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Events and Club News

March 26th.  Time to reflect and plan!  Together with our Region Membership Officer, we considered how we can engage with more women who share our hope of improving the   future for  women and girls, and encourage them to join us.  We can build on the past and look positively towards the future.

 

It was great to meet and greet women, going about their shopping in the town and offer them a Soroptimist Gift of Spring flowers.  The flowers were so well received  by very surprised and thankful women who also now know a little bit about how ….

Soroptimists ‘Stand up for Women!

Celebrating International Womens’ Day

Our bunches of lowers neatly tied, ready to give to women in the spirit of true Soroptimist friendship


March 8th; UN international womens’ Day and celebrates the contribution of women across the globe

In Saigon, the students in this photograph were celebrating International Women’s Day by offering flowers for a small donation.

Here in Yeovil, we will be in the town, offering a gift of a small bunch of Spring flowers to women out and about the town

 

 

 

We will be in the Borough, Yeovil, offering Spring Flowers to women out and about in the Town.

After our excellent pre Christmas lunch at the Pen Mill Hotel, we will not hold any formal meetings until February.  The Executive committee will meet via zoom and as always, the notes of the meeting will be circulated to all members.  Time for some R&R to prepare for our 2024 activities.

 

 

 

 

 

Members joined by the former Mayor of Yeovil raising awareness of Gender based violence. Each shoe painted orange represents a female who lost her life to domestic abuse in one year.  We shared our ‘Loves Me, Loves Me Not’ bookmarks showing strong healthy relationships and highlighting not so healthy traits.  Our shoes and posters will now be displayed in the Quedam art centre.

Our thanks for help with this special UN Day go to young artist, Mimi Gafney; Western Decorating Solutions and Dulux decorator supplies for paint and to Jones, Yeovil Builders for spraying the shoes.  Thanks also to the Town Centre Management for providing the shelter of a Gazebo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Come and say hello to us, we will be in the Quedam Shopping centre, Yeovil on 25th November from 10am., until 12 noon.  We will offer our ‘Loves Me, Loves Me Not’ bookmark to anyone who would like one.  The day is the start of 16 days of activism against gender based violence.  You can’t miss us.  Just look for all the orange shoes, each shoe representing a woman or girl’s life lost to any form of gender based violence.

 

Getting prepared for November 25th - the UN Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The UN colour for the day is orange. These once loved shoes have been sprayed orange, each shoe represents a woman who lost her life to DOmestic Abuse. Our thanks to Jones Builders for soraying the shoes for us without charge and to the paint company for dinating the paint.

 

Preparing for November 25th  –  the United Nations Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

These once loved shoes have been sprayed orange, the UN colour for this day.  Each shoe represents a woman who has died as a result of domestic abuse.

Our thanks to Jones, local builders, who sprayed the shoes without charge.  Thanks also for the donation of paint by Western Decorating Supplies and Dulux Decorating Centre

 

 

 

This poster will be used in our awareness raising  Campaign on November 25th.

We will be in Ivel Square in the Quedam, Yeovil from 10a.m.

We will be very happy to talk about our global efforts to achieve a safe world for women and girls and offer our ‘Love Me, Love Me Not’ bookmarks which tell simply, what is a good relationship and what may be not so good.

 

 

 

 

Members marked Remembrance Sunday in a variety of ways and at different locations.  Three members were able to join the Parade in Yeovil, marching from Petters Way to the War Memorial in the town centre.  Following a short Service  of Remembrance, a wreath was laid by the Club President on behalf of members.

Soroptimist International recognises that in times of war and conflict, women and girls also suffer greatly.

WE STAND UP FOR WOMEN & GIRLS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

November 25th.  The United Nation Day for the Elimination of all Forms of Violence Against Women and Girls.

We will be in the Quedam, Yeovil in the morning, raising awareness on domestic abuse.  We will have a display of painted orange shoes, each shoe representing one life lost to Domestic or Relationship Violence in the past year. We will also be handing out our ‘Love Me, Love me Not’ bookmarks, detailing good and not good relationships.

 

Members attended the Soroptimist Federation conference held at the Friends House, Euston, London.

The theme, ‘Climate for Change’  included inspirational speakers including Louisa Rolfe, OBE, Assistant  Commissioner, Metropolitan Police; Monty Halls, Marine Biologist and Hasima Safi, and Afghan Woman who is a women’s rights activist.

 

At our October gathering, joined by family and friends, we were treated to an excellent presentation on how the lives of two Yeovil women had been influential in the town’a commercial development at times in history when women were not associated with business.

 

We were pleased to welcome Anna Schuttler to our September meeting to tell us about a project she started which produces reusable sanitary protection.  The neatly designed protection is packaged in a small fabric clutch bag, discreet and dignified.  These are distributed to women and girls in developing countries as well as areas of conflict and natural disaster.  Members learnt of the many ways that we can support Anna and her team in building this project and helping many more women and girls.

Four members accepted  very kind invitation from Sherborne Food Bank  to attend an afternoon tea thanking all the volunteers and organisations that help them.  It was a delightful afternoon and an opportunity to meet many involved in supporting the Food Bank, which in turn, supports so many people in great need on a weekly basis.  We learnt that at Christmas, an additional delivery is made to ensure that those helped routinely have some Christmas cheer too.

Three members attended Soroptimist International Convention in Dublin, joining with members from over 60 countries.  The theme, ‘Challenge the Future’.  With some excellent speakers, the opportunity to meet with members from around the world at social events and to see some of the wonderful sites of Dublin.  And of course, the Guinness just had to be sampled!

One way in which we support our local community is by collecting unwanted jewellery.  This is auctioned and the proceeds are donated to the Breast Care Unit at Yeovil hospital, which is under construction.  Over £130K has already been raised in this way.

Supporting the new Yeovil Breast Care Unit

 

On July 11th, a cheque was presented to Yeovil Freewheeleers Blood Bikes.  Freewheelers is a group of volunteer motorcyclists who support the NHS by transporting urgent medical items.  The value of donations to Freewheelers multiplies tenfold in value to NHS savings.

 

 

 

 

On June 29th, a cheque for £300 was presented to Sherborne Food Bank, enabling them to help people in great need.  The CEO will speak at our next meeting, informing us how the charity is operated, how clients are helped and of their future plans.

 

 

July 1st, 5 members attended the Region AGM.  During the morning we had two excellent speakers, SIGBI Programme Director and an Environmental Health Officer giving a very detailed account of how Public Health had evolved during the past century.  As is usual, we enjoyed a superb lunch ahead of the business of the AGM.  The election  of Officers followed and confirmed the postholders who will take office following the Federation Conference in November.

 

SIYeovil@hotmail.com  or go to the federation website SIGBI.org

 

 

 

 

 

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