Daughters of the British Empire - Pimm's and Poppies Chapter

Daughters of the British Empire - Pimm's and Poppies Chapter

Are you a British ex-pat? Of British heritage? An Anglophile? Married to a Brit? We have resurrected the Northern Virginia Chapter of the Daughters of the British Empire. Please contact me at krrrww@yahoo.com, if you would like to join us and come to our next meeting on Sunday October 10th at 6:30 PM in Old Town. This is very exciting as the chapter is new and we are shaping it to fit our needs. We had our first meeting in March and have an enthusiastic group of women of various ages, both ex-pats and Americans of British ancestry. All I can say after the first meeting was, these women can cook! If you are looking for a taste of home, the inaugural meeting included homemade Scottish shortbread, caramel and chocolate bars, scones with clotted cream and lemon curd, tea sandwiches, salmon mousse, Coronation Chicken, Crunchies, proper tea, Pimms Cups, wine ... And lots of great ideas for events and outings. We have toured the British Embassy, been to a fundraiser at the home of the Defense Attaché to the British Embassy, and joined the British Officers Club of Washington, DC for a dinner celebrating the Queen. Our meetings are once a month and we meet in member's homes with a potluck of food and drink. We have had a fascinator contest, a handbag contest, a hat contest, and a tea cup contest. We have our own fundraiser planned for December at the Little Theater of Alexandria's production of "A Christmas Carol" benefitting both a K-9 organization that provides service dogs to veterans and our own Victoria Homes. We are thinking about a possible spring fundraiser as a tea/baby shower, open to the public, for Kate Middleton and William, with the gifts going to a local charitable organization for children.

Membership is extended to women who are residing in the USA who are of British or British Commonwealth heritage by birth, naturalization or ancestry, and to women who are the wives or partners of persons of British or Commonwealth heritage by birth, naturalization, or ancestry. And British isn't just Britain, it is the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales), the Isle of Man, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.

WHAT IS THE DBE? For one hundred years, The Daughters of the British Empire (DBE) in the U.S.A. has been a common bond for women of British heritage living in America. Members, joining together in fellowship, contribute significantly to the good of their local communities and support the four retirement homes for men and women established by the DBE. The DBE is a charitable, non-profit, non-political, non-sectarian, voluntary American society of women of British or Commonwealth birth or ancestry. Its members are professionals, businesswomen and homemakers with common interests and heritage, who meet regularly for business and social events with the common cause of philanthropy. The society was founded in the United States on March 15, 1909, as the Imperial Order, Daughters of the Empire in the U.S.A., and became the National Society, Daughters of the British Empire in the U.S.A. in 1920. The National Society is incorporated in the state of Delaware. The Society is affiliated with the Imperial Order, Daughters of the Empire in Canada (I.O.D.E.); the Victoria League, London England; and the General Federation of Women's Clubs in the United States.

WHAT DOES IT DO? The DBE helps to support four District Homes with regular contributions made possible by fundraising events, such as teas, fashion shows, auctions, international festivals, bazaars, etc. held by Chapters and/or States.

DUES $13 Registration Fee + $45 Annual Fee The Society provides a large network of members across the United States, which can ease the transition for National and International relocations for members and potential members through our common background and understanding. It is the source of close and long-term friendships.