A Group of SI Aberdeen members and friends enjoyed a great curry supper at the home of member Janice Rees

Four members of SI Aberdeen Pat Moir, Audrey, Marjory and Janice, organised and prepared a delicious supper at Cults Bowling Club in aid of the Meru Garden Project. Members enjoyed a buffet meal, raffle and a chance to buy various exotically flavoured jams. The evening raised £1200.00.

It was agreed by our membes to use £200 from the £1000 donation given to the club by Poppy Vejjabul for loans to women through the KIVA scheme. Kiva is an organisation which helps people obtain loans to carry out projects. They often work with people who live in some of the poorest countries in the world – people who are not able to go to a bank for a loan. Kiva only started in 2005, yet since then 1,299,877 lenders have made loans of $714,978,975 in 85 different countries, with a 98.72% repayment rate. More information is available at www.kiva.org SI Aberdeen have made 5 loans of $50 (c£40.80) totalling £204.80. These are the recipients of the loans: Maria from Paraguay Maria is from the city of Asuncion. She is studying in her third semester towards a law degree. Maria has many goals that

Members of SI Aberdeen enjoying the sun at the Federation conference in Malta.

Members of SI Aberdeen enjoyed an afternoon at the Town House Aberdeen where they were presented with individual gold awards for volunteering within the Aberdeen area. A delicious afternoon tea was also provided by Aberdeen City Council.

At the recent meeting of Aberdeen Soroptimists, the speaker was Isobel Smyth OBE from Interfaith Scotland. The diversity of faiths in Scotland has increased overall and we now have a great mosaic of faiths. It is said that racial prejudice increases with age but education makes a difference. There are three ways of looking at this multicultural society – as a country house with hosts and guests, i.e. them and us. as a hotel with people living in their rooms and going back to their rooms or building a home together. Dialogue is required with friendship and understanding on all sides. We share a common humanity but beliefs are important. People of all faiths are looking for equality, a word which resonates with the world of Soroptimism. Below Isobel with President Pat Stewart

Our Program Action Officer Anne McAlister was at the Fair trade event on the Northlink Ferry during Fair Trade fortnight 2016 with our pledge certificate to commit to using fair trade products; supplying our Fair trade hamper and lobbying the council for a new permanent shop. The knitted banana is the Aberdeen Fairtrade Mascot ‘FT’.

Last Saturday and Sunday a group of Aberdeen Soroptimists manned a stall in aid of The National Trust for Scotland which also publicised our work. Under the direction of Alison, one of our members, we sold gardening books and gave away Soroptimist book marks. The weather was wonderful and we all enjoyed the weekend.

The new Robertson Family Roof Garden at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary is now open and a few of our members enjoyed a visit earlier today. This “pioneering” £600,000 green space for patients of the north-east’s flagship hospital was opened just a few weeks ago and access is through the doors located above the accident and emergency department. Already the green space – which was designed by award-winning gardener Professor Nigel Dunnett and funded by donations – is impressing patients, and has had a great response from families and staff alike. The garden is lined by wooden seating and features Chinese Dogwood trees, a water feature, plants, bushes, shelter and a living wall. .

At our May meal meeting last week we enjoyed a captivating talk from Audrey Harvey a long standing member of our club, who gave a graphic and entertaining insight into her pre 2nd world war up bringing in Aberdeen and her time working for ITV. She also took us through her various work roles with The Alcohol & Advisory Counselling Service in the North East, along with her work for the Children’s Panel and FMG. We were also delighted to welcome as a guest to SI Aberdeen, Susan-Leigh Christopher from S I Trinidad & Tobago. Susan is in Aberdeen studying for a few months. Audrey & Susan are pictured with our President Pat Stewart.