A MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT JOAN

SOROPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL OF THE FYLDE 

1937 – 2011

President 2011-2012: Dr JOAN BOND 

Theme for the year

Lighting Candles – “Thy Need is Greater than Mine”

(Sir Philip Sydney)

List of Local Charities for the Year

The Ormerod Trust

Donna’s Dream House

Harbour House

Blackpool Women’s Centre

Feed the Children

I feel honoured to have been elected as President of S.I.Fylde. I value not only the friendships I have made with many Soroptimists over the years I have been a member of the organisation but also the warmth of my greetings from the members of S.I.Fylde  when I transferred my membership to the Club some six years ago.

My main aim during the year of my Presidency is for members of the Club to make their presence felt in the community by becoming very active in local affairs and charities. This is the reason for my challenge to members to perform services which do not involve financial outlays; in other ways to do ‘good deeds’. To quote the Bible,”by your deeds ye are known” and I sincerely hope that we can fulfil this promise during the coming year.

I am aware that there is the problem of ageing membership in many Soroptimist Clubs (and I, sadly, must include myself in this category). It is obvious that, unless we can attract younger women into the Clubs, Soroptimism has, in the U.K., no long term future. We tend to forget that the Clubs are the life-blood of Soroptimism and that without them there would not be an organisation. Soroptimism can be likened to a tree with roots, trunk and foliage but however lush the foliage, how stout the trunk, should the roots die the tree would die. The individual clubs are the roots of Soroptimism and this is why it is vital to the organisation that the roots are healthy and flourishing. Therefore, I hope that every member of S.I.Fylde will wholeheartedly support the work of the Club, attend meetings of the Club as part of their commitment to it and make personal approaches to younger women in order to interest them in membership. In this way not only will the long term success of S.I.Fylde be ensured but also that of Soroptimist International.

Enjoy the year!

Dr Joan Bond

PRESIDENT SI THE FYLDE