Soroptimist Year April is the last month of the Soroptimist calendar.  So we are reviewing the last 12 months ahead of our AGM at the end of April.  It’s been a busy year! Help for victims of abuse We have been knitting blankets to help the victims of FGM.  But we hope that the practice will end.  So do Vavengers, a charity that actively campaigns to stop it. There are many forms of violence and abuse. One of them is economic abuse, and Refuge is a charity that gives advice and support. Support in high places Early this month, President Sue, and other members of SI Woking & District were pleased to be able to discuss our activities and mission with the Mayor of Woking, Councillor Illyas Raja.

Tea & Temptations Not only an unmissable fashion show, not only a gorgeous afternoon, but stalls to buy from as well! SI Woking is supporting two charities with this event: Surrey Care Trust and Let’s Read. Tickets on sale now.  Don’t miss the boat, get in touch now! International Women’s Day – 8 March 2024 #inspireinclusion The Mayor and Mayoress of Woking joined Soroptimists and friends on Bedser Bridge, Woking to support the theme of #inspireinclusion for International Women’s Day 2024. Microfinance Group Our Microfinance Group has arranged a loan to help five women in Zambia. More here Safety Contact Cards The idea of carrying a card with contact numbers in addition to the mobile phone is catching on! The card will soon be available in Surrey Libraries. Contact us for more information. Blankets for Ethiopia We have set a new target for the blankets

Inspiring Inclusion This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is ‘Inspiring Inclusion’ We are meeting on the Bedser Bridge in Woking on 27 February 2024 at 11.00 Join us there! Help for FGM victims We will beat our target of knitting 20 blankets for women helped by the Hamlin Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia.  The women – some of them very young – have suffered physical damage because of the practice of FGM (female genital mutilation).   Our blankets offer physical warmth and comfort while in hospital and when they go back home. Tea & Temptations SI Woking will hold a Fashion Show with Afternoon Tea on Saturday 6 July 2024 in Mayford Village Hall. The proceeds of the event will be shared between Surrey Care Trust and Let’s Read. Contact us for more details. Contact Card for Surrey SI Woking’s message: Stay safe, always carry personal

Happy New Year! We begin a New Year whilst continuing our 2023-24 programme of activities and awareness-raising. Look our for details of the fund-raising event we will hold on 6 July 2024 – the return of a favourite event ‘Tea & Temptations’. Violence against Women New year – but not a new problem: violence against women and girls.  Listen to this BBC episode of Fixing Britain to learn more about current initiatives and what can be done to tackle this ongoing issue: Fixing Britain Barbara Watts VIP project We raised £210.00 for the Barbara Watts VIP project in December 2023.  We held a small raffle at the Christmas Dinner and added donations instead of exchanging Christmas cards. Hamlin Fistula Hospital We are close to beating our new target of knitting 20 blankets for the Hamlin Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia! Blankets, like this one made by

16 Days of Activism Getting the message up there about violence towards women and girls in the world Soroptimist Jan represented SI Woking during the special walk in Walton-on-Thames to start the 16 Days of Activism – the United Nations Campaign to eliminate violence against women. Remembrance Sunday   President Rozanne, accompanied by Soroptimist Jennie, laid the wreath at Woking Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday, 12 November 2023. Advent Calendars Members donated 52 calendars for children and 22 calendars for adults who are supported in Surrey by Your Sanctuary. Crime and safety in Surrey Lisa Townsend [Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner since 2021] was our guest speaker at our November Social Meeting.  She gave us a very thought-provoking and informative talk about her roles and responsibilities – and her thoughts on the way forward to support women and their safety both at home and out and

Safety card Our new safety card – keep it with you but not with your phone! Many of us rely on our mobiles for those important contact numbers.  But what do you do if your mobile is lost or stolen or has a flat battery?  And you can’t remember the  phone numbers of your nearest and dearest? Promoted at our Orange Cafe and recognised by the SI Southern Regional Awards Ask us for one of our reminder cards and write your emergency contact numbers on it! Tea with Shifa We spent a lovely October ‘Tea Morning” with the ladies of Shifa.  We talked about the many kinds of tea there are and how we make tea, in the UK and in other countries.  Customs and habits can be so different and changing.  How many now use teabags and mugs instead of teapots, teacups and loose

Wildfires We usually expect to have a sunny, holiday mood photo for our August report.  This year is different.  Climate change has brought terrible fires to so many places.  Holidaymakers and residents are suffering.  But so is nature. Domestic Abuse Connected tech: smart or sinister? Domestic abusers adopt the latest techniques.  The Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee in the UK Parliament has published a new report about this. It says that smartphones and home connection systems make it easier for people to control others.  The Committee asks MPs to do something about this.  Contact your MP!  Read more here. Repair, Reuse, Recycle Woking now has a  Repair Cafe so you don’t have to throw away!

Help for young women The June News photo show the cover of a book by John Little.  The book tells an inspiring story: how pioneering Dr Hamlin set up the Hamlin Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia.  Her aim was to help girls and young women seriously harmed by Femaile Genital Mutilation (FGM) We have been knitting squares for the Hamlin Fistula Hospital for some time.  Members came together in July – Soroptimists devote special time in July to service – to sew the knitted squares into blankets.  We are well on the way to completing 9 blankets! Each young woman who comes to the hospital gets a blanket and takes it home with her – very handy for cold Ethiopian nights!  We knit on!! Memories for the Future At the June and July 2023 Social Meetings, the two invited speakers spoke about memories and the future

Specialist Domestic Abuse Courts Report   This project, which began in 2017, aimed to provide an independent review of how the new Specialist Domestic Abuse Courts are working across England.  And more specifically to show how they could be made to work better for the victims of abuse, most of them women. Soroptimists volunteers across England spent around 4,000 hours making observations at over 30 courts.  More than 1,000 questionnaires were completed and submitted from the observations. The final report (three have already been published) is now available. Together they form a pretty  comprehensive report on how the Specialist Domestic Abuse Courts are working across the country. Soroptimists stand up as advocates for all women, but especially for those who have no voice. We acted as independent observers of these special courts as a way of helping the public to have confidence in them. But

Are you Soroptimised? It’s May, summer is on the horizon, energy levels are rising.  A good time to learn more about what Soroptimists do. A good time to think about what you can do to make the lives of women and girls better.  Contact us here. Climate Action 1 Climate Action you can take this month: It’s No Mow May!  You can help protect biodiversity by not mowing your lawn.  Just admire it instead! Climate Action 2 Climate Action taken by Horsell Common Preservation Society, Woking Borough Council and Surrey County Council. After many months of work, the new ponds, paths and boardwalks near Wheatsheaf Common are ready for use.  A great amenity for local people. But also a serious purpose.  The ponds offer water storage to prevent flash floods. And the new areas of grass, wildflower meadows and reedbeds provide new habitats for wildlife.