Learning in Lima & the Women’s Initiative
SI Bristol have been supporting the Learning in Lima project since its inception in 2005. Sylva, a former member of SI Bristol, set up an infants school in Lima after seeing so many children going without basic education. We are proud to support Sylva in her work, through regular fundraising activities and she often pays us a visit when in the UK to keep us updated on the school’s progress. Recently we have contributed to funds to pay for a minibus for the school to assist them in day trips out. The school also supports the children’s mothers by offering them work helping out at the school providing an important community resource for the whole family.
Bridge Day
In February each year we host a Duplicate Bridge Day at the Bristol Bridge Club, in aid of the President’s charity. SI Bristol provide tea, coffee and lunch throughout the day for all the hard working Bridge players. There are also cakes, books, cards and jewellery stalls available. The day is always well received and a lot of fun to be part of. The 2015 event raised approximately £2,000 for the Penny Brohn Cancer Centre, a local vital free care facility for individuals and their families dealing with a cancer diagnosis.
Mary’s Meals
A charity supported by SIGBI and throughout the South West and Channel Islands Soroptimist Region is the inspirational Mary’s Meals project. Founded in 2002, the project provides school meals in some of the poorest regions of the world, supporting the children to attend school. SI Bristol and the region have held various fundraising events and initiatives to provide Mary’s Meals with an annual donation. We also regularly collect backpacks and school stationery to send to the children. We were lucky enough to host their Founder and CEO Magnus Macfarlane-Barrow, at the 2014 Regional AGM and Conference held in Bristol. Magnus gave us a moving talk on the project and we presented him with a regional cheque, which paid for 114 children to have a school meal for a year. Mary’s Meals recently reported that they are now feeding over 1 million children daily world wide, therefore SI Bristol are proud to support such a successful, important initiative. More information about the project can be found on their website here
Other Projects
As Soroptimists we like to remain busy and support a number of other local charities such as the North West Bristol Food Bank, a women’s refuge, The Bridge (Avon and Somerset Sexual Assault Referral Centre), Eden House, The Bridge Learning Campus, Lord Mayor’s Appeal for Children, Caring at Christmas, Teenage Parents Project and Abbeyfield Bristol Society.