At the final meeting of her year, President Yvonne carried out two particularly enjoyable tasks.

Firstly, she added a new name to SI Crosby’s roll. “I am delighted to welcome Pauline Horner to our Club. I am confident that she will be an active member, participating in our service work, making new friends and having a lot of fun in the process. Her mentor, Val Dunning, will help her to get to know all about our Club and the wider Soroptimist world.”

Pauline, formerly an education inspector in FE, now spends much time travelling and playing golf.

Secondly, President Yvonne presented long service certificates. She said, “Three members – Ann Dickinson (35 years), Pat Usher (30 years) and Barbara Bate (25 years) – have given so much to our Club and community. On behalf of everyone I must thank them for their dedication, hard work and friendship.”

The 2013 Annual General Meeting of Soroptimist International of Crosby once again included the Change of Insignia Ceremony.

Outgoing President Yvonne Atkinson thanked members for the privilege of being President for the year; she recounted many memorable events and thanked everyone for the service, vitality, friendship and fun that have epitomized the meaning of Soroptimism to her.

Yvonne extended her best wishes to incoming President Terry Francis and presented her with the club’s impressive chain of office. President Terry’s first task was to present Immediate Past President Yvonne with her badge, Pam McKee (President Elect) with her medallion and Margaret Cole (Vice President) with the Chichester pin.

Norma Marshall, one of S I Crosby’s honorary life members, led the Candle Ceremony.

Club officers and members of the executive committee lit candles representing tolerance and understanding, service, sincerity, wisdom, friendship and international goodwill.  Finally, President Terry lit the candle of the Soroptimist Federation.

Bird seed, lime marmalade, body polish, kitchen utensils and fruit cake all featured in SI Crosby’s ‘pie and pound’ evening. The event was held to raise funds for the Club’s forthcoming Friendship Weekend.

Members brought along mystery parcels weighing one pound (to be auctioned) and a pie (for supper). There was much laughter when one parcel turned out to be a carton of Ambrosia custard, which went for £7; and when another (marked ‘fragile’) contained three eggs and a piece of cheese, with the instructions ‘add milk to whip up an omelette’.

Pat Murphy, as auctioneer, said she was delighted with the effort that members had put into the parcels. The auction realised the sum of £108.50 which – with donations from some members who could not attend – boosted the total raised for the club’s Friendship Weekend. This will take place in September, when Crosby’s Soroptimists will welcome their Scandinavian sisters from SI Falkenberg, Sweden, SI Sigdal, Norway and SI Kalundborg, Denmark.

President Yvonne Atkinson and members of SI Crosby were delighted to entertain friends, family and fellow Soroptimists at their Annual Dinner.

After welcoming her guests to the West Lancashire Golf Club, President Yvonne outlined her connections with Pakistan, including her recent trip to the Sialcot Hospital. She urged everyone to look beyond the ‘banner headlines’ to the people themselves – ordinary Pakistanis – and to the ongoing work to enhance opportunities for women.

Maintaining the Pakistan theme, the guest speaker was Jean Gee, President of SI Keighley, Yorkshire. The Keighley Soroptimists won the SIGBI 2012 Programme Award (‘Learning Opportunities’ category) for their SAME project – Soroptimists And Mothers at Eastwood.

Working in partnership with the headteacher of Eastwood Primary School – with its high intake of Asian children – Keighley members initially set up a coffee club for the mothers. Now Soroptimists and the mothers share skills, stories, traditions, hopes and dreams – women, in essence, are the ‘same’ the world over. Fashion is always of mutual interest – and President Jean wore a shalwar kameez, specially made for this occasion by one of the women. The mothers are learning more about their adopted country and becoming much more confident: the Soroptimists are learning about this vibrant community in their town.

Other special guests at the dinner included His Worship the Mayor of Sefton, Councillor Kevin Cluskey; the President of SI South Lancashire Region, Liz McConnell; and the President of Rotary International of Crosby, Alan Fraser.

The evening ended on a high note with dancing to the ‘easy listening’ style of vocalist Richard Stone.

A container-full of donated goods for a hospice in Honduras arrived safe and sound in time for Christmas.

Members of SI Crosby had carried out a huge amount of administration for the project on behalf of St Joseph’s Hospice (Jospice).

Cath O’Leary, Matron-Manager of the hospice in San Pedro Sula, subsequently spoke to Crosby’s Soroptimists when she was on leave in the UK.  

She described how members of the local community unpacked the medical, educational, household and personal goods in record time – and then manoeuvred the container into place to act as an extra storage facility. 

The container’s timely arrival meant that a community Christmas party for over 120 local children was extra-special, as the donations included toys and games. Locally there is very little money for extras, and so many of the children would, otherwise, not have received a present at Christmas.

Cath said, “The residents of San Pedro Sula are amazed that so much was donated by so many people in far-away England. They asked me, ‘Why would strangers want to give all this to us?’

“I can honestly say to the Soroptimists and to everyone else who contributed to this project, that you have made so many people in that Honduran community very, very happy.”

Cath gave Yvonne Atkinson, President of SI Crosby, a set of ‘thank you’ pictures drawn by the children.

A newly-qualified midwife in the 1970s, Yvonne worked in the Memorial Christian Hospital in Sialkot, Pakistan, as Midwifery Tutor for two years on a Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) scheme. She later took another two-year contract there. Now, after a long career in the UK health service, Yvonne has revisited the hospital and even made contact with some of her former students. 

“I was worried that my rose-tinted view of Pakistan from the distance of 34 years would be spoiled. But my return was not a disappointment. It was wonderful to see Sialkot Hospital flourishing and in particular to see two of my former students in senior positions, one as Director of Nursing and one as Principal of the School of Nursing.

“The hospital had grown in size: there are new departments and an enlarged midwifery unit. The nursery now has incubators – an improvement on the wooden boxes with light bulbs that we had to use for premature babies in the 1970s.

“The School of Nursing is thriving and there is much competition for places. I spent some time sitting in on lessons and I hope that, as the School is our Club’s chosen charity this year, we can contribute to the cost of improving teaching materials. Some I recognised from my time there – and they are still in use.

“I enjoyed wonderful hospitality from my Pakistani hosts, and I have been invited to visit them again.”

Yvonne Atkinson, Club President, said: “Soroptimists need little excuse to have fun – but it’s rare for a Soroptimist wedding to take centre stage. At our Club meeting just before the wedding we surprised Val by marking the occasion with ‘bubbly’ and roses. For once she was lost for words!

Crosby’s Soroptimists had a busy few weeks of service and fundraising in the run-up to Christmas.

Several members helped at the annual Light Up A Life service at St Joseph’s Hospice (Jospice). Based in the marquee, the Soroptimists needed to wrap up well. They served mince pies, plus hot drinks from a battery of flasks; they also lent a hand with the children’s ‘message stars’ for the Christmas tree. This event is always well supported, so volunteers are kept very busy.

Seasonal fundraising once again meant that club members borrowed the Crosby Rotary float for an evening. Wending their way through the streets of Thornton, the Soroptimists accompanied Father Christmas and his sleigh.

Linda Glenn, Chair of Fundraising, said, “It was a cold and very wet night – but local residents still turned out in force to welcome Santa. Generous donations meant that we collected over £500. Thank you to everyone in Thornton, to friends and family members who helped, and to Maggie Tatam who invited us back to her house for welcome refreshments and a warm-up. Plus, as ever, we must thank Rotary International of Crosby for the loan of the float, and Rotarians Martin and Russell for their assistance on the night.”

Linda added, “As a fundraising bonus we have recently had a bag-packing session at our local Sainsbury’s store. Crosby’s residents were big-hearted, even when they packed their own bags!”

Finally, President Yvonne Atkinson and Immediate Past President Sandy Taylor visited Ronald McDonald House at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Liverpool. They took hampers of seasonal goodies, donated by club members, for the families of babies who are in-patients at the hospital. As Sandy said, “The staff were really delighted – they know the refreshments, nibbles and treats will make the stay of those families a little easier over Christmas.”

Soroptimist International of Crosby now has a new member. President Yvonne Atkinson warmly welcomed Pat Worth, and presented her with her badge and member’s pack.

Pat, a hair stylist all her working life, came to a few meetings with Club Secretary, Margaret Cole – liked what she saw – and decided to join. Margaret will continue to look after her, and is ensuring that Pat settles into Club routine and activities.

The Backpack Project, run by the charity Mary’s Meals, has once again featured in Crosby Soroptimists’ pre-Christmas programme.

The Backpack Project is very straightforward – fill a backpack with a selection of items for a child. Thousands of poor families cannot afford to buy basic things like pencils and exercise books, or even suitable clothes for their children to wear to school – so their children miss out on school and an education.

A simple backpack with educational materials can be a lifeline for these children. Studies show that an education is the best way a chronically poor child can escape poverty in later life.

Sandy Taylor, SI Crosby’s Programme Action Officer, said: “Soroptimist International aims to improve the lives and status of women and girls through education opportunities. Collecting and filling backpacks for Mary’s Meals is a simple but very effective way of supporting this. The charity sends out approximately 16 containers a year, each loaded with about 6,000 backpacks, to countries such as Malawi and Liberia. This year Crosby’s Soroptimists provided 40 backpacks – a ‘drop in the ocean’, perhaps, but of immense importance to those 40 children.”

The backpack concept grew out of the charity’s’ original work – to set up school feeding projects in communities where poverty, war, poverty, famine, or natural disasters prevent children from gaining an education.Mary’s Meals provides daily meals to chronically hungry children in their local school. In this way the hungry child is encouraged to attend school and, through education, gain a better future for herself and her community.