Posters of many of the sportsmen and other celebrities who support the campaign were evident around the ground and both teams wore purple ribbons with the I’m a Real Man logo.

Before and after the match and at half time the majority of spectators signed the pledge which says that Real men do not hit the ones they love; they do not abuse the ones they love; they do not control the ones they love.

Everyone who signed wore a sticker saying ‘I’m a Real man’.  The pledge sheets have been sent on to Women’s Aid and this organization will be presenting them all to Parliament in order to show the level of support from men for this issue which is often   considered a women’s issue but which affects many families.

As well as putting information in the programme for the day Hednesford Town FC also put the information on twitter.  This means that anyone not able to sign the pledge on the day can still do so on line: www.realmancampaign/signthepledge The afternoon was a great success in raising awareness of this issue and also to show that our local football team The Pitmen and it’s many supporters are prepared to become involved with local groups and help promote issues that affect our local community.   

Photo: Left to right, Lakhwinder Thompson, Jackie Woolnough and Ann Rotchell.

Groups of students studying health care, child care, beauty and journalism were asked to consider what constitutes trafficking and to understand that trafficking is not only about women and girls being brought into the UK and elsewhere from Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe to be enslaved as part of the sex business.  It is also about girls in the UK being groomed and becoming victims of trafficking.  They can be taken into this business by anyone, a gang or an individual, a stranger, a relative, a neighbour – anyone.  The girls who are trafficked can be anyone – the girl next door, the girl who lives in the next street.

Part of the presentation was the showing of a DVD called My Dangerous Loverboy, a film commissioned by SOCA [Serious Organised Crime Agency] for use by professionals with teenagers.  The DVD highlights a scenario in the UK where a 14 year old girl is persuaded by a man that his friend can get her a recording contract, all she needs to do is be nice to him.

By the end of each session the students were aware of things they might see which would ring alarm bells as well as being more aware of any incident which might affect them.  They were all asked to put the CRIMESTOPPERS number 0800 555 111 into their mobile phones, information can be given anonymously to this organisation.  It is also possible to contact Child Line, Barnado,s or the NSPCC to talk through any concerns.

Photo attached: l to r:  Soroptimist Carolyn Dyer; Student Engagement Assistant, South Staffordshire College Cheryl Whittingham; Soroptimist Ann Rotchell

Players at Hednesford Town Football Club have joined with Premiership footballers, leading actors and pop stars by pledging to campaign against domestic violence.  The “Real Man” pledge is part of a national campaign by the charity Women’s Aid as part of the International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women on 25 November 2011.

The leading women’s service organisation Soroptimist International is spearheading the campaign locally, working closing with the Staffordshire Alliance against Domestic and Sexual Abuse.

Soroptimist Trish Mellor explained that the purpose of the campaign was to directly address a largely male environment such as at a football club, she added “Whilst most men do not condone domestic violence we want them to go further and take the positive step of signing our pledge and standing up and being counted on this issue.  Nationally high profile supporters of the campaign include the boy band West Life, at a more local level we think that the Pitmen also have an influence as role models for young men and we have therefore been delighted with their willingness to support the campaign”.

Hednesford Town FC Club Secretary, Terry McMahon confirmed that at the Pitmen’s home match on 3rd December both teams will be wearing armbands to show their support for the campaign and supporters will be given the opportunity to sign the pledge.  He added “It’s important for a community and family club such as Hednesford not to shy away from social issues such and we’re glad that Soroptimists have given us a chance to support this campaign.”Photo:

Soroptimist Sue Cartlidge, Dan Crane of HTFC, Soroptimist Trish Mellor, Pedro Montiero of HTFC and Soroptimist Dawn Jacobs-Clutton.

Ladies present were more than pleased to sign such a petition, many purchased purple teardrop pins and they all took away leaflets to distribute to friends and colleagues or put in appropriate places for other women to have access to phone numbers to gain any help they may need or to report any incident which may be connected with trafficking.  The best phone number to put into a mobile phone is that for Crime Stoppers: 0800 555 111.

Members of Lions clubs in the area offered to put the information onto their web pages and face book pages asking others to sign the petition on-line at either www.purpleteardrop.org.uk or www.gopetition.com/petition/39368.html

This event was further evidence of local service clubs working well together.

Photo attached: l to r: Soroptimist Trish Mellor with Cannock Lion Pam Smith

Dawn has already become actively involved with the club’s projects, having joined the Programme Action Team.  Programme Action is the service work Soroptimists do to raise awareness of issues affecting women and children and to support projects which help them, all under the banner of ‘Women Inspiring Action, Transforming Lives’.

The main focus for the club this year is around projects concerned with violence against women, their on-going project until next April being the Purple Teardrop Campaign which considers issues of trafficking.  Far from being concerned only with women and girls being taken across borders illegally to be put into the sex trade, trafficking is present in all towns and cities of the UK.

All club members, under the leadership of Soroptimist Carolyn Dyer, have had great success so far with their campaign of awareness raising:

• Freshers’ Day at Cannock College led to an invitation to address all Social care students
• Information has been taken into the churches and one church has requested a talk to one of their groups
• Pubs and bars are displaying posters and leaflets
• Taxi firms are offering support and are willing to display information
• Shops in Hednesford and Cannock are displaying the posters and reporting feedback.  Of particular note here is Hawkins Café in Hednesford. The owner reports that she has conversations daily with people of Hednesford who are interested in the posters and want to know more
• Supporting the petition to ban “sex for sale” advertising – please sign on-line at www.gopetition.com/petition/39368.html

Over the next six months the club will continue to promote Purple Teardrop. More information is available through the club website: www.sigbi.org/cannock-and-district or on the Purple Teardrop website: www.purpleteardrop.org.uk

Photo attached: l to r: President of SI Cannock & District Eileen Cryer with new member Dawn Jacobs Clutton

Soroptimists were promoting the Purple Teardrop Campaign and during the day spoke to over 100 students and members of staff.  Purple Teardrop is an anti trafficking campaign with the tag line ‘Stop the Trafficking, Stop the Tears’. The majority of students had an understanding of the issue and were keen to help to raise others’ awareness and to learn more themselves so that they would know the signs to look out for, particularly those whose work will ultimately take them into the Health sector or into work in the Probation service.

Students were asked to put the Crime Stoppers number – 0800 555 111 – into their mobile phones so that if they ever have concerns about an incident they can immediately give that information to the Police confidentially and anonymously.  This received a very positive response with many students entering the number onto their phones there and then.  Many showed their further support by purchasing a Purple Teardrop pin to wear.

Sex trafficking goes on in all areas and affects people from all walks of life; over 80% of trafficked people are women and girls. In the UK today over 12,000 women are held against their will in sex trafficking locations.  Some of the signs to look out for are:

• An unusual amount of visitors at a property nearby.
• Different women appear to live there for short periods of time
• Women are never seen outside alone – they’re always accompanied

Further information can be obtained from www.purpleteardrop.org.uk

Photo attached: l to r: Students Jessica Shaw and Jemma Littler, both starting the Health & Social Care course with Soroptimist  Ann Rotchell at the Purple Teardrop stand

Soroptimist Ann Rotchell hosted a ‘Purple Party’ at her home recently to raise funds for publicity materials for the club’s latest project Purple Teardrop. This project is concerned with the issue of trafficking of women and girls. Everyone who was there – around 70 people, thoroughly enjoyed themselves and most managed to wear something purple! As it was a lovely evening [apart from a slight shower] they were able to sit outside before a most enjoyable buffet was served. £135.00 was raised which will purchase leaflets to be distributed at several venues to promote the Purple Teardrop campaign.

Photo attached: l to r: Eileen Cryer President SI Cannock & District, [back row] Soroptimists Maggie Shore, Sue Cartlidge; [front centre to right] Lakhwinder Thompson, Ann Rotchell

Although this wasn’t intended as a fund-raising night, a raffle raised £160 which will be divided between Pathway, the refuge for women victims of domestic violence; Cannock Friends of St Giles Hospice and the Air Ambulance, the latter two being President Eileen Cryer’s charities for this year.

SI Cannock will meet again on September 13^th at The Barns, Huntington for their monthly Business meeting. Anyone interested in knowing more about the club can phone membership secretary Lakhwinder Thompson on 01922 710720

This year the event took
the form of a garden party held in the garden at June Hardman’s home.  This was particularly fitting as, 57 years
ago her Mother Vi Bowen was asked to be a founder member of the Soroptimist
Club and although she wasn’t able to join until 4 years later, she began a
family tradition as June and then June’s daughter Debbie also became
Soroptimists.

Over 70 members, family and
friends enjoyed the warmth of the sunshine, the hospitality and the
friendship.  A buffet lunch was prepared
by some of the club members and a tombola, raffle and book sale were held.
These raised over £420 which will go into President Eileen Cryer’s charity fund
which this year will be donated to St Giles Hospice, via the Cannock Friends
group, and the Air Ambulance.

At the end of the afternoon
President Eileen presented June with an acer for her garden as a thank you for
opening up her home for this Club event.

Soroptimist members
continued their community and service activities by joining with Cannock Lions
in baking and selling cakes at the Chase Community Showcase as well as showing
visitors to the event the type of activities Soroptimists are involved
with.  These include: supporting Pathway,
SNAP, Chase 3 Cannock Lottery; providing magazines for Hospitals and for Health
Centres, baking cakes for St Giles Hospice as well as supporting projects
internationally.

Photo attached:  President Eileen
Cryer presents an acer tree to Soroptimist June Hardman.

The evening was held at The Barns restaurant in Huntington, where the Soroptimist Club meets. Before the meal Soroptimist Carole Holdcroft, the club’s liaison officer for Pathway explained that the project is now in need of financial support towards everyday running costs of the three Refuges; this is in addition to the help club members, their families and friends already give in terms of provision of toiletries and home-making goods.

Lesley Smith is well known to many Soroptimist Clubs in the area and her presence will always guarantee an excellent turn-out. On this occasion she appeared as ‘herself’ rather than as a female member of Tudor times, and was just as good as on all previous occasions. She promised us a riotous time – and was true to her word! She had everyone enthralled with her in-depth knowledge of her subject which was so professionally delivered with incredible timing and humour. Certainly everyone went away with their own knowledge of Sex and the Tudors greatly increased and having had plenty of opportunities to laugh!

A raffle along with donations received prior to the event raised a considerable sum. Following Lesley’s talk and having heard of the plight of the women and children at Pathway several guests gave further donations resulting in a fantastic total of £1,000 raised to be donated to the Pathway Project. To say that Soroptimists were thrilled with this would be an understatement!

Added to this incredible fund raising, members of the public from Cannock had been incredibly generous in taking along toiletries to the Soroptimist Stall at the Carnival. All of these goods were received with gratitude by those needing to use the Refuge and members of SI Cannock would like to thank all members of the public who so generously donated goods.

Should anyone else wish to donate goods or finances for Pathway they will be accepted by this year’s President of Cannock Soroptimists Eileen Cryer, who can be contacted on can I give a number – which one?

Photo attached: Lesley Smith speaking at the SI Cannock event for Pathway