Edinburgh Conference
1-3 November 2024. Register now on the Conference Website.
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About Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland (SIGBI)
Educate. Empower. Enable
Soroptimist International is a global volunteer women’s organisation working together to transform the lives of women and girls with nearly 66,000 Members in 121 countries. Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland (SIGBI) has over 5,000 Members in over 250 Clubs in 17 countries including Great Britain, Ireland and countries in Asia and the Caribbean, who work at a local, national and international level to educate, empower and enable opportunities for women and girls.
Find your local club
Join the 66,000 Soroptimists worldwide, the majority of whom belong to their local Club, where they can make friends with like-minded women, have fun and work on projects that help improve the lives of women and girls locally, nationally and internationally.
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What We Do
As a member of SIGBI you can have fun and work on projects that help improve the lives of women and girls locally, nationally and internationally.
Find out more
Who We Are
Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland (SIGBI) has over 5,000 Members in 250 Clubs in 17 countries including Great Britain, Ireland and countries in Asia and the Caribbean, who work at a local, national and international level to educate, empower and enable opportunities for women and girls.
Find out more
Benefits of joining an international women’s organisation
Become Part Of An
International Women’s Organisation
Improve Lives
Improve lives of women and girls
Make Friends
Meet like minded members
Travel The World
Opportunities to travel abroad
Volunteer
Opportunities to volunteer
Attend Conferences
Annual conference & meetings
Stay Updated
View our online magazine
Get Rewards
Access to Members’ Rewards Portal
Making A Difference Worldwide
109403
Women & Girls Helped
66000
Soroptimists Worldwide
250
SIGBI Clubs Worldwide
“I’m a Soroptimist because our collective action makes the world a better place”
Bianca Young
SI Western Jamaica
“I’m a Soroptimist because I enjoy making my community a better place alongside women I am proud to call my sister friends. “
Denise Ewe
SI Esperance, Trinidad and Tobago
New SIGBI Club – SI Minerva, South Wales
SI Minerva President Reports on their chartering ceremony that was held on Sunday 22nd September in…
Global Voice Newsletter
The September 2024 issue of Global Voice is now available. In this issue of Global…
World Literacy Day – 8 September 2024
Each year, since 1967, UNESCO has taken the 8th September as a special day to…
Frequently Asked Questions
Please find a selection of Frequently Asked Questions that may help you, if you have further questions, please contact us.
The name Soroptimist was coined from the Latin soror meaning sister, and optima meaning best.
Soroptimist is perhaps best interpreted as ‘the best for women’. From the founding of the first Soroptimist club in Oakland, California, in 1921, through to the present day where over 3000 Clubs are flourishing throughout the world, Soroptimists have continued to strive as a women’s organisation to achieve ‘the best for women’ in every sphere of their lives.
We are an international women’s organisation and together our Members are a global voice for women.
Our achievements have a huge impact on the lives of women and girls. We are an organisation with special consultative status at the United Nations (UN) through the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). In addition we make friends and have fun!
Benefits of joining this international women’s organisation include:
The opportunity to contribute to improving the lives of women and girls by doing projects with other women
The opportunity to meet Soroptimists in other countries when travelling abroad
Regular newsletters
The opportunity to attend our annual Conference, Regional Conferences and Club Meetings
1) Club Membership
Join a local Club, attend regular meetings and events and participate fully in their project work which is local, national and international whilst enjoying close friendships forged through regular Club attendance. Be part of a global women’s organisation.
Interested? You can search for your nearest Club or if you know your local Club complete the online form. Then hold tight, your local Club will be in touch soon.
If there isn’t a Club in your area, why not start one? Contact the SIGBI Membership Officer sally@sigbi.org to find out more.
2) Associate Membership
Associate Membership is open to women who believe in what we do, want to be involved, but can’t commit to Club Membership. You will learn about our organisation and get involved in our project work to improve the lives of women and girls through our magazine, website, social media and email updates. This is an online membership although Members can attend our annual conference and may be invited to attend local Club and regional events.
To join a local Club and be part of this global women’s organisation, attend regular meetings and events and participate fully in their project work which is local, national and international whilst enjoying close friendships forged through regular Club attendance.
Interested? You can search for your nearest Club or if you know your local Club complete the online form. Then hold tight, your local Club will be in touch soon.
If there isn’t a Club in your area, why not start one? Contact the SIGBI Membership Officer, please visit: https://sigbi.org/get-involved/membership/
Contact SIGBI
To contact Soroptimist International Great Britain & Ireland (SIGBI) or for information about how to join, please fill in the enquiry form.
For urgent matters, please call our head office:
+44 (0)161 480 7686