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Alison Visits Jamaica and Meets up with other Soroptimists

Alison Visits Jamaica and Meets up with other Soroptimists

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Dr Alison Wint, Soroptimist Bristol’s newest member, visited Jamaica this month and on Tuesday 14th April, met with Soroptimist International of Jamaica Kingston’s members Sonia, Denise and Novelette.  What a truly wonderful opportunity you have to make friends anywhere in the world when you are a Soroptimist! Sonia, Denise and Novelette were able to tell Alison about the health fare they are planning along with the Kiwanis to promote good health and provide dental care and food packages to the needy. Alison was interested to hear about their connections with the Methodist church and the Ministry of Culture.  She shared with them the activities of our Bristol Club and the charities that we support. Hopefully the connections forged between our two clubs will continue. Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland (SIGBI) #SoroptimistInternationalJamaicaKingston #SoroptimistBristol #Friendship  

Another visit to Watercress Farm

Another visit to Watercress Farm

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    Sue, Sally and Ruth attended a guided tour at Watercress Farm in Wraxall on 10th April 2026. The event was organised by BART (Bristol and Avon Rivers Trust) for volunteers and prospective volunteers.   There has been a rewilding project running there for about 5 years. In that time data has been collected by volunteers who regularly monitor flora and fauna. At first about 350 species were counted and identified. The latest figure was 2,600 which is remarkable. Bristol Avon Rivers Trust Soroptimist SIGBI @soroptimistgbi #SoroptimistBristol #nature #rewilding #volunteers #SaveOurRivers        

PhysioNet: Update on our Activities

PhysioNet: Update on our Activities

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We have been supporting PhysioNet for some time now and have tried to support them on at least a monthly basis.   PhysioNet collects surplus disability, mobility and medical equipment, refurbishes it and distributes it to children and adults who lack access to such resources.  By working with local and international partners, PhysioNet ensures that these essential items including wheelchairs, scooters and walking aids are provided to communities where they can make the greatest impact.   Earlier this year we reported that groups of our members regularly volunteer with PhysioNet at their Gloucestershire depot.  They recently acquired a new south west depot in Cambridge near Slimbridge (Gloucestershire).  Bridget, our Programme Action officer, organises our attendance with PhysioNet. During the year we are regularly joined by a group of collaborating Rotary members to sort out a veritable mountain of crutches and other equipment. For example we

A Warm Welcome to a Representative from WomanKind Bristol

A Warm Welcome to a Representative from WomanKind Bristol

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  At our Club Meeting on Monday 23rd March, we welcomed a representative from WomanKind Bristol to talk about the charity. Womankind Bristol is a mental health charity run by women for women.  They help hundreds of women to improve their mental health and wellbeing so they can experience a better quality of life. The charity has a Helpline, providing a dedicated listening ear and support for women to talk things through, whatever the reason.  When women are going through difficult times, simply feeling heard and understood can make a big difference.   The helpline is there to support any woman or girl aged 16 and above who is in need of a listening ear. Helpline: 0117 916 6461         helpline@womankindbristol.org.uk Womankind offers one-to-one Counselling, a confidential space where women of all ages, cultures and backgrounds can feel safe and supported.  Their General Counselling

Mock Interviews at Yate Academy 18th March 2026

Mock Interviews at Yate Academy 18th March 2026

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      Two SI Bristol members (Jacasta and Marion) gave Year 10 students one-to-one Mock Interviews at Yate Academy.   We have collaborated with Bristol Rotary Club in previous years to help students prepare for upcoming work experience interviews and give them feedback as a key part of their preparation for job interviews. On this occasion we worked with the Kingswood Rotary Club. There were 25 desks in the auditorium and during the course of the morning, each participant interviewed 5 or 6 students. The event was under the supervision of a school teacher.  We carried out mock interviews, after which we completed a feedback form for each student on different elements of performance: verbal communication, body language, general attitude, quality of answers and areas to develop. Bristol Soroptimists are committed to continuing their support for schools by offering their time and assistance on

Speaker Meeting 9th March 2026: Jo Richardson FRAS the Founder of Space Detectives

Speaker Meeting 9th March 2026: Jo Richardson FRAS the Founder of Space Detectives

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  A night of 1000 stars! On Monday 9th March, Soroptimists Bristol welcomed Jo Richardson FRAS to their supper evening.   Jo is an ex-police officer who, 15 years ago, founded Space Detectives to address the challenges schools face in teaching children properly about space. Through the European Space Agency, from 2015–2017 Jo worked on several high-profile projects with astronaut Tim Peake, including the Tim Peake Primary Project, the Polar Explorer Project and Mission X. Jo continues to work with Tim to this day. As if Jo wasn’t busy enough with her teaching and organising events to promote our dark skies, she is also a ranger for Exmoor National Park, Europe’s first International Dark Sky Reserve. Sadly, due to light pollution being largely uncontrolled, it is getting harder and harder to see the stars. Light pollution affects human health and the nocturnal behaviour of animals

International Women’s Day 7th March 2026: Bristol City Hall

International Women’s Day 7th March 2026: Bristol City Hall

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  The International Women’s Day 2026 celebrations at Bristol City Hall today was an exciting and stimulating event for Soroptimist Bristol. This event, organised by Bristol Women’s Voice, reflected our values of nurturing, connection, solidarity and empowerment. Our Programme Action leader, Bridget, organised a team of fourteen members who worked five shifts interacting with many interested visitors who came to talk to us throughout the day. We showcased our projects through a short video shown in a loop. We also connected with many other women groups and charities to learn about their activities. There were over 50 workshops on offer, talks and performances, as well as a variety of food stalls from various parts of the world. We thank Bridget and all our members who generously donated their time today to make this such a successful event. #IWD2026 #SoroptimistBristol #StandingUpForWomenAndGirls #Soroptimists @soroptimistgbi Soroptimist SIGBI

Annual Visit to our Soroptimist Hotel, Number 63 Bayswater Road

Annual Visit to our Soroptimist Hotel, Number 63 Bayswater Road

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  On the 26th of February, a group of us spent our annual visit to London, staying at our Soroptimist hotel, Number 63 Bayswater Road, overlooking Hyde Park.       On the first day, Pauline organised a lovely dinner at our usual Italian restaurant Taormina remarkably close to where we were staying. On Friday Ruth organised a brilliant outing for us to dine at Cote and then to see “Into the Woods” at the Bridge Theatre, which was lovely. There were many things we did as a group and individually such as: The Immerse Experience, Leighton House, the Glass Elevator near St Pauls and a special Seurat exhibition at the Courtauld Gallery. It was a successful trip and an opportunity for a great social get together.  We did have fun!  Thank you again Ruth and Pauline for organising us all.

We Welcomed Alison at our Speaker Meeting 9th February 2026

We Welcomed Alison at our Speaker Meeting 9th February 2026

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    We were delighted to induct a new member at our Speaker Meeting last night, Dr Alison Wint.     In joining our Club, Alison will be following in the footsteps of her mother who was a committed Soroptimist. We welcome Alison very warmly and hope she will find fulfilment in her Soroptimist journey. #SoroptimistBristol #Volunteer #Soroptimists @soroptimistgbi  

Speaker Meeting 9th February 2026: Terry Ransome “Filton in Space – 65 Years

Speaker Meeting 9th February 2026: Terry Ransome “Filton in Space – 65 Years

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  Terry Ransome came to our Supper Meeting on Monday 9th February to talk about “Filton in Space”.     Terry had worked in the aerospace industry for over 30 years before his retirement and gave us an interesting talk about the development of space exploration, particularly where it was connected to Bristol (if we’re allowed to call Filton Bristol!). He started telling us how impacted he was by the moon landings as a young person and how that had sparked his interest in space. Terry described in detail the various satellites that were made or part made by BAC (the British Aircraft Corporation). The first of these was the Skylark, but later ones had Shakespearean names, such as Prospero and Ariel as well as names chosen by a member of the public who’d won the chance to do this in a competition. The satellites