The Planet Group decided in 2023 to make monthly loans to Lendwithcare, an organisation that brings together entrepreneurs in low-income countries with the people that have the power to help them. Each month a member of the Planet Group selects someone to sponsor with a £15.00 loan. We focus our loans on women working on projects that are helpful to the environment, helping to fulfil our programme action group aims. We have now made 12 loans totalling £180 helping 35 entrepreneurs, 152 family members and creating 28 jobs. We have received back £44.73 which we are reinvesting. We believe that we will be able to break even in the next year and continue to make loans without having to invest further funds. A great way to help women and the planet! If you are interested in this and would like to come along to a

As part of our communications plan before the art exhibition for the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, we contacted the Bournemouth Echo. Pleasingly they published an informative article about last year’s display with the details of the 2024 exhibit. Here’s the link: https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/24655842.art-exhibition-held-bobbys-bournemouth/ Have a read- it says it all! Keep an eye on our website, Facebook and Instagram pages for more details as the date approaches but please put it in your diary now- November 30th til December 7th 11.00-4.00 on the second floor of Bobby’s in Bournemouth Square! If you are interested in this and would like to come along to a Soroptimist International Bournemouth meeting to find out more, please email us at sigbibournemouth@hotmail.co.uk.

As part of our aims to be involved in the local community and to engage in projects that empower women and girls, we are delighted to say that two notable women in BCP have accepted our invitation to become honorary members for the year. Councillor Lesley Dedman, Chair of BCP Council, has many years of leading roles in the town having served on the council and as Mayor for five terms. Now elected to the Chairmanship of BCP Council, Lesley considers this role of huge importance, being the public face of a mainly anonymous body, and giving a wonderful opportunity to promote the hard work carried out by the council for the people of the area. Lesley will be awarding the prizes to the successful students at our art exhibition for the ’16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence’ for the second time in December

SI Bournemouth once again staffed a hydration station at the Bournemouth 10 km and half marathon run on Sunday October 13th 2024 to raise funds for the club. The run attracts people from across the BCP conurbation and from around the country- we noted participants from Plymouth, Portsmouth and the home counties to name a few. Many SI members and friends turned up to hand out bottles of water to the more than 3000 runners who were very appreciative, the vast majority thanking us heartily for the drink despite their exertions! It was a very productive and satisfying day on the beautiful Bournemouth seafront. If you are interested in this and would like to come along to a Soroptimist International Bournemouth meeting to find out more, please email us at sigbibournemouth@hotmail.co.uk.

Nigel Hedges, ex-Chairman of BCP Council, ambassador for the Bournemouth Chamber of Commerce and leader of the ‘Creating Health and Harmony in the Community (CHHC)’ initiative invited SI Bournemouth to a breakfast meeting with Jessica Toale, MP on October 4, 2024. The meeting was attended by members of the CHHC, ‘a rich showcase of passionate organisations and individuals that create health and harmony in Dorset in their own special way’. SIB has been contributing to the group over the past three years, presenting at the annual conference and engaging in opportunities to share and learn from each other. Jessica embraced the chance to join the group to find out more about CHHC and to meet some leaders from the local community. Dr Gail Thomas, secretary of SIB, attended and was able to share details of the Soroptimist movement as well as some of the notable

On a wet and windy Sunday in September, the Planet Group at SIB did a sponsored walk to raise funds for SIGBI’s charity of the year, Water Aid, an international not-for-profit organisation, determined to make clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene normal for everyone, everywhere. All members of the club were invited to do a circular walk at an area of natural beauty alongside Christchurch harbour. Participants could do the circuit as many times as they liked aiming to secure sponsorship for the distance that they signed up to do. On the day, the heavens opened, and it was pouring with rain at the start time. Despite this a small select group undertook the walk and succeeded in raising £215. Well done those brave walkers!

Sarah Moneypenny, founder of UK SustainAbility, joined our meeting to share her experiences of helping individuals, organisations and businesses to implement sustainable practices. Sarah talked about the science behind climate change and, as well as being realistic about the disproportionately negative impact of climate change on women, was able to offer some glimmers of hope for the future. She suggested that we should ‘vote’ politically and with our money by choosing companies with genuinely green policies, switching to renewable energy sources and starting with one change per week in respect of recycling, composting and reducing beef and dairy consumption. Sarah also encouraged us to use our Soroptimist network to educate, sponsor climate change initiatives and organise ourselves to become greener. The SIB Planet Group will be taking up the challenge to reinvigorate our reduce, reuse and recycle campaign and to try out new green ideas.

We had a stimulating and thought-provoking presentation at our club meeting in August. Alimatu Dimonekene, Women and Girls Advocate, Human Rights Activist, Child Protection and Safeguarding Expert, zoomed in from the US to talk to us about her personal experience of female genital mutilation (FGM) and how it has motivated her to help other women. She is a tireless activist who has dedicated her life’s purpose to enhancing the reproductive rights of women and girls, especially those affected by harmful traditional practices such as FGM/cutting, child and early forced marriage, and other forms of gender-based discrimination and exploitation. Alimatu has displayed great courage and determination in achieving her aspirations of giving women, youth, and minority groups a voice at a local, state, and international level. She uses her powerful and inspired voice to advocate equality and inclusion. To see her presentation to SIB follow this

For the second year, BCP Council along with Soroptimist International Bournemouth are coordinating a programme of events throughout the 16 days of Activism against Gender Based Violence. We are looking to raise awareness of Domestic Abuse and promote support services that are available to everyone, regardless of gender or sexuality. An art exhibition will be held for eight of the sixteen days from November 30th til December 7th on the second floor of the iconic venue ‘Bobby’s’ in Bournemouth Square. The colour orange is bright and optimistic and was chosen by the United Nations to represent a future free from violence and abuse. Keep an eye on our website and Facebook page for more details as the date approaches but please put it in your diary now! Winners from 2023 exhibition If you are interested in this and would like to come along to a

A member of SIB participated in an unusual activity on July 13th 2024- a UWCB black tie boxing event! She used her experience of learning to box previously at local club ‘Fight like a Girl’ to win her match at a prestigious event at the Bournemouth International Centre attended by more than 1000 guests. Christelle Attisso (known in the ring as Kryvida) has been practising boxing for several years as she is convinced that contact sports are an excellent means to empowering women. She took up the opportunity to join an eight-week class at Phoenix MMA in Winton to prepare her for the fight night to fundraise for Cancer Research UK. SIB as well as some individual members sponsored Christelle who successfully raised £168 for cancer research. Well done Christelle; we are proud of you! If you are interested in this and would like to