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Yuko’s Gift In Memory of Lynn: Donated to Kings Forest Primary School

Yuko’s Gift In Memory of Lynn: Donated to Kings Forest Primary School

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  Late last year Yuko our Friendship Link  from SI Aquamarine Kure in Japan made a donation in memory of Lynn E.       Lynn had close links with Yuko but sadly Lynn died during the Covid pandemic.  Lynn had been a very well-respected teacher at a primary school in North Somerset and as teaching was so important to her, we decided to give the donation to a local primary school. On 14th July, Dee G handed over the money to the Head Teacher at Kings Forest Primary School. The school has created a garden in which the children grow vegetables, have meaningful lessons about nature, and have an outside ‘pizza’ oven on which to cook.  They have a thriving ‘bug hotel’ and compost heap. The donation will be used to support these activities.

Friendship Link: A Warm Welcome to Yuko who visits us from Japan

Friendship Link: A Warm Welcome to Yuko who visits us from Japan

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On Saturday 19th November President Helen, Sue P, Marion, Maureen, Liz N. Ruth and Lizzie were delighted to meet up with Yuko who is a member of our Friendship Link from SI Aquamarine Kure near Hiroshima, Japan. This is the fourth time she has visited our club and, on this occasion, we met at Browns for lunch.  We exchanged gifts and presented her with our Centenary Book signed by all the club members.  She told us about her new job “Dyslexia School Search” where she assists in placing children in schools in the UK (for more information visit www.worldlinkyou.net) We had a really lovely time catching up and Yuko who said “It is great to be back in Bristol meeting up with friends.  The pandemic kept us apart and it is with sadness that I remember our dear friend Lynn who is no longer with

Speaker Meeting 13th September 202: Kate Newnham from Bristol Museum and Art Gallery – Flowers in Japanese Art

Speaker Meeting 13th September 202: Kate Newnham from Bristol Museum and Art Gallery – Flowers in Japanese Art

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Our first face to face speaker meeting since the beginning of the Covid restrictions was held in our new venue Redwood Audley.  We thank all of you who organised our move, we had a lovely meal and everything ran very smoothly. We welcomed Kate Newnham, from Bristol Museum and Art Gallery and she talked told us about “Flowers in Japanese Art”.  She told us about the connection between flowers and poetry, flowers and the Tea Ceremony and how animals and birds go together too.   She also told us how the blossoms and flowers of the seasons influence Japanese life and are a talking point when visiting homes etc. At the end of the evening President Sue (Immediate Past President Marion was there too), presented Bristol Museum with our lovely plate for safe keeping.  The plate was given to us by our Japanese Friendship Link Yuko

So similar yet so far apart: SI Bristol and SI Oakland Founder Clubs

So similar yet so far apart: SI Bristol and SI Oakland Founder Clubs

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So similar yet so far apart: In 2020, the Soroptimist International of Bristol (originally known as Venture Club) in the UK celebrated its centenary. In October 2021, the Soroptimist International of Oakland in the USA celebrates its centenary. There are an amazing number of similarities, and a few differences, between the two Clubs. Similarities between Founder Presidents Somewhat unusual for the early 1920s, the Founder Presidents had received a high level of education and had careers in education. Miss Eleanor Addison Phillips in Bristol, taught history and sports. Miss Violet Richardson in Oakland taught physical education and health. They were humanitarians and known for treating all their students with dignity and respect, seeking to bring out the best of each one of them. They were also keen walkers. Both Eleanor and Violet were approached by contemporaries to preside over their respective clubs. With their indomitable

New Friendship Link Co-ordinator: Liz N

New Friendship Link Co-ordinator: Liz N

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We are delighted that Liz N has now taken the post of Friendship Link Co-ordinator.  Liz (seen here on the right) is also co-ordinating the Friends of the Club.  These are members who have left and joined other Soroptimist Clubs.  We are so please that Liz has taken on this challenge as she is a long standing member of the Club and is familiar with all our Friends.  We would like to encourage our friends to follow us n social media too: Facebook: Soroptimist Bristol, Twitter: @si_bristol, Instagram: soroptimist_bristol, LinkedIn: Soroptimist International of Bristol Susan G will continue to run the Luncheon Club.  These members are usually longstanding members who have retired from the club but are still interested in us and support the work that we do.

A warm welcome: Yuko visits us from Japan

A warm welcome: Yuko visits us from Japan

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At our club meeting on June 24th, we welcomed Yuko Tsuji who is a member of our Soroptimist Friendship Link from SI Aquarmarine Kure near Hiroshima, Japan.   Yuko has made 3 visits to our club and we always love seeing her and as usual exchanged gifts.  She told us about her club’s ongoing project which is to raise funds for the disastrous flooding her area received last year.  There were 800 landslips which destroyed bridges, roads and train lines and 200 people lost their lives, Their latest event to raise funds is a concert on August 11th when a very well-known orchestra from Tokyo will be playing.   We wish them well and hope that the concert will be very successful.

News from Yuko Tsuji: SI Kure Aquamarine, Hiroshima, Japan.

News from Yuko Tsuji: SI Kure Aquamarine, Hiroshima, Japan.

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Lynn Ellis is the Friendship Link with our Japanese Soroptimist sisters. Yuko Tsuji is our contact . She has twice attended our club meetings since we started our link. Lynn was able to meet up with her last summer, when she was over here to visit her son at school. Yuko was over here in March, but her business was such that we were not able to meet up. However, Yuko might be coming here in May. I hope so! Yuko has sent recent news from her club News from Yuko Tsuji (Yuko is top left as you look at the photograph) Our club candidate for Soroptimist Ruby Award received the 2nd place for Japan Nishi Region just recently. I will share articles with photos later. The award winner is a female journalist who used to be our member who went into affected areas of

Friendship Links

Friendship Links

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Meeting up with our Friendship links is a pleasure and we try and do this at least once a year.  We are delighted that Lynn was able to catch up with Yuko Tsuji from SI Aquamarine Kure, Japan when she last visited the West Country. Lynn has close links with Yuko and long may it continue. As usual SI Bristol Soroptimists who attend the conference in Liverpool at the end of October hope to meet up with friends from our UK Friendship Link Clubs. Liz N is trying to make contact with SI Bootle, SI Halifax and SI Chester to arrange this. Watch this space. Photo to follow

Friendship Links

Friendship Links

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SI Bristol is fortunate to have established Friendships Links with the following Soroptimist clubs. We have twice enjoyed a visit from Yuko Tsuji from SI Aquamarine Kure, which is situated near Hiroshima, Japan. Soroptimists from SI Bautzen have visited Bristol. A very pleasant friendship weekend was held and Bristol Soroptimists proudly showed off the city to their visitors. A return visit was made to Bautzen the following November.  A tour of Berlin was made before travelling to Bautzen. Members were very warmly welcomed by Soroptimists and their families at a supper evening. The weekend continued with cultural visits around the interesting ancient town. Each year, SI Bristol Soroptimists who attend  the yearly conference held in November, have enjoyed meeting friends from our Friendship Links Clubs.  It has been wonderful to catch up on news with our friends from SI Bootle and SI Bangalore each year.

Welcome Yuko

Welcome Yuko

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SI Bristol welcomed Yuko Tsuji to our supper and speaker meeting on  July 11th. Yuko was the Japanese Friendship  Link Officer when her club Kure Aquamarine  and SI Bristol  started their Friendship Link. SI Kure Aquamarine club is near to Hiroshima in Japan. Yuko took the opportunity to spend a couple of days in Bristol after collecting her son Huma from his school in Malvern. Yuko presented SI Bristol with a lovely collection of Japanese sweets. President Pauline presented Yuko with a gift to take to the members of Kure Aquamarine. This is the third time Yuko has visited us. It is always a delight to see her again.