Regional Programme Action Projects prior to 2012
On this page you can read about projects that have involved, and/or still involve, more that one club in the Region working together, or those that have been presented at a Conference or nominated for an award at either Federation or International level or by an external organisation.
The Jacob’s Well Appeal
This charity was set up by two doctors in 1982 with the purpose of supplying humanitarian aid and medical relief to impoverished countries. Drugs form the bulk of this, as well as medical equipment and some food and clothing.
Income for the charity comes from donations and also from their two charity shops based in Yorkshire. In addition to supplying medical relief the charity aims to:
- Promote Christianity
- Promote and support medical research
- Advance education and facilitate learning
For several years Soroptimists in Cheshire, North Wales & Wirral have supported the Jacob’s Well Appeal and at our meetings we collect;
- Unused and unopened medicines and dressings with a minimum shelf life of six months
- Used computer cartridges
- Professional Journals (in sets of at least six months and not more than 2 years old)
- Blankets and warm clothing
For further information about this worthy charity please visit their website:
Itala School Project
This project was introduced to Soroptimists in the Region by the Bangor Club in 2006. It began following a visit to Zambia by a group of pupils from Ysgol Syr Hugh Owen in Caernarfon in 2001. Whilst there the pupils helped at a community school – a dilapidated, rented building, without furniture or equipment, with pupils being taught by unpaid male teachers. The pupils and their teachers helped to build a block of three classrooms, made with mud bricks and a thatched roof on some land donated by a local Chief.
After returning home the teachers wanted to continue to support the school and they began fundraising and seeking sponsors. A new brick building was eventually built in 2005 and by 2009 a second building was nearing completion.
In 2006 the Bangor Soroptimists became involved and started fundraising for text books and they then sponsored the two year training of a female teacher. Soroptimists and Rotarians in Bangor have continued to support the Itala School and the charity, Itala Foundation, has now been set up with its own website.
Today over 1300 pupils regularly attend the school, where they are taught by 7 male and 3 female teachers. They are achieving good examination results and also enjoy sporting activities. A spin off from this project has been that adults, denied an education in their youth, now attend evening classes at the school and classes have also been set up to teach vocational skills. This has enabled them to become literate and some women now hope to set up their own business and to train others.
A member of SI Bangor, Sian Kent, has visited the school and is a trustee of the Itala Foundation. Sian gave a presentation on the project at the Federation Conference in Cardiff in 2009.
Itala School in 2001 (below) and with the new buildings in 2009 (right)
Where Have All The Chairs Gone?
This project, submitted by SI Nantwich & District, won the vote to become a Regional Project in 2007. It arose because a club member, the late Linda Bond, noticed, when assisting her elderly parents, how few shops in the area had chairs.
A partnership was developed with Age Concern/Help the Aged, whose survey about social isolation highlighted that social exclusion can result from a lack of seats in shops and other public places.
Firstly, all Soroptimist Clubs in the Region were invited to carry out a survey of customer seating in shops in their localities and then to pinpoint on a map the location of sheltered or retirement housing in relation to the shops. The Nantwich Club then collated the data and produced a leaflet which clubs could use to lobby for improvements in their local shopping areas.
In response to this project the Region of Cheshire, North Wales & Wirral donated a bench for use by visitors to the annual International Musical Eisteddfod in Llangollen. The bench was presented by Past Regional President, Mair Jones, and received by the Eisteddfod President, Terry Waite CBE.
At the 2009 Federation Conference in Cardiff some of the club members gave an extremely humorous presentation to describe their project.
The project has gone from strength to strength and club members were recently invited to a Civic Reception with the Mayor and local MP present. The local Council have offered the club seven benches, worth over £5000.00 and they will be situated in various locations in Nantwich and Crewe. The club has attached a bronze Soroptimist International plaque to each bench. The picture above shows members of SI Nantwich & District, with local Councillors and family of the late Linda Bond, at the presentation of the first bench in Nantwich Riverside Park on 31.3.10.
