Soroptimist International of Bingley
SI Bingley extend a warm welcome to any woman living or working in Bingley and the surrounding area to come along to one of our meetings and consider joining us and working on projects to benefit women and girls.
SI Bingley is one of the 22 clubs within the Yorkshire region. It was chartered in 1949 and has been an active club within the Bingley area since then. Women are welcomed from all walks of life and this brings richness and diversity to the club.
Our activities range from the light-hearted to the serious and meaningful, from listening to giving, making to campaigning, sharing to caring, accompanied in true Soroptimist fashion by good food, friendship and fun!
What do we do?
Soroptimists in Bingley are a very active group of women involved in Programme Action Projects which are aimed at improving and transforming the lives of women and girls locally, nationally and internationally.
Local projects
The Together Women Project (TWP) works to move women out of crime and away from damaging lifestyles into positive futures, working with them in safe, women-only spaces, building their resilience and empowering them to learn new skills. The majority of the women attending are newly released from prison or on community orders. Some women attending self-refer themselves although the possibility of staff working with this group has greatly reduced due to cuts in funding, therefore our services will be even more critical.
Members from 4 local clubs together have been involved at many different levels – from the weekly Knit & Natter or other craft activity sessions facilitated by Soroptimists, through visits to the prison, by donating clothes, bedding and crisis bags for women in need and through the funding of activities for the women and gifts for the children at Christmas and Easter.
A big project we are currently involved in is raising awareness of healthy relationships focussing on children and young people. We obtained a grant to publish age appropriate resources for distribution across the Bradford Metropolitan District Council. The resources have been well received by schools, universities, family centres, etc. and have proved to be a beneficial teaching aid.
Members attending Bradford University Freshers’ Week.
International Friendships
SI Bingley has special links with other clubs across the world. Some members recently visited SI Lecco in Italy for their special anniversary celebrations and really enjoyed themselves. We have other Friendship Links with SI Boise in USA, SI Geraldton in Australia, SI Krakow in Poland and SI Brasov in Romania and there have many exchange visits with these clubs and lasting friendships have been made.
Photograph of members visiting SI Lecco.
This year’s Federation Conference will be in Malta and many of us will be attending and meeting our friends from across the Federation.