Monthly Club News
On this page each month we shall bring you the latest reports of club activities around the region. If you are a Soroptimist, this is your chance to pinch the best ideas and if you are just browsing – perhaps thinking of joining us – then you’ll have a good idea of the range of causes and campaigns we support.
The Cambridge Women’s Aid Refuge
On Monday 14March the club was pleased to welcome the Cambridge Women’s Aid Project Worker to our meeting and to give her the toiletries and other items that club members had collected.
She told us that Women’s Aid in Cambridge was established in 1977 and has been helping women who have been the victims of domestic violence ever since. She explained that many of the women, and their families, come in a state of crisis having had to leave their homes in a hurry and often bring nothing with them. All of the gifts given go into the magic attic and go towards giving each new arrival a welcome pack. The gifts given by the club, and other groups, are much appreciated.
Each year over one hundred people will be accommodated in the refuge and over five hundred helped by the outreach service. Most people will stay for 6-7 months before being re-housed and starting out on a new life. She explained that leaving a relationship is not a sudden action but a process that can take months or years.
Sadly the residents of the refuge include a number of families with young children and it is not unknown for the refuge to be a baby’s first home. We were told that the local schools are very helpful in providing places for children from the refuge and activities are provided for them at the weekends and school holidays. The present accommodation includes a number of family rooms and space for children to play.
The issue of violence against men was also raised. It was explained that the issues are different and that it is hoped to launch a voluntary perpetrators service shortly as a first step.
Jenny proposed a vote of thanks to Angie for coming to share her experience of working for women’s aid with club members.
Sue Lilburn SI Cambridge
“It’s to keep us safe for the future.”
These wise words from a young junior school boy on Canvey Island were a perfect summation of a fascinating talk at a recent club meeting.
The speaker was Rosanna Briggs, a Senior Planning Officer in Essex County
Council’s Emergency Disaster Unit.
Rosanna is a world wide presenter on emergency planning and largely because of her work Essex is one of the leading authorities in the field.
More recently she has focussed on ‘Warning and Informing’ the public with initiatives that won a 2007 Beacon Status Award.
She has organised events lasting from a day to a week for a number of schools – both junior and secondary – working with pupils on such scenarios as wide scale flooding. Her remit included spending an entire week directing a wide range of activities for every school on Canvey Island.
The results of that successful experiment included a 10 minute DVD to canvas what teachers and pupils thought of the event. The result – a definite thumbs up – with enthusiastic comments including the one that began this report.
Rosanna has developed a range of products to inform young children from age six upwards, including a calendar, on-line activities and a hot off the press book – a copy of which she kindly left for the club raffle.
Chelmsford members were also relieved to hear that the slightly older members of the community are not forgotten either!
Rosanna gave an example of the support given to the parents of a 7/7 victim, taking the strain off a grieving family with help from shopping to feeding pets.
Essex has also produced a leaflet reminding people what they would need if they were evacuated from their homes.
Rosanna’s work covers pre emergency, during an emergency and very importantly the aftermath of a disaster.
While hoping that they would never personally need to draw on this information, SI Chelmsford members were left with the comfortable feeling of being in safe hands!
Pat Bruce SI Chelmsford Press/PR
Colchester Soroptimists in battle to save Britain’s only known Roman Circus.
As excitement subsides following the club’s Golden Anniversary celebrations, attended by nearly a hundred people, Colchester members have pledged their support for one of Britain’s most significant Roman finds. Archaeologists are currently unearthing a huge site believed to be the only chariot-racing circus in Roman Britain. Colchester is Britain’s oldest recorded town and members are raising funds to help buy the premises at the starting gate planned to be the centre piece for visitors.
SI Colchester has also supported the SI London Anglia Region collection for the Haiti earthquake appeal.
Members welcomed “Goodwife Gatty” also known as Anne Tomkinson from the Tudor Manor of Kentwell at this month’s supper meeting. She spoke about her life as a potage cook and horn carver and brought samples of her cooking.
Colchester Women’s Refuge received £350 raised by members for a sewing machine to develop new skills and the town’s drop-in centre was given hats, scarves and gloves for distribution.
International Women’s day will be marked on 6th March with a fundraising breakfast.
Dianne Couch
East London Soroptimists fill shoeboxes for children in Eastern Europe.
At our last business meeting Trish Griffiths, from the Springfield Child Contact Centre in Upminster, gave a very interesting talk about her work in establishing this centre and how it works as a voluntary organisation with the Court Advisory Service. It does this by providing a neutral meeting place for families, who are in the process of divorcing, to have access to children.
This was followed by the collection of Christmas boxes for the charity Samaritan’s Purse. Between them SIEL members filled 23 boxes and our club secretary delivered these to the charity. She got involved in volunteering in the next stage of what happens to the boxes before they are sent mainly to Eastern European countries such as Belarus, Bosnia as well as African countries such as Libya. As a result of this SIEL is now registered with the charity as a helping organisation and the club will looking at other ways of helping with their activities throughout the year.
We have also devoted specific meetings aimed at increasing our membership. These are open to any members to attend. This group is looking at every aspect of how we run the club and will be holding an informal afternoon tea in January for interested, prospective members and for past speakers.
Sally Knight
SI Enfield members take virtual tour of Olympic velodrome.
Enfield has had a busy club month starting with a Fund Raising Meal hosted by returning member Suti Nagi. We enjoyed Indian food at her home and raised £85.00 for the President’s charity. Two members attended the human rights Day at Canvey and reported that it was worth getting lost at the last moment for the excellent ‘frugal lunch’ and to be part of the Mexican Wave.
Later in the month we had a very interesting presentation from The Lee Valley Park, which included details of the oncoming 2010 games and a virtual tour of the velodrome. Our member Margaret Turnbull gave the club an update of her work for her charity Hillcrest, South Africa, which provides practical help to the schools attended by pupils, many of whom have lost parents to AIDs.
Membership highlight of the month was the induction of Sonia Garret (her husband is a stunt-man!) to our club. Finally we all enjoyed a great Christmas meal at a local hostelry. Included in our number was our oldest member Barbara Grant and further prospective returning member, Gonal!
Diana Stracy
Servicewomen now playing greater part on The Front Line.
Great Yarmouth Soroptimists heard how more women in the armed forces are serving in significant numbers in the theatres of war and conflict. The guest speaker at their annual lunch was Alan Hornsby from the Soldiers, Sailors, Airforce and Families Association (SSAFA) who spoke of the help that organisation can give to ex-service personnel. This can include rehabilitation, providing accommodation and help with both mental and physical needs.
Pictured at the event are left to right, Peter Riley, the Mayoress of Gt Yarmouth, Mrs Jeal, the Mayor, Cllr Michael Jeal, the President of SI Gt Yarmouth Margaret Higgs, SI London Anglia Region President, Jean Thorpe, Jack Thorpe, Alan Hornsby and Mrs Hornsby and SI Gt Yarmouth President Elect, Rosa Russell.
Earlier, members had arranged for a large box of prosthetic breasts to be taken to Russia. This followed a visit to Great Yarmouth by a club contact who had visited the UK for breast cancer surgery. Club member Ann Davis, who is involved with a group called Be Rest Assured (BRAS) had arranged for second hand items to be collected at the James Paget Hospital and taken to Russian by a friend of the Club, Mr Leslie Potter.
Yvonne Ward
SI Ipswich “Clothes Line Project” breaks the silence on domestic abuse.
Originally an American idea, the Ipswich event was one of the first in this country and was opened by the Solicitor General, Vera Baird. Prepared over six months, women attending weekly sessions at the Centre told their personal stories with paint, pen and thread on to T shirts. They expressed their pain and hopes producing moving and disturbing garments helped by three SI Ipswich members. During the exhibition week several members provided coverage at public open times and were involved in the setting up and smooth running of the whole operation.
“The public response was amazing” said club Programme Action Officer, Julie Powell. ” Over 100 people attended the first day and comments showed how moved they were by the raw emotions displayed by the women. Ipswich club gained so much as well. There was partnership working, satisfaction from an inspired by manageable project and a lasting resource that can be used again.”
Earlier in the month, SI Ipswich was recognised as a finalist in the SIGBI conference “Best Practice” awards.
Julie Powell Programme Action Officer
Keep up the pressure to end domestic violence say delegates at SI King’s Lynn study day
Members joined forces with West Norfolk Voluntary and Community Action to host a study day called “West Norfolk Says No to Domestic Abuse”. Delegates heard talks from a range of speakers including a Victim’s Perspective, the Role of the Police and the Voluntary Sector. Delegates had the opportunity to ask questions and raise issues with members of a panel, consisting of a range of support organisations.The first speaker was a representative of EASE (East Anglia Survivors Enterprise). EASE is a support group which was established in 2004 to help meet the needs of women and child survivors of domestic violence. It is run by women survivors and relies entirely on fundraising and voluntary donations. Services offered include regular drop-in sessions in various locations, free training courses (e.g. First Aid, Food Safety and Money Management) and a free helpline.
It is hoped to re-establish an EASE support group in the King’s Lynn area in the near future and the organisers welcomed any offers of help. It was agreed at the end of the day that although progress had been made, there was still a widespread need for help to be offered to those experiencing domestic abuse as well as those who had survived. There needs to be a sustained effort to raise awareness of the issue; to change attitudes and behaviours so that abuse becomes regarded as totally unacceptable; to encourage victims to seek help; to support those experiencing abuse and ensure that there is on-going help for survivors. This can be done by; talking about the issue, lobbying local and district authorities to ensure that there is adequate provision and lobbying Members of Parliament to ensure that services for these very vulnerable people are not cut.
Mary Plant
Norwich Soroptimists hot on fund raising during chilly winter
A Fashion Show at the City’s only independent department store, Jarrolds, and a celebration of Burn’s night with the traditional haggis and toasts in whisky have given the club’s charity fund raising a boost. And there’s more to come with a “Nearly New” sale billed as an opportunity to surrender any fashion mistakes to the cause of charity. A lunch for non-Soroptimist friends raised £100 for Project Sierra.
Earlier, President Ruth’s project supporting a school for the deaf in West Bengal benefitted from a £65 collection. She is currently working at the school and told members that they were facing the coldest winter there for a long time and the girls now had extra blankets. President Ruth is also helping to sort out hearing aids for the pupils. Four members of the local Soroptimist Club , SI Kolkata had visited with gifts of good quality used clothes.
Photo shows Norwich members in a celebrating mood.
Annette Conn
Southend Soroptimists ask the public to lend a hand to stop domestic violence.
The Southend Club has burst into frenzied activity since our new PAO and President took over! We are lobbying the new government and our local authorities on several Soroptimist issues, and we’ve had lots of action as well.
Since our last report, we have held several social events – coffee morning, BBQ, trolley dash and summer lunch – to raise money for the Balmoral Centre, President Janet’s project. Our fund raising is going very well. Look at our own website for details.
One of our more interesting activities was selling raffle tickets for our trolley dash. We sold some outside the store where the trolley dash would take place, near the Balmoral Centre. Not a brilliant idea, we soon realised, as it’s one of the more disadvantaged areas in Southend, so there wasn’t a lot of spare cash around. However, the outcome was superb as a number of people generously donated their tickets to the Centre and one of those tickets won!
Our Hands Banner event, soroptimist-gbi.org/southend-on-sea-and-district/our-programme-action/ held on Saturday 4th September in the Eastgate Centre, was a huge success. Over 700 people put their hands up to STOP violence NOW! Some added messages, and former local MP, now Baroness Angela Smith came along to support. We handed out Loves Me – Loves Me Not bookmarks which were much appreciated by many of our visitors.
Also in support of the Violence Against Women – STOP IT NOW! Campaign, we’re keeping up our regular donations of toiletries bags for the women who go into both the Southend and Basildon refuges. We have recently made a link with South Essex College, who are planning to include the printing of our bags in their programme for first year textile students. It won’t be for a while, but it’s a good link for both us and them and will raise students’ awareness of our work and the support given at the refuge. Several of us went to the Southend Refuge for lunch in July and met community workers, police and staff. An interesting networking opportunity, which has had a good impact on our involvement there.
In July, we welcomed a new member and we have a couple more women who are interested, so we’re hoping to make up for those we lost last year.
We are very much looking forward to hosting the next RCM with the Peace Vigil and dove release. Two years ago, our own event at Hadleigh Castle was very successful, so we hope that members throughout the region will join us and will find something special in this celebration of UN International Day of Peace 2010.