Bromley and Sevenoaks Clubs joined together to march through Bromley, accompanied by Regional President Roxanne

We joined Bromley Methodist Church on Saturday 25th October as part of the international campaign to stop violence to women. Coffee, cake, sales and a quiz with an orange theme. We gave a warm welcome to  Sue Edgar, Regional President. £240 was raised for Bromley & Croydon Women’s Aid, our local charity for this year.

You are invited to join us on our silent march on Tuesday 25th November from 10.30am to 12.30pm. We’ll meet at the Richmal Crompton (Wetherspoons) BR1 1DS opposite Bromley South Station for coffee from 10.30am onwards. 11am Depart for the Silent March up Bromley High street to the Market Square 11.30 refreshments will be served in The Hub by Greener & Cleaner, upper floor of the Glades shopping centre. Please wear or carry something orange if you are able, to observe ‘Orange the World’ day. For further details please contact us via this website.

The Club is supporting Bromley & Croydon Women’s Aid this year, not least because they will be hosting our new project on their website. It’s a booklet giving information to women fleeing domestic abuse in our London Borough- more news after the launch on 10th November. We wanted to make a donation to their funds and were delighted to so so a week or so ago via Big Give so our donation was doubled to £1500.

Soroptimists and friends meet on the 25th of the month, dressed in orange, to continue the campaign to stop violence to women.

Care International organises financial support for budding entrepreneurs in developing countries. Individuals and organisations loan small amounts of money, that is repaid over a prescribed time period. The range of projects to be supported is vast. The Bromley Club has ‘invested’ in the  aspirations of 3 women seeking to grow their businesses that range from retail to farming. There’s lots of information on the Lend with Care website. http://Lendwithcare.org

More than 1 in 3 women experience gender-based violence during their lifetime. More than 5 women or girls are killed every hour by someone in their own family. But less than 40% of women who experience  violence seek help of any sort. On the 25th day of every month we remember women and girls who have been victims….. We wear orange, meet in public places to spread the message and annually make  silent walks in Bromley and Canterbury.

Bromley Soroptimists, in partnership with Bromley Methodist Church, organised a coffee morning on 26th May to learn more about what’s happening in Bromley to help homeless people. It was encouraging that so many people came to support us, to hear how much Bromley Homeless does to help but, as always, saddening to hear of how many people survive with no fixed home or insecure housing. Beckenham Quilters provided six hand made quilts to brighten the special temporary shelter rooms at the URC in Bromley.

Bromley Soroptimists have a long standing, positive relationship with BCWA. We were delighted to help out at their conference on 9th June celebrating their 50 years but also signposting the ever present incidence of domestic abuse in our area.

Bromley Foodbanks sent a plea for plastic carrier bags, essential for packing up the food needed by people in dire need. Bromley club members decided that it was time to do something about it- so Tescos and Waitrose were surprised to be asked to sell us lots of bags. Bromley Foodbanks warehouse was delighted to get them- and 3 were used immediately for an emergency delivery.