At our recent AGM we welcomed our new President Denise. Soon our website will be updated with our programme for 2019/20 and lots of news about out 2020 celebrations
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
Lifeskills-Learning for Living Lifeskills-Learning for Living is a permanent regional safety education and training centre built as a realistic village and housed in the Create Centre close to Bristol City Centre. Andy Townsend , Manager of the Centre for the last 18 years, attended S.I. Bristol’s business meeting on 25th February 2019 to inform club members about Lifeskills which has been chosen as one of two Club charities for the next two years. The Centre relies on 100 trained volunteers to deliver its core programmes to year 6 children ( in small groups), special educational needs, adults with learning difficulties, older people and early years. The Centre relies heavily on fundraising and the support of local organisations and businesses. Andy outlined ways for S.I.Bristol to support Lifeskills by fundraising, volunteering ( or encouraging others to do so ), joining the board of directors, networking, providing
On Saturday, 16th March, 2019, a team worked at Marks & Spencer in Broadmead to collect money for the Lord Mayor of Bristol Children’s Appeal. Helpers stood at the end of the check-out counters in the Food Hall and offered to help shoppers pack their bags. Seven SI Bristol Soroptimists took part (LC, PC, DH, IH, YM, LN, MR). For the day’s effort, £402.27 was raised, making it possible for two vouchers, of £20 each, to be given next Christmas to 10 children.
On Monday March 11th, Soroptimist International of Bristol heard a most interesting talk by Kerry Postle. Kerry teaches English as a Foreign Language, but she has recently had her first book published and the second, on the Spanish Civil War, is due for publication at the beginning of April. Kerry is particularly interested in writing from a woman’s perspective in the “me too” age, and says that she wrote her first book because she wanted to read it. Her first book is called The Artists Muse and in it she seeks to show the different attitude of artists towards their models rather than towards the women of a higher class whom they also painted. She illustrated this different attitude by describing the work of two artists, Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele. Klimt’s famous painting entitled The Kiss shows his muse, Wally Newzil, with whom he
On 23rd March 2019, a bounty of Teddy Bears was given to SI Bristol by members of the SW&CI Region. The Bears will be at the Tea at the Marriott Hotel on 10th May 2020 as a part of SI Bristol’s Friendship Weekend Centenary Celebrations. After which they will be given to the Motorway Police who will give one as a comfort to any child involved in a road accident. Together with the Bears already knitted by SI Bristol members, this bolus of Bears means we are well on our way to reaching our target of 100 Bears by May 2020. Thank you all so much, keep knitting!
Our annual visit to stay at Number 63 Bayswater Road at our very own Soroptimist boutique hotel was attended by 10 Soroptimists and 3 Soroptimisters. Our first evening was a visit to the theatre to see “Company” which sadly ended after the first three quatres of an hour when the lead actress became unwell. As she was the understudy (the main actress was already unwell) they had to cancel the show. A huge disappointment. The second evening was spent in the usual Italian Restaurant that is very close to Number 63. The rest of the time we enjoyed the sights of London finding new events and fun places to visit. Many thanks to Jeanette, Pauline and Ruth for making it happen.
Tonight we were treated to a fascinating talk by David Hogg who has been researching the Gibbs Family since 2003 There were many slides of the historical figures and faraway places which has played such a part in the fortunes of the family and estate of Tyntesfield
On 16th January 2019 Ruth hosted a fund-raising event for Unseen which was enjoyed by a number of us including Seroptimisters. We enjoyed a ploughman’s supper and good wine. We had lots of time to chat and talk about our adventures over the festive season. We then had a table of “unwanted” Christmas presents. We donated the presents we had received that were not suitable and walked away with delightful presents we had chosen. It was a lovely evening, thank you Ruth for hosting it. Photograph to follow
On Tuesday 18th December, a team of PA committee members (Liz N, Marion R, Sue P, Yvonne M) worked for 3 hours wrapped items to be given to people spending Christmas in an UNSEEN Safe House. Nine items were wrapped in Christmassy paper and placed in shoe boxes (8 for women, 5 for men, and 2 for children). The shoe boxes and their lids were wrapped separately in gift paper, giving a festive look. That means 250 items were wrapped! Thank you to all the SIB members who contributed the gift items.
