Here are the winners of our STEM Challenge 2026: Year 8 4th place TLC   3rd place STEMulate 2nd place Innovators 1st place Plaque Attack Year 9 3rd place One for All 2nd place BamStraw 1st place Halovision Well done to them all! 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.

The finals of our annual STEM challenge took place on March 12th at Bournemouth University and we were very well supported by local dignitaries. His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Dorset, the Mayor of Christchurch, Mayor of Poole, Sherriff of Poole and Deputy Mayor of Bournemouth were all in attendance and very impressed by the standard of work and commitment demonstrated by the participants. Professor Dooley said in his speech: “To the girls who have taken part today: you should feel incredibly proud. You were not just asked to create something clever, you were asked to think about how your ideas could help people in the poorest parts of the world. That takes imagination, compassion and courage. Those are the very qualities the world needs.” The winning teams were all from Parkstone Grammar School; they are commended for their thoughtful and creative projects- photos to follow!

Historically there has been a shortage of girls choosing STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects to study and disciplines in which to base their careers. Our club created this challenge in 2013 to inspire girls and encourage them to overcome barriers. We invite secondary school girls to develop initiatives that will improve the lives of women and girls in poorer parts of the world; they work together in small teams to develop the concept, write up a brief and, if shortlisted, create a prototype. The teams then pitch these to experts in the field and are judged in order to win prizes. This year 11 teams are participating, a total of 57 girls. The finals take place on March 12th at Bournemouth University with several local dignitaries attending. Once again, Ellis Jones Solicitors is sponsoring the challenge and judges, who give their time freely,

SIB was delighted to welcome Victoria Sim as our newest member at the meeting on January 19th. Victoria’s mentor, Liz Dominey, introduced her to the club and Acting President Lisa Maw presented her with her badge, induction pack and a very warm welcome. Victoria shared some of her past and it was clear that her experience has prepared her to be an excellent Soroptimist. We look forward to achieving things together.       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.

Sue Warr, manager from PramaLife, a Dorset charity founded in 1982 offering home-based care and community support groups, ran a workshop for members of SIB and their guests on Wednesday January 14th. The focus was on dementia awareness, helping those present to understand the impact of dementia simply and clearly. Sue provided us with 5 key messages about the condition from the Alzheimer’s Society, got the group to engage in thinking about the impact on the individual and gave us a simple and clear analogy to help us understand why a person with dementia may behave in certain ways. It was enlightening, useful and well received by all. Thanks very much to Sue (notes from the event are available on request via the club email address). If you are interested in this and would like to come along to a Soroptimist International Bournemouth meeting to

Christmas is a time for celebrating and that is just what the club did on December 15th at West Hants Tennis Club. There was a lively group of members, friends and family who enjoyed a delicious meal during which we challenged ourselves intellectually in groups with table quizzes- countries and capitals, Christmas words with their vowels missing and a series of rather perplexing riddles. After dinner we had a ‘mini panto’ where our Treasurer shone as the ‘bad gal’, followed by ‘pin the nose on the gingerbread man’ and a raffle raising £220 for club funds and Number 63, the Soroptimist hotel in London. Prizes were given to winners of each activity; greetings were shared from past members and those not able to be there and everyone left feeling full of good cheer! If you are interested in this and would like to come along

We are pleased to announce the winners of the competition for first, second and third prizes at the 2025 Art Exhibition along with a fourth prize donated by Tom Hayes, MP for Bournemouth East. In third place was ‘The Little Shepherd’ by Theodora Houghton: In second place was ‘Strings’ by Amy Bewick: In first place was ‘The Silence We Inherited’ by Masoumah Ghorbani: The winner of the additional prize, a signed copy of Jess Phillips’, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, book was ‘A Gentle Tone’ by Madeleine Iyengar: Every student also receives a certificate of participation for their portfolios to thank them for engaging in this important topic. Well done to all! 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

As shoppers browsed the busy Christmas market in central Bournemouth, Michael Dooley LVO and Jessica Toale MP joined Bournemouth Soroptimists and Arts University Bournemouth students at Patch in Bobby’s to launch a thought-provoking art exhibition, part of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. Mr Dooley shared: “Gender-based violence stems from unequal power and discrimination, and it remains one of the most pervasive violations of human rights across the globe. These 16 days remind us that addressing such violence is not simply about preventing harm, but about restoring something fundamental: harmony. Harmony in families, harmony in society, and harmony in the lives of those who deserve to live free from fear. Art can reveal truths that are often hidden and create a space where empathy becomes action. Because it is not enough simply to be moved or shocked by what we learn — we

Club secretary Gail Thomas was interviewed by Kev Kirby about our upcoming exhibition for the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. Here is a link to the podcast: https://player.autopod.xyz/1095478       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.