SI Minerva President Reports on their chartering ceremony that was held on Sunday 22nd September in Port Talbot, South Wales.
On arrival to the ceremony, Minerva members welcomed guests with a glass of mimosa. Rhian Williams, incoming President Elect was master of ceremonies and gave a warm welcome. SIGBI President Ruth Healey then invited Judith Morgan, incoming President to accept the Charter, which was then duly signed by Ruth, Judith and Minerva’s Secretary Gordina Appleton. Then Ruth presented each founding member present with their Soroptimist badge followed by a SI Minerva chain of office badges. Ruth and SI Wales South Officers Helen Scourfield made addresses and Regional Immediate Past President Sharon Dixon toasted the SI Minerva. All spoke really well and made Minerva members, as new Soroptimist Club, feel really special as they were welcomed into the sisterhood. Our guests greeted the speeches with enthusiasm and felt that they had a better understanding of the work of Soroptimists. Around thirty-six family and friends were present including Soroptimists from SI Wales South Region: Rayner Rees (SI Bridgend) and Carwen Wynn Howells (SI Haverfordwest), Erene Grieve from SI Milford Haven and Pam Mahoney from SI Bridgend.
During her speech President Judith informed that SI Minerva was to be a hybrid club that would hold meetings F2F with zoom in Port Talbot, Swansea and Carmarthen; F2F hub meetings with zoom or solely zoom. That the name Minerva was chosen as it was so fitting for the club…and that Minerva came to mean more much than they anticipated…. Minerva, the patron of medicine, arts, commerce and handicrafts was initially recognised as a goddess of war and latterly strategic warfare – fighting (championing) for just cause for her community. In readiness for their charter ceremony and to embed their club’s identity going forward, members started to make table runners, hand paint carafes and bottles for the tables, bake and decorate the Minerva Tree cake. Then planned their first events so that they could advertise it – ‘pop up Orange Café with afternoon tea & talk ‘Becoming Medicines and Minor Emergencies Savvy’. Next thing … people wanted to buy their carafes and bottles, so they inadvertently ended up in commerce”. This meant that members were now championing for women and girls, doing handy-crafts and arts, selling produce, educating on medicine. It’s as if Minerva herself was leading the club – how spooky is that!!!?
When you looked around the room during the afternoon, one could see tables of ladies enjoying themselves, chattering away and laughing as they ate sandwiches and cakes and drank Prosecco, Nozeco, tea and coffee. The ‘craic’ was amazing. On leaving, all said that they really enjoyed the afternoon which has been best summed up by a thank you that the club received from Carwen Wynne Howells – who Judith had thanked during her speech for suggesting she start a new soroptimist club – “Thank you for a lovely time this afternoon, it was a great atmosphere, and everyone really enjoyed themselves. SI Minerva has been well and truly launched -well done. I wish you and the members every success for the future. It was evident today that you are a great team with a ‘can do’ attitude and that is a great start”.