Programme Action is what we call the work we undertake to support Soroptimist International (SI) to achieve the goals and objectives agreed by the organisation. We give service both locally, nationally and internationally and also work on projects which we report up to the United Nations where Soroptimist International is very proud to hold Category One Status.
2023 – Projects
International Women’s Day
The club celebrated International Women’s Day 2023 by hosting a “Programme Action Supper” in aid of Fylde Coast Women’s Aid, with whom SI Blackpool & District have a very long standing relationship. The club own 2 of the 3 houses used by FCWA for the refuge of women escaping Domestic Abuse at home. We also collected a vast assortment of cleaning materials which will be donated to the women in the refuges, when the leave to start up a new home on their owm.
The evening was once again hosted by Marcia in her lovely home and Glenda Smith from the management team gave us all an update on how the refuges had been coping during and post pandemic and collected all the cleaning materials which members had donated.
We also had a raffle on the evening and raised a further £61 for FCWA.
International Women’s Day
Blackpool Tower was lit up in purple to celebrate Independent Women’s Day on 8th March and in Orange on the 9th March to honour Soroptimist International UK PAC campaign to “Orange the World” and say no to Violence against Women.
Many thanks to Karl Houghton for the night time photography
2022 – Projects
SOROPTIMISTS ORANGE THE WORLD
Starting on 25th May and continuing on the 25th of each month Soroptimists all over the world are being asked to light up the colour Orange in support of Violence against Women.
In May SI Blackpool & District were lucky enough to get The Tower lit up in Orange and will be looking to continue the project each month in various ways to highlight the issue. Future plans include coffee mornings and working in partnership with other local organisations such as Blackpool FC Women and the Safer Street Project run by Empowerment Charity, together with Fylde Coast Women’s Aid.
Our club members will also be joining up with Pan Lancashire on a march to raise awareness of Trafficking on Saturday 22nd October in Blackpool Town Centre.
FYLDE COAST WOMENS AID
Once again we have not been able to host a Programme Action Supper this year. Members enjoy a social evening and usually bring donations of items needed by the women in the refuges.
Over the last couple of years we have collected a variety of cleaning materials which the women take with them when they move into a new home of their own. Having consulted once again with FCWA we were tasked with a similar collection for 2022 and another a array of products have been handed handed over to FCWA.
SMALLS FOR ALL
A further three parcels containing 64 bras and 38 pairs of knickers have now been posted to the charity “Smalls for All.”
LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS
Initial contacts have been made over the summer months to both Blackpool Football Community Trust, who are actively looking for a project with which to partner the club
and also to Empowerment Charity, Safer Streets Co-ordinator Aviel who has agreed to come and speak to our members in September about the project with which she is liaising with Fylde Coast Women’s Aid, with whom our club already has an active partnership.
KINDNESS COUNTS
Blackpool Soroptimists are supporting Kindness Counts, which supports anti bullying resources for schools on the Fylde Coast, by collecting:
• Old/Broken Jewellery, • Old/Broken Mobile Phones, • Old or Foreign Currency,
• Used Stamps, • Old/Broken Laptops
For a summary of all our projects for the year please click the following link: SI Blackpool PA update RCM Feb 2023.
All our 2020 and 2021 Projects were undertaken, working from home, due to COVID 19 restrictions
UKPAC CENTENARY APPEAL – TRUAMA BEAR
UKPAC is sending 100 trauma bears to England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Each bear is hoping to find more bear friends in his/her quest to find a deserving home.
On receipt of our bear, we put out an appeal for knitters or crocheters in the area to knit some cousins for our bear.
The aim of the trauma bears are to be carried in the back of Police Cars for victims of trauma, so your local Constabulary or Police Crime Commissioner may welcome bears and/or local women’s refuge and/or children’s centre. Other emergency vehicles may wish to carry them as well. Source and list these locations as homes for the bears. COVID bears can be quarantined for 72 hours before transactions. Anyone wishing to knit or crochet some more cousins for our three bears please click on the following link to get the pattern. Trauma Teddy Pattern
The knitters in our club produced a variety of “teddies” last year but sadly we were not able to get a contact within Lancashire Constabulary who would take them, but thanks to our President Elect Wendy, all the bears have gone to a good home with the Salvation Army who will use them for the purpose they were intended.
Our Treasurer Jean, is involved with a Pre School group, who have been looking for equipment in the form of Story Sacks.
Our knitters have once again been busy and so far created “Goldilocks & the 3 Bears,” “Red Riding Hood” and The Gruffalo’s Child”
The club has been unable to host it’s annual Programme Action Supper in January this year due to the COVID lockdown. This event is held in support of FCWA (Fylde Coast Women’s Aid) where members enjoy a social evening and usually bring donations of items needed by the women in the refuges.
Last year we collected a variety of cleaning materials which the women take with them when they move into a new home of their own. Having consulted with FCWA we were tasked with a similar collection for 2021 and at the end of March, a huge array of products ranging from dishcloths and washing up bowls to floor mops and furniture polish we handed over to FCWA.
We are asking our members, family and friends to collect ring pulls (drinks cans only please). These are used by “Purple Community Fund” who send them to women and girls in the Phillipines and Tanzania who live in poverty. They in turn use them to upcycle them into stylish fashionable accessories and items of jewellery which are then sold. Each ring pull is worth 3p
Other projects our members have been involved in are:
Members who usually record the Talking News in the studio at Princess Alexandra Care Home, have downloaded the Audacity app and following special training have carried on their good work, recording from their own homes.
Other projects our members have been involved in are:
Making Scrubs and Face Masks for the NHS
Knitting Blankets for the Fistuala Hospital in Ethiopia
Collecting Books and Toys for Local Schools
Collecting Bras and Knickers for the charity “Smalls for All”
Collecting old spectacles for Vision Aid