Programme Team
The Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland Programme Team consists of the Programme Director, and five Assistant Programme Directors (APDs), each assigned to one of the Programme Areas.
Details of the post holders are given below, and information about the projects each area covers can be found by following the “Read my Page” links.
Sue Biggs
Programme Director
Sue has been a Soroptimist for 11 years, firstly as a member of SI Pendleside and latterly as a member of SI Burnley, both Clubs in N W England and Isle of Man. For the last three years she chaired the UK Programme Action Committee and takes on the role of Federation Programme Director at an exciting time as we enter a new quadrennium with fresh Programme goals and objectives.
The SI title ”Educate to Lead” with key words being the three Es -educate, empower, enable lends itself to so many possibilities for exciting programme work which can be linked closely with recruitment and retention of members
Talat Pasha
APD Economic Empowerment
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T
alat joined Soroptimist International in 2005. She had shifted to Karachi in 2004 from Hyderabad where she worked for 25 years in a small clinic in Kotri to help the rural women of Sindh with their health issues. She was invited to join Soroptimist International by a friend and as Social work remains a life long passion she worked on all projects with a lot of enthusiasm and so became the Club Secretary during the same year. She then become Club President for two years, later becoming Federation Programme Action Chair for Pakistan. She was thrilled to receive the SIGBI Programme Action Award for Education on behalf of her country and her Club. Her enthusiasm for Soroptimism saw her starting a new Club in her native town, Hyderabad, which was chartered in 2010.
Ruth Dodd
APD Environmental Sustainability
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Since becoming a Soroptimist Ruth has served as a Club Programme Action Officer, Club President and as Region Programme Action Officer on the UKPAC Committee. She is a member of Amber Valley Club in Derbyshire.
Barbara Dixon
APD Food Security and Health Care
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Barbara is a member of SI Angelsey. She is a Dental Surgeon and University Lecturer and has been involved with Health politics for several years, serving on the Local Dental Committee and Health Board for Anglesey and task and finish Groups for the Welsh Assembly. A Soroptimist for almost 30 years she has served as Club President and Programme Action officer, Regional President, Councillor and Programme Action Officer and served on UKPAC as vice chair for 2 years. Throughout her Soroptimist career she has been amazed at the devotion, courage and enthusiasm of members in delivering programme.
Janet Hodgson
APD Learning Opportunities
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Janet was introduced to Soroptimism by a member of SI Leamington and Warwick -the late Winifred German. She has been a member for over 20 years, although now with SI Rugby. She says “I still believe in the aims and objectives and I still enjoy the friendship and fun that we have especially at conference. I was a freelance violinist for most of my career but ended up as Head of the Music Department at the Lawrence Sheriff Boys Grammar school here in Rugby where I volunteered to teach citizenship. When I was teaching citizenship I was able to teach the boys that violence against women was unacceptable, in fact I taught them that violence against anyone was wrong. Hilary Ratcliffe SI Director for Programme has always advocated that we should work in partnerships and Sue Biggs, Director for Programme for SIGBI agrees and encourages us all to form partnerships. Looking at the Programme Focaus reports I am pleased to see how many more clubs are working in partnerships not only with outside organisations but also other clubs in their region or in other countries. I have always travelled down the programme action path in Soroptimism as I just love it and I was priviledged to be the Chairman of the UKPAC committee for 3 years. May I recommend that you take time to read some of the PFRFs they provide a wealth of information and if you or your club cannot think of a new project they are a source of inspiration.”
Jackie Paling
APD Violence and Conflict Resolution
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Jackie has been a member of SI of Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead since 1987 and has been on the Club Programme Action Committee for most of that time. She has served as Club President and Club Programme Action Officer. From 2003 to 2007, she was Federation Quadrennial Project Liaison for Project International – Women Survivors of War, our International Project in partnership with Women for Women International helping to rebuild the lives of women survivors of war and conflict in Bosnia, Rwanda and Afghanistan.