A Royal Chapter

Who We Are...

You are invited to join us and have fun, you may come as a guest on three occasions but we are sure once you have enjoyed our company you will wish to join our friendly Ladies group
The Ruby Belles are a 'Private' group run specifically for it's Members

First Year Full Membership £20.00

Includes Your Royal Title Badge plus a British Red Hatters Badge
Occasion Cards & Gifts, Newsletters when published, plus big '0' Birthdays receive a bottle of Champagne or £15 Donation to a charity of choice

Subsequent years £15.00

OTHER INFORMATION

We are a Self Funding / Non Profit Making Organisation

We are not a Charity or affiliated to any Charitable Organisation

Linda, Queen LindyLou's Registration with the Red Hat Society is Annual (September)
Only Linda, Queen LindyLou is a Registered Member of the Red Hat Society

Individual Membership of the Ruby Belles is Annual (September)
Members joining in July and August will have the benefit of free months

All Members are required to complete a Registration Form and Disclaimer

All Members Must Agree to Wear Purple on the Shoulder and Red on the Head
(Lilac and Pink if under 50)

Our Ladies choose their own Royal Titles, usualy based on a hobby, favourite flower or gem stone, where they live or were born. If you need help choosing a title please look at our 'Royal Titles - Page 17

We currently have over 30 Members

Each Member will contribute to events equally including Linda Queen LindyLou
whilst the aim is to achieve a free flowing democracy in the rare event of disagreements within the Chapter then the Queen's Monarchy rules and as founder and leader of the chapter her decisions are final

Friends of the Ruby Belles Membership £7.50 Annually
Attendance at six only events in year plus Anniversary and Christmas Events

The Ruby Belles are based on Friendship, Fun, Support and Respect

We are waiting to Meet You Contact Us Now...

What Do We Do?

Since our chapter was founded in September 2007 our members have taken part in the 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 London New Year’s Day Parade.

We have attended Newmarket Ladies Day 07,08,09,10 & 11,Visited the Bank of England and the Mansion House, Brick Lane Music Hall in London and the Royal Hospital Chelsea

We have enjoyed visits to the Theatre, Craft Centre's, Open Gardens, been messing about on the River Deben in Suffolk attended Garden Parties and had fun with annual visits to New Hall Vineyards and the Strawberry Fair at Hyde Hall Gardens. We also visited the Spalding Flower Parade in 2008 and our Queen actually took part in 2007 on the Red Hat Society float. In 2009 we had a tour of the 2012 Olympic Park in Stratford London

At the Sandringham Flower Show 09, our Queen presented Prince Charles with seeds for the Official Red Hat Society Sweet Pea and he promised to grow them at Highgrove. Our Queen was complimented on her hat by Camilla Duchess of Cornwall and several Ruby Belles also had the chance to meet Charles & Camilla, We had a return visit in 2010, when again the couple greeted our members

We also attended British Red Hatters Conventions in Colchester (2007), Swindon (2008), Portsmouth (2009) and Bideford (2010) & Brighton (2011). The Official Launch of the Red Hat Sweet Pea at RHS Wisley and joined our Sister Red Hatters for Lunch at Queens College Cambridge to celebrate the 10th Birthday of the Red Hat Society and enjoyed with over 100 Red Hatters the 11th birthday celebration in Stamford Lincs, and the 12th birthday in Norwich

We have enjoyed gatherings in Marlow with the Marlow Angels and in Brighton with the Brighton Belles plus received visitors from the USA, Canada, & Australia

We meet regularly for Lunch and on occasion for Morning Coffee or Afternoon Tea, also we have a monthly Dinner date, plus every couple of months we meet for a Sunday Lunch

In September 2008 we visited Liverpool European City of Culture for a 5 day Tour

Our Queen & Vice Queens attend the annual Gatherings of British Red Hat Society Queens, Littlecoat Manor Hungerford (2009), Nidd Hall Harrogate (2010) and we hosted the 2011 at Holme Lacey House in Hereford

We are waiting to Meet You Contact Us Now...

We Have No Boundaries

We are based in Witham Essex and welcome new members from anywhere in the County and beyond and proud to also have members from further afield too

We Encourage Car Share

Our Members Locations : Essex

Benfleet ~ Burnham-on-Crouch ~ Chelmsford ~ Clacton   Colchester ~ Frinton-On-Sea ~ Kelvedon ~ Mark's Tey
Mundon ~ North Hanningfield ~ Witham

Out of County Members...

Enfield Middlesex
Liverpool Merseyside

Out of UK Honorary Members ...

Joan Queen Bee ~Bribie Island ~ Queensland Australia
Jeanette ~ Empress Red Peppar ~ Queensland Australia
Stef Min Mum ~ Perth Western Australia
Lin Queen of Fun & Laughter ~ Brisbane Australia
The Divaliscious LuLu ~ Nashville Tennessee

We are waiting to Meet You Contact Us Now...

Spreading The Red

The Ruby Belles of Witham love nothing better than Meeting and Greeting fun loving sisters from around the UK and Overseas

We are happy to Meet and Greet with a warm welcome our Sisters from the Red Hat Society, Blue Thong Society, Black Hat Banshees, Rainbow Hatters, Canadian Sisterhood, Kaliedoscope and LOTH (Ladies of the Hat)
Or any like minded group of Ladies

If you wish us to organise a Meet & Greet with you please send us a message via our Contact page

Details and Photos of our Meet and Greets can be found on this website and more photos are included in our photo album pages for each year

We are waiting to Meet You Contact Us Now...

Sisterhood

Being with friends who accept me for who I am and not what they want or expect me to be
Being able to talk freely without animosity and if there is a misunderstanding, being able to say "I'm sorry" and move on
Being able to give and take without being taken for granted
Being able to accept that we may not all be like-minded but it's okay to be different
Sharing ideas but being sure to give credit where credit is due
Being there to lend a shoulder or a hand when times are bad
Being able to rejoice for the other instead of being jealous of that person's good fortune
Understanding the difficulties the other is going through
Being loyal and trustworthy, not being judgmental, prejudiced, or a backstabber
Being supportive and encouraging, helpful without showing superiority or arrogance
Appreciating the person for what she is and not what she can do for you
Being a team player

It is easier to speak of sisterhood than to actually be able to achieve it.

Subscriptions, Pound Purse and Raffles

The details below are decisions made by the Founding Members on the 05/09/2007

Annual Subscription
All members including the Queen would pay Annual Subscription to be members of the Ruby Belles

The Queen's Registration with the Red Hat Society will be paid Annually by the Chapter

First Year Subscription £10 includes Royal Title Name Badge and a British Red Hatters Badge
Amendment: 05/09/2009 ~ First Year £15
Subsequent Years Subscription £7.50
Amendment: 05/09/2009 ~ Susequent Years £10
Amendment 05/09/2011 ~ First Year £20 Subsequent £15

Subscriptions Costs May Be Subject To Change

The Pound Purse
The Pound Purse will be circulated at most gatherings, the £1 Donation is Optional, Thank You

Raffles
Raffles are a fun way of raising funds for the Chapter and will be held throughout the year
Donations of Raffle Prizes are Gladly Accepted at Any Time

Only a Raffle or a £ Purse at any one event, never both

How We Spend The Funds Raised
The Chapter always try to spend the funds wisely, Linda Queen LindyLou does not gain financially from Chapter Funds, and pays exactly the same as all members for Subscriptions and Events

Chapter Expenses
Queen's Annual Registration with the Red Hat Society approx £26 pa
Annual Registration and Hosting Costs for this Website approx £69.00 pa
Royal Titles Badges for Each Member approx £14.00 each
British Red Hatters Badge for Each Member approx £2.50 each
Champagne for Members with 'O' Birthdays or a £15 charity donation for the birthday gal
Raffle Prizes
Gifts and Officiating Costs ~ Coronations for other Chapters
Printing Paper and Printer Cartridges
Postal Charges: Letters ~ Newsletters ~ Tourist and Chapter Information Sent to Overseas Contacts
Receipt Books
Small Gifts for Visiting Queens and / or their Ladies
The Occasional Small losses on organised events
Amendment: 05/09/2009 ~ All Restaurant & Tour Tips

The Accounts are available for Inspection by any Member at any time, please feel free to make enquiries at anytime

Ruby Belles ~ Constitution

                 Ruby Belles

              Official Chapter

         of the Red Hat Society

                                      Chapter I D 74534

         CONSTITUTION

Organisation Name : Ruby Belles

Ruby Belles Leader :Mrs Linda M Jones (aka Queen LindyLou)

Aims of the Organisation : The Red Hat Society is the largest women’s playgroup in the world with members in every U S State and over 30 Countries Worldwide. It is a network of like-minded women who enjoy a sisterhood of friendship, fun, support and frivolity.

The Ruby Belles of Witham Essex U K are a non profit making, self funding chapter.

All monies collected belong to the members of the Ruby Belles either individually or collectively as specified in the Treasurer’s report. The Treasurer’s report will be issued Annually and at any other time if requested.

The Bank Account will be in the name of the Organisation

‘RUBY BELLES’

All interest attributed to a bank account will belong to all members of the Ruby Belles and will be distributed equally.

Cheques will only be issued signed by two designated members of the Ruby Belles.

In the event of the Ruby Belles disbanding, the bank account will be closed and all monies distributed to the members as specified in the final Treasurer’s report.