The weather might have been damp, but it did not dampen Soroptimist Bristol’s spirit at the Railing Against Abuse event.  We have supported this event for many years and this year we travelled to Swindon. The Bristol club joined several other clubs from the South West and Channel Island Region.  We met outside Swindon’s Railway Station for a walk led by Tara Arkle (writer and activist) through the centre of Swindon to demonstrate against all forms of violence against women and girls and we handed out Healthy Relationship bookmarks on the way. These were very well received and we engaged with many members of the public during the walk.

Monday 25th November at our Club Meeting we had an interesting talk from Emma Murray the manager for Bristol North West Foodbank. Emma spoke about the wonderful work the Foodbank carries out for people who need support in the community and how the system of referral works. She also spoke about how they are expanding the services to a Homebank service which includes the provision of white goods, kitchen utensils, blankets, towels and various other goods for those who have nothing or very little. By March 2011 they had given out 33980 “support packages”.  The need is increasing year on year for example there was a 28% increase last year and 24% increase this year.  Food is donated, sorted, packed and distributed from 4 pickup points.  Clients arrive with a referral letter from one of the 180 referral agencies that the food bank works with. 

On Saturday 19th October 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. Of seven helpers, four were SI Bristol Soroptimists (Liz N, Marion, Ruth, Yvonne). For the day’s effort, £437.46 was raised making it possible for two vouchers (£20 each) to be given to 10 (almost 11) children at Christmas.

  On Saturday, 22nd June, 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. Six SI Bristol Soroptimists took part (LC, DH, PH, YM, LN and MR). For the day’s effort, £419.96 was raised, making it possible for two vouchers, of £20 each, to be given next Christmas to 10 children.

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 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!

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.  

On Sunday 25th November, seven members from SI Bristol and Soroptimists from throughout the southwest joined the SI Weston-super-Mare Club in their initiative to raise awareness and support the United Nations annual “Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women”. Soroptomists travelled by train (hence “railing”) to Western-super-Mare station to join members of the local Club. Most were adorned in distinctive orange clothing (including wigs) because that is the colour designated by the UN for that day. The group walked in an orderly fashion from the station, via the sea front, shopping precinct and park, to the Commemorative Garden. Many carried banners highlighting abuse against women (again hence “railing”). During the walk, “Loves me /Loves me not” bookmarks were enthusiastically given to members of the public. This publicity material has been carefully produced to define in clear and simple terms the difference between a good

SI Bristol is concerned about the amount of single-use plastics and disposal of goods containing plastic have on the environment – air, land, rivers, seas and oceans. In order to learn more about what happens in our area, various institutions and companies were asked how they were dealing with this issue. Articles from the press, magazines and social media were collected to give members a sound understanding of the dangers of plastic waste and how it can be reduced and cleared from the environment. The responses received were mainly encouraging but often slow to make an immediate impact. Some companies were making positive changes, e.g., Only using non-disposable plastic cups, using non-plastic cups, and encouraging customers to bring their own cups, containers or bags. Taking plastic out of tea bags Reducing packaging Using non-plastic, vegetable-based  compostable envelopes for mass mailings. Junior and senior schools were