Some Scottish Soroptimists, pictured above, attended the Soroptimist Inernational Convention in Montreal during 10-14 July 2011. Conventions occur every four years and bring together members from all four Federations (Americas, Europe, South West Pacific and Great Britain and Ireland).

All keynote speakers lived and worked in Canada and each of their presentations focussed on a different aspect of Women:Leaders in Civil Society. A number of workshops were delivered on two afternoons, one of which focussed on ‘Fairtrade’ and involved SI Motherwell and Wishaw member Morag Rennie. If you wold like to read more about the speakers and the Convention click on ‘daily news’ via this link http://www.si-montreal2011.org/index.html

The city of Montreal had many wonderful visitor attractions, some of which are featured in the photos. Many of the Scottish Soroptimists who travelled to Montreal then visited other parts of Canada before returning home to Scotland.

SI SSR President Eileen introduces her two guest speakers who sat on either side of her at the lunch in the Glynhill Hotel Renfrew on Sunday 06 March 2011 to celebrate 75 years of Soroptimism in Scotland South or as it was known back in 1936 the Divisional Union.

To continue the written record of the clubs which make up SI Scotland South President Eileen had asked each club to update their history from 1986 to the present day. The club histories were then collated to produce a booklet and each member who attended the lunch received a copy as a memento.

Following the lunch attendees heard from two recent recipients of the Region’s 3′S’ Trust Fund.

The first speaker had travelled as a Girl Guide to Russia to support the development of similar organisations which had been prevented during communist rule.

The second recipient had travelled to Chile, through the Scottish Charity ‘Project Trust’, to teach English for a year to school aged children before commencing her undergraduate studies.

The grants from the 3′S’ Trust Fund helped to allow these two young women, pictured below with SI Dunfermline President, to have life changing experiences by living with/alongside local families so that they could immerse themselves in the ethos of the people and the countries they had visited.

Prior to all attendees departing, Vice President Sue asked all to form a human bridge in the shape of an ‘S’ to mark 100 years of ‘International Women’s Day’ on 08 March 2011.

Soroptimist International Glasgow City was chartered on 05 December 2010 by Federation President Liz Morgan-Lewis. Despite the adverse weather conditions members of the new club were joined by Soroptimists from across Scotland, England and Northern Ireland at the newly refurbished Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow city centre. 

The first photograph shows Federation President Liz with the joint club Presidents Mae and Heather. The other selected images provide a flavour of the day.

President Liz congratulated the two former clubs (SI Glasgow West and SI Glasgow Central) for taking proactive action and she looks forward to watching the ongoing development of SI Glasgow City.

View the new club website at www.glasgowcitysoroptimist.club.officelive.com

To celebrate SI Dunfermline’s 60^th Anniversary of the club’s Charter, 60 apple trees were selected and planted for the Community Orchard in Townhill Country Park. A hedge made up of a carefully chosen range of shrubs with berries to attract wild life was also planted. 

Regular members of the ‘Park Community’ and other visitors were intrigued by the activity and very appreciative of the Soroptimist Club’s contribution to the local environment.  Several visitors even set to with spade and wheelbarrow and helped Club members with their planting.

“Appletreeman”, Andrew Lear, was on hand on Sunday to share his expert knowledge of apples and how to manage orchards.  He had answers for a wide range of questions put to him by interested members of the public.

The orchard, which was the brainchild of Past President Cherry McIntyre during her year in office last year, has been planned with the help of the Fife Coast and Countryside Ranger at Townhill, Lyn Strachan, and will contribute to the biodiversity within the Park by enhancing the habitats for birds and invertebrates.

October 2010

At the end of October 2010, the members of SI Glasgow Central club held a coffee morning in the Guide Association premises in the centre of Glasgow to raise funds for Girl Guiding Glasgow. Immediate Past Club President Susie had led a ‘band of helpers’ to organise the event, which included a ‘Lucky Dip’ stall, home produce and a ‘blue and yellow’ stall consisting of items that were coloured blue and yelow the logo colours of Soroptimist International. Glasgow Commissioner May Madden was in attendance along with a number of local guiders.

Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland (SIGBI) Limited are in regular communication with WAG (World Association of Guiders) and both organisations are keen to promote local partnership working.