A well attended friendship evening took place at Storiel in Bangor on the evening of 6th March.  Members from Anglesey, South Caernarfon and Llandudno joined Bangor club members as they discovered the treasures within this local art gallery museum. Site manager Megan Corcoran and Museum Assistant Carrina Zarach opened our eyes to this evolving free to enter facility in the heart of the city. Members provided Welsh cakes and bara brith to raise funds, along with a very well supportd raffle.

Mr Bryn Roberts of SHINE (Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Information Networking Equality) Wales provided a very enlightening presentation on Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus. This included the variety of ways the conditions affected people. Mr Roberts also outlined the services of SHINE as well as their various projects across Wales and current campaigns.

Members of the club came together with residents at Bryn Seiont Care Home on Saturday afternoon to enjoy some singing. Soroptimist Alecs Peate provided accompaniment on her harp as well as entertaining everyone with some uplifting cerdd dant. New member Ceri’s dog Megan was also a popular visitor!

New members Linda Locker and Ceri Williams joined the Club on 6th February.

Members joined together at Teras restaurant, Bangor University, on 12th December to enjoy an evening meal together and raise more funds through a well supported raffle.

Ciss Lloyd passed away on 5 December 2017 , aged 90 years old. Ciss regularly attended at meetings and took an active part at Soroptimist events since her first meeting in 1974. She was President from 1983 to 1984 and was a member of all Committees in turn, mostly helping in hospitality. She regularly attended Llangollen Eisteddfod helping in the Soroptimist tent with fellow Soroptimist Enid Griffiths and also attended regional meetings and conferences. A retired Home Economics teacher, widow, mother and sister, Ciss was also a keen and still active golfer – being a previous Lady Captain at Bangor Golf Club and latterly a member at Caernarfon Golf Club. A true friend to all.. she cared very much for those around her. Her smile always lit up the room and she reached out to many Soroptimist sisters in friendship…especially welcoming new members. Ciss is

Bangor and District Soroptimists latest meeting was devoted to Programme Action. Members worked together to make up hampers of Christmas treats, bags filled with essential and luxury toiletries, presents of hats, scarves, gloves and chocolate for a number of local refuges and hostels. In addition, they supported the Stop the Violence against women and children across the world campaign reflected also in the orange attire of some members on the night.

A Winter Fair was held at Penrhyn Hall in Bangor on 2nd December whilst the Bangor Christmas Cracker Community event was taking place in the city.. Funds were raised for local charities Samaritans and GISDA – a charity for local young homeless. There were a variety of stalls as well as refreshments and mince pies these included chocolate tombola, beauty booty and homemade cakes and jams. In addition, books, toys and bric a brac which were unsold on the day were donated to the North Wales Society for the Blind shop in Bangor to raise further funds. 

It is with great sadness that S.I. Bangor & District announce the death, on 29 October, of their longest serving member – “Our Vera”. Vera Goodwin was born in Bangor on 14 January 1918 and invited to join S.I. Bangor in April 1962. She was a very proud and committed Soroptimist and served on all committees in turn as well as taking on the role of Treasurer for more than fifteen years. She was well-known throughout the Region with her happy, outgoing personality and her ‘hats’ at luncheons. She served in the WRAF in World War Two and regaled us all with her tales and experiences. She was a singer and also a prolific knitter, a craft she maintained until very shortly before her death. We will miss Vera greatly. Sadly she had been looking forward very much to celebrating her 100th birthday with us.

The speaker for the evening was James Griffiths, former organist at Bangor Cathedral and International music examiner, who was born and brought up in Orme Road. He spoke first about composer John Richards, whose Bardic name was “Isalaw” and who was born in The King’s Head public house, which is now the fish and chip shop on the corner of Ambrose Street and where a plaque in his memory can still be seen above the door. He spoke of a visit to Bangor by Mendelssohn and of holidays he and his wife have enjoyed in a village just outside Vienna, which was popular with a number of composers. His talk was illustrated with various musical extracts.