Five members of Soroptimist International’s St Albans group were in the company of luminaries such as Princess Anne at a Glasgow conference.

As well as hearing a speech from Princess Anne, during the three day conference, members of Soroptimist International heard from Dame Stella Rimginton, BBC broadcaster and journalist Sarah Montague and Jo Fairley who launched Green and Black’s organic chocolate.

Soroptimist International has more than 80,000 members volunteering in 130 countries and helps shape policies advancing the progress of women at the United Nations.

The five members from St Albans has active roles at the event – Hilary Ratcliffe from Harpenden was the chief Steward and Denise Powell and Jennie Redford from Harpenden wee event stewards along with Helen Byrne from St Albans.

Jane Slatter, of Soroptimist International St Albans and District, said; “Soroptimist conferences are always amazing and this year was the best ever – meeting 1200 Soroptimist “sisters” from all over the world, hearing from the most inspiring women speakers including Princess Anne and Dame Stella Rimington – who also told us that we are amazing.

“We all felt that the conference had full recharged our Soroptimist batteries.

“St Albans club members were closely involved with the event this year making us all feel really proud and quite exhausted by the end.

“Our club president, Denise Powell, wrote a blog about Princess Anne’s speech and rounded up the event saying, ‘I personally felt we had very much received the royal seal of approval’.”