Intro to Membership Scheme For the first time since its formation, the Arab British Centre (ABC) are proudly unveiling a membership scheme that will allow you to enjoy special privileges, experiences and gifts in thanks for your support and friendship. The Arab-British Centre is a registered charity, aiming to illuminate the intricacies of respective Arab and British cultures, lifestyle and beliefs in modern and accessible ways. We already possess a healthy emailing list and would be thrilled to see this grow with your friends and family. We are also looking forward to the new year and the launch of our membership package to thank you for your donations by extending our facilities and friendship further for you. Whether you choose to financially support the Arab-British Centre with a monthly amount or not, we welcome your interest in and commitment to improve and enjoy Arab-British cultures alongside each other. Membership scheme includes... With our membership scheme, you will meet guest speakers, enjoy free use of our extensive library and save on reduced rates for our meeting room hire. You’ll be the first to be notified of concerts, gigs, art exhibitions and courses in all kinds of new and interesting skills. Why not try our calligraphy classes, Arabic cookery demonstrations or Arabic language tutorials? Whether you have experienced Arabic culture first-hand yourself, have family connections or simply want to find out more and become better connected and understanding; our membership package will suit you! Come along and visit us at our centre in Gough Square; we’d love to meet you! Have a cup of tea with us and browse through our wonderful library, taking in our latest contemporary art exhibition. Perhaps you would like to meet friends or colleagues in our light and modern meeting room? As a member this will be available at a reduced rate and has all the mod-cons you might need. Get your ticket to one of our upcoming concerts in good time with our preview notifications for members, or pop in to check out our permanent art exhibition. You might even like use our exhibition space to exhibit your Arab-inspired artwork? We would love to help you promote your work as an up and coming artist via our emailing list and in any other way that we can. We look forward to more dialogue with our ABC friends and offering members more of what they like. If you have an idea for a speaker or class that relates to Arab culture, we would be delighted to organise this or aid you in organising this for your own school, college or community. If you would like to meet with us to talk and gain a better understanding of any aspect of Arab culture, we value meeting with groups of any age, and adding clarity and colour to others’ understanding. We may be biased, but we think Arabic culture is fascinating, vibrant and better understanding of any culture, in our rapidly growing modern world, is infinitely important. To satisfy your curiosity quietly, you might like to unwind in our library which has a whole range of Arabic fiction, translated into English and also plenty of non-fiction on culture, society and history of the Arab world. Background to ABC team For over 30 years, the team at the Arab British Centre have strived for better relations and understanding between our global eastern and western communities. We each possess personal interests and experiences of Arab regions, and are proud to be part of a very positive change which is gathering speed across the world. Resident Organisations Better unity and understanding between cultures is growing, and we happily subsidise a range of like-minded organisations in their similar goals. These include, the Council for Arab- British Understanding, Friends of Birzeit University, Offscreen Education Programme and Banipal. ABC also offers a limited number of sponsorship grants to worthy events which promote Arab arts and culture in the UK. If you have an event in mind, we would love to hear more about it.

Dear Sir or Madam,

The Lady R Foundation is proud to present you with this keepsake from our event on the island of Sorokdo, South Korea.

This memento tells of the wonderful experience that The Lady R Foundation brought to the people of Sorokdo; an island inhabited by sufferers of Hansen’s disease, also known as ‘Leprosy’. If you have first-hand experience, or any knowledge of the event that was held at Sorokdo, you will know of the thought, ambition and dedication this project required, as well as the enveloping happiness that touched everyone involved.

Please take 5 minutes to watch the short film and celebrate with us.

In a wonderfully symbolic event of unity, and the overcoming of an ancient stigma, the patients and inhabitants of the island joined with visitors from all over the world to listen to the incredible sounds of The Philharmonia Orchestra. The day was spent revelling in the abandonment of all worldly cares and struggles, for a precious time.

By bringing wonderful experiences, opportunities and other joyful experiences to people struggling, we will be achieving what we aim to do at The Lady R Foundation; recognising and giving a voice to those that go unseen and unheard. Following such a joyful event we simply can’t wait to bring light and joy to another part of our global society that sits in darkness, without recognition or comfort, as the world whirls by.

Today, we ask that you consider becoming a part of The Lady R Foundation’s continued charitable works, either through monetary donation, or perhaps a donation of your time, resources or skills. Should you be a continued supporter of The Lady R Foundation, we thank you deeply and look forward to bringing you news of our next event.

Kind regards,

The Lady Rothermere Foundation

Lady Rothermere is extremely dedicated to raising awareness of Hansen’s Disease (leprosy) and those who suffer from it.

-a keen supporter of classical music and the arts

-Trustee of the Philharmonia Orchestra

-Chairman of the Philharmonia’s Endowment Fund Appeal

-Patron of the British Museum

-Chairman of The Prince’s Drawing School’s Scholarship Endowment Appeal

-The first venture of The Lady R Foundation involves organising a concert to be performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra at The National Sorokdo Hospital, a community of Hansen’s sufferers, in South Korea

-She has commissioned, and is raising funds for, a documentary film to mark the life and works of Blessed Father Damien of Molokai, who was recently canonised at the Vatican for his work with leprosy sufferers in the 19th Century

-Trustee of The Prince’s Drawing School

-Trustee of a project to raise finance for a film that will follow the rebuilding of the Gwanghwamun Gate at the Gyeongbukung Palace in Seoul, Korea

- Trustee of Friends of Alola Foundation (FAF), dedicated to helping women and children in East Timor

-supports a programme to help raise funds to open a hospital in Ghana for people with spinal disorders and works with FOCOS (Foundation for Orthopedics & Complex Spine Surgery)

-she was a major contributor to the endowment fund for the Leslie H Blumgart Chair in Surgical Oncology at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre

-set up a fund to support the education of children at Siwon Orphanage, in her father’s hometown of Hampyeong

-In 2009 Lady Rothermere was awarded the Moran-Jang medal, the second highest honour given to Korean civilians by the Republic of Korea.

-Earlier this year she received the CICI Stepping Stone Bridge Award for helping Korean musicians make inroads into foreign countries and for her work with charity and volunteer programs.

-Hemihelp,

-Brecon Cathedral Choir

-Helen and Douglas House

-Macmillan Cancer Relief

-Marie Curie Cancer Care

-National Osteoporosis Society

-Korean Boystown Orchestra

-many animal charities.