What is soroptimism, who are we and what do we do?
What is soroptimism?
Soroptimist International is a worldwide dynamic organisation for professional and business women. Through awareness, advocacy and action at international, national and local levels, we are committed to a world where women and girls achieve their individual and collective potential, realise aspirations and have an equal voice in creating strong and peaceful communities.
EDUCATE TO LEAD
Educate – Empower– Enable
Soroptimist Values:
- Human rights for all
- Global peace and international goodwill
- Advancing women’s potential
- Integrity and democratic decision making
- Volunteering, diversity & friendship
The word Soroptimist comes from the Latin words soror (sister) and optima (best) – the best for women
Who are we and what do we do?
The club has 48 members from all walks of life. Our president for the current year April 2012 – April 2013 is
Dr Joan Williams.
Joan’s Programme Focus is ‘Care for the Vulnerable’ encompassing Health and Human Rights. During her year as president, Joan hopes to raise public awareness to the issues surrounding Human Trafficking initially in Cardiff (see Human trafficking 2012) and inWales by working with Barnardo’s Cymru and BAWSO (Black and African Women Step Out). Internationally, with the help of theUKcharity, The Railway Children, she hopes the club will be able to work to improve the lives of runaway girls inIndia. These girls are left to live on the streets and are abused. Our aim would be to help to provide shelter and education to some of these girls.
The club will continue with its Programme Action activities and will have different fund raising events throughout the year in aid of various charities.
We call our voluntary work ‘Programme Action’ and it is the reason for being a Soroptimist.
To view our development plan see SI CDF Development Plan 2011-14Final
Some of our club officers are
Left to right
Joan Payne an NVQ Tutor and Assessor is President Elect
Cathy Grove , a publisher, is immediate past president 2011 – 2012 and programme action co-ordinator
Jane Percy (not pictured) a head teacher, is vice president
Sheila Bruton, a director in planning, is club secretary
Giselle Davies, a solicitor, is club treasurer
Cherry Cadwallader, a solicitor is membership co-ordinator
Karen Yates NFU advisor and insurance agent is events co-ordinator
If you are interested in joining us, contact annemorgan89@yahoo.co.uk 0r use the Contact Us form http://sigbi.org/cardiff-and-district/contact-us/