June 2011 has proved a very successful month for SI The Fylde -

Linda Beddows, PA Chair and Federation Councillor, was awarded the MBE for her work in the community.

SI The Fylde won the Rosebowl Competition and this makes it the sixth win since the competiton began!

SI The Fylde were shortlisted for the Darwen Shield  – given for Programme Action Work – and praised for their Speak Up for Women brand.

Well done to all!!!

New members are always welcome to the team, but will have to be CRB cleared.   Sessions are held every Saturday from 2 pm until 4 pm.

Dates for the next sessions are:  2 July, 13 August, 24 September, 5 November, 17 December.

A Big Thank You to all those members who have helped at the Centre during the past twelve months.

The donations given at the June meeting went to Life Education, The Fylde District Scout group, The Fylde Girl Guide group, the Blackpool Fylde and Wyre Contact Centre, Harbour House, the Ormerod Trust and the Blackpool Women’s Centre.

Our Club was pleased to welcome Mr Paul Hodgkiss who spoke to members about the history of Lytham Hall and also about future plans.   Paul was warmly welcomed by President Joan.

Members were very interested in the subject, as we have held events at Lytham Hall over the years, including a Charter Dinner in President Victoria’s year and afternoon teas in earlier years.

JUNE SPEAKER  – PARTNERS IN EDUCATION SWAZILAND

Swaziland, with a population of 1.1 million, has 120,000 orphans and 20,000 households in Swaziland are headed by children. Education is through fee-paying schools and 46% of the adult population is HIV positive.

Partners in Education Swaziland (PIES) has the simple aim of providing a meal a day and free basic education for street children and child-headed households.

This was the subject explained and discussed at our June speaker meeting by Lyn and Norman Yates who have long associations with the charity and made several trips to Swaziland to give hands-on assistance and to raise funds and publicity when they are at home.

 Lyn, who is also a member of Preston Soroptimists, explained that the cost of clothing and shelter is relatively high and every penny is carefully utilised by keeping the administration of the charity in the UK and cutting down on overheads.

 A vote of thanks was given jointly by Olga Lodge and Betty McKerrow who are former members of SI Preston and close friends of Lyn an Norman and a donation was made to PIES on behalf of our Club.  

‘A’ and ‘AS’ level students presented their exhibitions and discussed the development of their work covering a wide variety of media, backed up by sketch books.

Their teacher, Miss Laura Heap, said that all the students had achieved an immensely high standard of work and it would be difficult to single out a winner. 

Lawrence Vincent and Catherine Latham were highly commended for their work and Hannah Williams selected as the outright winner to receive the Soroptimist International of The Fylde Schinasi Trophy 2011, together with a prize of The Story of Art by E.M. Gombrich, a classic reference for all serious students of art.

Linda is delighted and very honoured to receive this award for her services to the community of Lytham and St Annes.   She has worked over many years for the League of Friends at Clifton Hospital and as a Trustee at Trinity Hospice and also as Governor at King Edward and Queen Mary School.  Linda also is a volunteer for the Cinnamon Trust (a national charity which looks after the elderly and their pets) and has been a Soroptimist member for almost 20 years, now acting as Federation Councillor for the North West Region.

Linda looks forward to visiting the Palace to receive her award which she feels very much reflects the appreciation of the work of the voluntary sector.

The format of the evening will include a meal and there will be a presentation from the Strategy Team at the Company AGM and presentations, reports and handovers of officers at the Club AGM.

Kath was a very passionate Soroptimist and loved every minute of her membership of the Club.  She was instrumental in forming the links of the Club with Fylde Women’s Aid, Relate, the Grand Theatre and the Claremont Association.   She enjoyed all aspects of her membership and went to Federation Conference and the Joint Regional Conference regularly, only missing in the last couple of years.

Kath will be very much missed – she was young at heart and very forward thinking and would be very excited by all the changes and challenges we are experiencing.

SI Fylde have an exceptionally busy year ahead as three of their members continue their work at Region and Federation level.  Sue Smith is Regional Programme Officer, Pat Fergusson – Regional Membership and Extension,  and Linda Beddows – Federation Councillor for NW England & Isle of Man Region.  

Meetings start at 7.30 pm and alternate between Business and Social meetings.