AN historic chapter of Inner Wheel's past and present came face-to-face when the Sale club held a dinner to mark its 80th anniversary.

For there to join their celebration on February 23 was the worldwide all-female organisation's international president.

Oluyemisi Alatise became the Inner Wheel's first international president ever to visit the Sale club after travelling more than 3,000 miles to the UK from her home in Lagos, Nigeria.

And that's when she met Sale Inner Wheel's long-serving member Isabel McNight, who had held the international presidency, herself, back in 1991. The two met up at a dinner for members and guests at the Belmore Hotel.

"It was the most important event in our calendar for at least a decade," said Ann Pilling.

"For Yemisi and Azhagu to be with us made it a truly historic evening for our club. Friendship, along with service, is one of the most important things for Inner Wheel and to welcome visitors from so far away meant a great deal to us."

Inner Wheel is one of the largest women's voluntary organisations in the world with 103,000 members in more than 100 countries.

Oluyemisi - the first African to become international president - is pictured (right) with Isabel (left), Sale Inner Wheel's current club president Ann Pilling and the international treasurer Azhagu Annamalai who travelled from Chennai, India.

For more information about Sale Inner Wheel contact the secretary - triciaanne.king@btinternet.com