Ladies Circle strengthens women’s togetherness

As a newcomer to a city, how do you get to know like-minded souls? For Pernilla Lundgren, Ladies Circle was the answer. The association seeks to build friendships and a sense of community among women locally, nationally and internationally. In Skaraborg, there are 11 active clubs.

When Pernilla Lundgren moved back to Skaraborg after living elsewhere for more than 10 years, she was eager to make acquaintances in her new hometown.

“I have several close friends in Skara where I grew up, but we live in Lidköping now and I don’t know anyone here. Because I have young children, I met other parents, but I missed a social setting that was not centered around children’s activities. For me, Ladies Circle helps me get to know other women in my hometown and feel a sense of community with them,” says Pernilla Lundgren.

Ladies Circle has more than 150 clubs up-and-down the country. In Skaraborg, there are clubs in almost every municipality.

There are between 10 and 15 members in each club. Club meetings are held every two or three weeks and most meetings are open to guests. Meetings usually include some form of activity such as a study visit to a company, a physical activity or trying out a handicraft. But it could also be a dinner at a member’s home or a restaurant.

If you ask Emina Ibrasimovic, it’s not easy to describe what happens at meetings as they can vary a lot.

“People often ask me what we do and I usually answer ‘What don’t we do?’ Because each individual club decides for themselves, it could be all sorts of things. One of the best things about Ladies Circle is that members almost always get to go along to exciting events at other clubs. Sometimes, when I see a club in another town has found something exciting to do, I tag along. They always make me very welcome,” says Emina.

Strengthening women’s togetherness

Promoting relations between women locally, nationally and internationally is the most important thing Ladies Circle does. To maintain a degree of member turnover in the association the upper age limit is 45 years, after which members can move on to a sister association to Ladies Circle.

In addition to running a network for women, the association is also involved in charitable work. At the national level, Ladies Circle currently collaborates with Suicide Zero, and all clubs regularly raise money for this particular cause. There is also a project at the local level in Skaraborg known as Christmas Aid, which helps families in need enjoy a little Christmas cheer. 

Choose your level of commitment

Women who would like to join Ladies Circle are encouraged to contact the local group in their own area. Prospective members are invited to join meetings as a guest, and can be elected as members only after having attended a few meetings.

“It’s perfectly okay to remain a guest for a long time. You become part of the group without being a member,” says Pernilla. 
All members get involved in the association in various ways. Emina is the District Chair of Skaraborg district, no. 10 out of a total of 13 in the country. Thus she is involved nationally as a member of the main board of Ladies Circle as district chair and Skaraborg’s representative.

For Pernilla, only being involved as a member suits her just fine right now.

“Having young children means I don’t get much spare time, and making time for friends easily gets neglected. But my meetings are a tad sacrosanct for me as they give me so much,” exclaims Pernilla.

“I come away from the meetings with so much energy! Even if I’ve had a bad day, things look much brighter when I meet the group,” adds Emina.