Regional Lunch 2011

The annual Regional Lunch and Trophy Presentation was held at The Crofters Hotel, Garstang on Sunday 19^th June. Eighty five women descended on the hotel for an afternoon of fine food and good company and they weren’t disappointed. The hotel as we have come to expect, excelled with the food and there was much excitement as the time came for the announcement of the trophy winners.

The President’s Rose Bowl,

which was presented to the Region in 1980 by the then Regional President Mrs Margaret Parr, is given to the winner of the president’s challenge. This year, clubs had been invited to enter a team into a completion organised by the President titled ‘Scrabble with a Difference’. The idea had been to make as many words using the letters given in the phrase ‘A Global Voice for Women’ and in the second round ‘Quadrennial Project’ and points were given using the values of Scrabble letters.

The winning team, unbeknown to anyone until the sealed envelope was opened, was S.I. The Fylde with a massive score of 4313 and the results for the other teams are as below.

President Judith with Tina Wilcox SI The Fylde

The Darwen Shield

is presented to the club that has done what is considered to be the best Programme Project in the last year. This year there were 155 good projects to choose from; therefore certain criteria were necessary to reduce the numbers for consideration. Projects had to have SMART objectives; specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-related, plus it had to have an action plan, show visible research, be inclusive of all club members and should raise the profile of Soroptimism.

This is no mean criteria and after much anticipation the Shield was awarded to S I Grange over Sands for their ‘The End of Life Planning’ seminar.

Sue Smith, Programme Action Officer, with President Judith, SI Grange over Sands

The Haslingden Trophy,

this trophy is crafted from the presidential regalia of the now closed S.I.Haslingden 1951-2004 and is awarded annually for recruitment and retention.

Last year S.I. Preston took the trophy with three new members retained for the given four year period. This year, again three is the magic number for members recruited in the year from May 1. 2007 and who are still members.

So again, with three members, Karen, Heather & Isobel – SI Preston and also with three members, Barbara, Clare & Magdalene – SI Blackburn So the result is a tie between S.I. Blackburn and S.I. Preston.

Pat Ferfusson, Extension and Membership Officer with President Margaret, SI Blackburn and President Karen , SI Preston