Ann Cotton, our second keynote speaker, founded CAMFED in her Cambridge study in 1991. It now provides skills and education for hundreds of women in 5 African countries by working with governments and NGO’s.

The reports from clubs around the world on their Programme Action to improve the lives of women and girls were inspiring. It’s amazing what we can achieve when we work together.

Our new SIGBI President is Margaret Maguire from Belfast

Joint President Ann Fielding and Immediate Past President Diane Hill attended the Conference - Ann can be seen enjoying a glass of wine whilst dining with fellow Soroptimists at a lively Italian restaurant!

Joint President Ann Fielding (SI Tiverton and District) and Rene Hockin (SI Barnstaple).  Ann was allowed to hold the cup just for a minute to encourage us to return again next year and attempt to take the cup home!!  It’s been a long time …..

SI Tiverton did a 5 minute presentation on our Programme Action work during the last year to those attending the Regional Meeting in Taunton.

Below – President Di and Regional President, Mary MacNaughton

International Women’s Day centenary was celebrated by SI Tiverton with displays in Tiverton Pannier Market and at Petroc College. The displays showed remarkable women who changed our lives between 1911 and 2011 and the differences they made in education, health, politics, work and homelife. Tutorials about these changes are to be given at Petroc College.

Jenny and Kathy (pictured at the display) are good examples of today’s multi-tasking women, both with families and both running their own businesses.

President Di with the cast from Tiverton Amateur Dramatic Society at the ‘Murder Mystery Evening – Oliver with a Twist’ held at Uplowman Village Hall on 5th February 2011 to raise funds for our three charities.  Pauline Farr (on the left of the picture) is a member of SI Tiverton.

Most of the performers gave their services free with the back-up of transport from parents.   The concert opened with Castle  Primary School Choir School singing old and new carols.  The ‘New Generation Majorettes (not a baton in sight), gave us a wonderful dance routine, which left us breathless  before rushing off to their next venue!  Members of Tiverton Junior Operatic  Society  sang some wonderful songs and Tiverton Trainee Town Band (the youngest member was three!) performed a glorious medley ending with a favourite carol.  One of the older band members, Royston Potter, gave a solo performance on the Tuba and a younger member, Stephen Bucknell played a brilliant ‘Danny Boy’ on the euphonium.  Both these performers were accompanied on the piano by John Fitton.  Willow Tree Centre of Dance and Performing Arts had put on a production of Beauty and the Beast.  The two main stars, Amy Garland (Belle) and Nathan Banks (Beast) both of whom have glorious voices,  sang the love songs from the show.   The trio ‘In Harmony’, with Soroptimist Kathy Welden,   gave a fantastic, very polished and lively performance of war time tunes.  The finale was young performers from the ‘ Drop – In’  who had formed a band called ‘the band’.  They were sensational.  It was their first ‘live’ performance and  of course ,  there were some technical  glitches, but the singers, especially a girl called Jed, were great.  Apparently they were keen to carry on and the audience certainly wanted them to continue, but we had to vacate the hall.

There was a draw for a Hamper full of Christmas goodies.  Although the turn-out was rather disappointing most likely due to the awful weather, we were able to make nearly nine hundred pounds.

Amy Garland performs a song from a recent Willow Tree Production of Beauty and the Beast

Tiverton Junior Opera Company

and had a wonderful time!

Show below are Ann Walters, Pauline Farr, Regional President Wendy Plaice and Di Hill