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Inspirational Women

Inspirational Women

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Bolton Soroptimists decided to celebrate International Women’s Day with a Balloon Debate. One by one some splendid ‘inspirational’ woman had to be sacrificed for the sake of the rest. Climate activist Greta Thunberg was the youngest candidate and the Queen the oldest. The Mayor, Councillor Linda Thomas, chose Barbara Castle as her political heroine and journalist Melanie Read was greatly admired for the way she tackles her life as a tetraplegic. Maya Angelou, Baroness Newlove, Sue’s teacher Miss Floyd and all the teachers who made such a difference to girls education had our votes; Professor Sarah Gilbert , leading the Astra-Zeneca vaccination Project, would not have done that without the rest. In the end only Sarah Gilbert and the Queen were left to navigate the balloon to safety. Who would you have chosen?

Call My Bluff

Call My Bluff

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Our Social Secretary Val has managed to keep us all amused in lockdown with cheese and wine parties and books to read. Do you remember ‘Call my Bluff’? Three members of the Club did their best to persuade us that their definitions were ‘true’.  SHABBLE HEGUMEN PALPEBRA TELLURIAN UNITARD RUBIGINOSE Thank you to Margaret, Maureen and Ruth who called the bluffs and helped to raised money for the Charity Account.

An unusual lunch to mark International Women’s Day

An unusual lunch to mark International Women’s Day

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Almost the last engagement of what was a most sociable year was to be a lunch in the Catering Department of Bolton College. Scarcely had members and guests assembled than they were led outside the building on a particularly chilly day because of a bomb scare at the College. We were disappointed and hungry, but felt particularly sorry for the students who had spent so much time planning and preparing for this important event only to see their efforts wasted. We were more fortunate. The Mayor of Bolton offered us the use of the Banqueting Suite at the Town Hall for the following Monday and in those splendid surroundings we celebrated the achievements of some of the 100 women (many from Bolton) described in a recent book.
Friendship Evening

Friendship Evening

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                                                                                                    FRIENDSHIP EVENING                                       Come and find out about Modern Circle Dancing Circle dancing is an ancient tradition common to many cultures, for marking many occasions, strengthening friendship and encouraging togetherness. Modern circle dance draws on the rich and diverse traditional dances of many countries, including the Balkans’ Greece, Israel, Russia and France. Come and find out more about it and maybe give it a try! The evening was a huge success. Circle Dancing turned out to great fun, and surprisingly energetic in a gentle sort of way.         P  lease contact us through our CONTACT PAGE

Summer Trip to Smithills Hall

Summer Trip to Smithills Hall

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Some members of SI Bolton went for a lovely afternoon trip to Smithills Hall. Some of our group decided to just have tea whilst others took a tour around the hall. The guide was very informative and we learnt a great deal about the families who lived in the hall and the additions to the buildings that they made in their lifetimes. We smiled at a group of schoolchildren enjoying a re-enactment of a Jacobean banquet. We visited the chapel to see the beautiful stained glass windows. Finally, ready for our afternoon tea, we joined the rest of the group and tucked into sandwiches and scones. I recommend the chilli chutney and the scones were delicious!  A summer trip enjoyed by all.

Chilling out with Yoga

Chilling out with Yoga

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Members of SI Bolton enjoyed an introduction to Yoga presented by yoga therapist Lucy Cleary. Lucy started practising yoga in 2003 when suffering from mild post natal depression. She was amazed by the difference that yoga made to her life almost instantly helping her to feel that she could cope again and helping her to sleep. What is Yoga? – Yoga has been practised for thousands of years as a way of keeping the body and the mind fit. Yoga involves moving and stretching the body with awareness; using the breath to relax both body and mind and using deep relaxation to bring a sense of health and wellbeing. Although many people begin yoga as a way of feeling physically healthy, they soon notice that yoga is very calming for the mind. Lucy kept our club members seated while she went through a series of

Anniversary Tea Party celebrates 80 years of service

Anniversary Tea Party celebrates 80 years of service

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Four Soroptimist clubs in the South Lancashire region have celebrated their 80th Anniversary this year, SI Bolton, SI Bootle, SI Crosby and SI Stockport. This special anniversary was celebrated with an afternoon tea at Haydock Park Golf Club. Members of the four clubs attended as well as members from the Mother clubs, SI Manchester and SI Liverpool. The event was organised by Maureen Barber, President of SI Bolton and hosted by Margaret Davies SI South Lancashire’s regional president. All agreed that it was a lovely afternoon where members from different clubs got to know one another over a delightful afternoon tea.

Nat Biney JP drums up support.

Nat Biney JP drums up support.

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  Our guest speaker for February was  Nat Biney. We first came across Nat in 2004 at Starting Point where Frankie was doing some teaching and assessment for The Gateway Project (refugee children from The Democratic Republic of Congo and Liberia). Nat appeared one day, complete with drums, African maracas and bells and the result was the children were absolutely spellbound. Here was someone they could relate to. Since those days we have seen Nat off and on in various places and realised here was someone really interesting – hence asking him to come and talk to The Soroptimists. Nat was born in Ghana in 1946 into a royal family – his grandfather was chief of his tribe and had many children. Nat’s father was a herbalist and was keen that his children received a good education. Nat did well at school and decided he

Soroptimist International of Bolton holds Fairtrade coffee morning

Soroptimist International of Bolton holds Fairtrade coffee morning

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On Monday the 17th of February Sue Whitter and Chris Dixon hosted the event  to celebrate and raise funds for Fairtrade Fortnight supported by members, friends, relatives and neighbours. Home made cakes and a successful raffle enabled us to raise an astonishing amount of £217.90. The event was supported by the donation of a hamper of Fairtrade goods from Bromley Cross Co-operative store which was the main raffle prize. An additional item of a banana bag was added to the hamper as  this year’s theme is to end unfair supermarket pricing of bananas in order to protect the millions of poor farmers and workers who grow this most popular fruit. Many thanks to all those who supported SI Bolton in this fund raising effort.  The  following evening at a Club meeting, the cheque was presented to Mr.Jim Hollyman our town’s Fairtrade co-ordinator. Sign up  at stickwithfonco.org.uk to find out the next steps

February’s Friendship Lunch

February’s Friendship Lunch

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Members of SI Bolton were joined by friends and menbers of SI Leigh to share good food, good company, good entertainment at Brookfield, Westhoughton on Sunday the 23rd of February.  Money was raised by the sale of gift bags from the 200 on display which had been kindly donated by members of SI Bolton; the money raised going to support our education project in Nepal. SI Bolton, together with the soroptimists from Kathmandu, are providing funds to enable five girls from Kathmandu to have a basic education rather than be required to work to support their families.  The girls are about to start their second year of education and our support for the girls will be ongoing. Many thanks to all our friends who helped to make the lunch such a success.