RAMSBOTTOM Civic Hall was the venue for the regional meeting of Soroptimist International of South Lancashire.

Guest speaker Dr Li Shao of the University of Nottingham and a member of Amnesty International fascinated the 85 guests with his talk on the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China.

Dr Shao, whose sister-in-law was sent to a labour camp for being a Falun Gong practitioner, detailed the history, background and rituals or the movement, which has basic principles of truth, compassion and tolerance.