Programme Action 2012 – 2013

Our Programme Action Convenor is Angela Johnson.  Club Members support Programme Action in the  following areas:

• Health
• Education
• International Goodwill and Understanding, Human Rights and the Status of Women – Carol Singer
• Environment, Economic and Social Development  

Current Programme Action

Health

Individual members of SI Stockton-on-Tees give their time voluntarily to a number of health related organisations and charities.  These include:

• North Tees & Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust Hospital Users Group - individual members have visited wards and departments to see first hand how the Trust is providing care.  Reports are made to the Trust Board, complimenting standards of excellence and good practice with recommendations for change, where necessary.  A specific report on the care of older people in our area was compiled and submitted to SIGBI.
• Community School Governor/Chair of Governors - one of our members uses her professional skills and knowledge as a physiotherapist to be the S.E.N. link governor, visiting the school regularly and joining in lessons.
• Butterwick and Teesside Hospice – members volunteer at the Hospices, giving their time to provide reading materials, complementary therapies and fund raising.  Six of our members plus one daughter and two Soroptimisters, ran the Middlesbrough 10k race to raise funds for Butterwick Children’s Hospice and raised £530 pounds.  Last year’s lone runner Sandra Jones was promoted to team leader!
• Abbeyfield House Sheltered Housing – a member uses her professional skills and knowledge of services for older people as a voluntary member of the management committee and fund raises.
• The Shaw Trust - voluntary helper for this Trust which provides support and skills to  young people with disabilities.
• Stockton Physically Handicapped Club (their choice of title – not ours)- members support the club in providing suppers and entertainment on a regular basis.
• Free Taxi Service – a member provides this service to enable people to attend medical appointments.  She also assists those with limited ability in the English Language and is proficient in Sign Language.
• Mega Knitting – hats for premature babies in Africa, involved all active “knitters” and friends.
• Female Genital Mutilation – to help eliminate this practice the Club members have lobbied government and stakeholders, and provided leaflets.
• This year members attended the September Supper at the home of President Angela and £155 was raised for Breast Cancer Care.
• Esteemed member Connie Clarke gave us a talk about AIDS and HIV.  As a geneticist Connie was at the forefront of the AIDS outbreaks.  President Angela was concerned that this dreadful disease was no longer mentioned in the media and felt that we should ensure that members were updated.  Members gave wonderful feedback.  It is important to remember that AIDS is not contracted only through sexual activity – inappropriate drug usage is more of a problem in today’s modern world.

Education

One of our club members has recently become Chair of Governors at a school which is unique in that it has a large proportion of pupils who have physical and/or learning disabilities.  The school prides itself on its inclusion policy and children all work together, main stream and those with special needs. Her existing role of link governor for special educational needs (S.E.N.) is strengthened by her new role as Chair of Governors.  In addition she is link governor for science and takes part in lessons with children ensuring that the term ‘every child matters’ is truly the case.  She also supports the S.E.N.C.O., Science Leader and all teachers teaching science making links to the Governing body.

Head Teacher Shona Randle of Whitehouse Primary School brought us up to date with the challenges of primary education today.  Whitehouse Primary is a unique school as it has a large intake of children with special needs who are taught in a fully inclusive way.  Shona certainly did show that in her school ‘Every Child Matters’!

 Environment, Economic and Social Development

The 10:10 Campaign is a current environmental project in conjunction with the local council. SI Stockton-on-Tees members are able to make a pledge via the 10:10 website, to save 10% of their carbon emissions during 2010. The main initiative for dark and gloomy January days is “Save 10% on Electricity” by fitting low energy bulbs in the home. Some of the remaining initiatives on the www.1010uk.org website are : “Fly less, holiday more; Save 10% on heating; Drive less; Eat better; Don’t waste food:; .. or water; Feel happier”. Ongoing

 Inetrnational Good Will and Understanding, Human rights and the status of Women.

Members took part in a full day consultation with Blind Voice UK.  This consultation was designed to find out the actual needs of blind people from their point of view.  We completed forms for individuals and the results proved to be very valuable to Blind Voice and their future planning and service.

Sandra Jones and Angela Johnson gave a workshop on Ability Awareness.  Angela used her knowledge and expertise as a Physiotherapist and Masters Degree in Disability Studies to highlight some misconceptions about disability.  Sandra used her experience of dealing with Parkinson’s Disease to give anecdotal examples of the response she has had from the wider community. 

Michael Wright gave us an amazing talk about the work of Sister Imelda in Albania.  This wonderful woman fights against the trafficking of women from Alabania and for the imancipation of women.  Women in Albania lead a very cloistered life with little chance to socialise or achieve their full potential.

Kate Simpson (member) gave a wonderful talk about her job ‘A Woman in a Man’s World’.  Kate is an engineer – a rare thing for a woman even in today’s society.  She enlightened us re the complexities of her role in management within a male dominated profession.  Some of our more senior members told of how they had wanted to be engineers at the start of their careers but at that time it was more difficult to do so.  Kate says she feels privileged to have been allowed to follow her ambitions.

Highly acclaimed florist Sandra Rose gave us talk about how following a divorce she completely changed her life around and became a bespoke florist.  Sandra had no formal training but has a natural gift for arranging flowers.  Whilst demonstrating her skills to us she gave us snippets of humour and then kindly donated the arrangements to a raffle.  Funds were donated to the Butterwick Hospice.