donations.
