At our Speaker and Supper Meeting on Monday 13th January we welcomed Irene Hockin from Soroptimist International of Barnstaple and District who spoke about their brilliant project on Spiking.
The project won their a well deserved award at the Soroptimist Conference in London in 2023. A mention of their work on this project was given in the House of Commons by their local MP recently.
The Barnstaple club has dedicated much time to research and develop a strategy in conjunction with the local police licensing officer and a charitable organisation called Stamp Out Spiking.
Irene explained how they started the project in their area and the making of the
packs they put together containing Spikeys and StopTopps (drink covers) that are distributed to nightclubs, pubs festivals and other venues where women might be at risk of drink spiking.

However, we also learned that it is not only in drinks that spiking can occur, but in disposable vapes, in food or injected in unsuspecting victims.
It is a growing problem and a crime, but to date no one has had a conviction for spiking.
At this meeting we were also delighted to induct another new member to our club,
Sue G, and give her a warm welcome. We got to know Sue through visits we made to Wessex Water sites where, as in her role as educator for the company, she gave guided tours and provided us with interesting information about the various ways in which water is treated in the area. We wish Sue a productive and successful membership of Soroptimist International of Bristol.

If you’d like to see what we do, please look at our web page www.sigbi.org/bristol or contact: www.sigbi.org/get-involved/membership
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