Cannock Soroptimists and friends got themselves into the Christmas spirit by visiting Trentham Gardens for a Christmas meal and a demonstration of tree decorating and how to make a seasonal door wreath. The meal and the friendship was an excellent start to the evening and everyone had fun considering how they might decorate their own tree at home. The door wreath inspired many to ‘have a go’ using items they may well find in their own gardens. Afterwards they enjoyed the opportunity for an exclusive shopping experience. As well as enjoying Christmas themselves, Soroptimists will be doing all that they can to enable others to enjoy Christmas too. They will be providing gifts for women and children at Pathway: there will be many women victims of domestic violence and their children spending Christmas at a Women’s Refuge run by Pathway or Women’s Aid. These women

The meeting on 11.11.14 was presided over by other club members who stood in for President Janis, who was attending the launch of her book in Worcester: “The Home Front in Britain” which she co-edited with Professor Maggie Andrews. The friendship candle, surrounded by rosemary and poppies, was lit by Shirley Brown on this Remembrance Day, remembering all those people who had served their country over the last 100 years in conflict and acknowledging our responsibility to work for the peace they fought for. The speaker this evening was one of only 14 Professional lady Toastmasters in the country. Marion Canning explained that a Toastmaster is typically charged with the organisation of civic events, banquets, organisation meetings, product launches and high profile dinners. Then she outlined her progression from hopeful young woman wishing to join the select company of toastmasters to eventually gaining a most

Kate Young became the youngest member of Cannock Soroptimists when President Janis Lomas inducted her into the organisation at the September business meeting.   Kate is 36 and having worked for 12 years in local government as a Senior HR manager, she decided to change career after experiencing health issues and now is self employed as a success and wellbeing coach, helping people overcome the things that are preventing them from living a life they love!   Kate read about SI Cannock & District in the local press and felt this was the organisation she was looking for as she had always wanted to do something more to support women suffering from issues such as FGM and domestic violence but was never really sure how she could make a difference herself.   She told members that she has always been passionate about women’s equality both locally

S.I.’s new President Elect is Lynne Tuckley. Lynne was given the chain of office by President Janis Lomas at a recent meeting; she will take over as President from Janis at the AGM next April.  Lynne has been a Soroptimist for 15 Years and has been involved with activities and events at all levels: club, Region, Federation and International. In her working life Lynne was a Court Usher at Cannock Magistrate’s Court for many years before becoming Manager of the Victim/Witness Support Service based at the Court.  Since her retirement she has continued to work for the community in voluntary roles at Cannock Hospital and with the Fire Service. Lynne’s main hobby is embroidery – with another club member she designed and embroidered a cloth to commemorate the club’s 50th year and this year she has designed and embroidered a picture to commemorate the Diamond

Cannock Soroptimists learned about life in the Back to Back Houses in Birmingham recently from their speaker Mac Joseph.  Mac was born and lived in one of the back to backs and he is now a guide with the National Trust properties in Birmingham. These houses were one room deep, built back to back around a courtyard. One side of the houses had their front doors on the street, the other had the door onto the courtyard.  They were built in the 1840’s to provide homes for the many families who moved to Birmingham to work – Birmingham was a thriving work place and many skills and trades were needed. There were usually 11 houses around a courtyard with one wash house and one toilet per 4 houses; 20,000 courtyards were provided and there were usually around 10 people living in each house.  People were

Members of Cannock Soroptimists attended Cannock College Freshers’ Week to talk to new students about Endometriosis, a condition suffered by many women and teenage girls. It often goes undiagnosed for years so it is essential that girls are given information about symptoms which should never be seen as ‘normal’. Should they then suffer from these symptoms they will be able to pursue a diagnosis and so get treatment. Signs and symptoms which could indicate Endometriosis are: Pain before and during periods; Pain with sex; Infertility; Fatigue; Painful urination during periods; Painful bowel movements during periods; Other Gastrointestinal upsets such as diarrhoea, constipation, nausea; Problems with the immune system such as asthma or allergies; and anyone suffering from these should see their Doctor. The event proved a great success and Soroptimists have been invited back to the College to make the information available to all students.

If You Can’t Stand the Heat, Get Out of the Kitchen was the title of the talk given by Cas Bailey, a former Staffordshire Police Officer.  Cas spoke to SI Cannock &District at their September speaker meeting about her life in the Police Force in the 1970s, when being a white male was really the only thing to be! She told of her time as a Police Cadet in Walsall when she wasn’t allowed to do the College course as she was already over qualified for the job and when being the only female Cadet made PT sessions something of a trial! When she became a Police Officer in Walsall she was the only woman on the shift, the same was almost true when she became Sergeant and was moved to Wolverhampton. Her tales of life at this time were akin to the TV programme

For the last few years a collection of tents, chairs, beds, sleeping bags, un-opened food etc has been organised by Rotary International at Weston Park in the two days following the V Festival.  This year, as in previous years, Soroptimist International of Cannock & District was involved. Festival attendees leave so much behind which, if it can be collected, can be used by people at home and overseas.  No matter how many volunteers go along they are never able to collect all of the items left behind. On Tuesday 19th August Soroptimists from SI Cannock & District were joined by local Councillor Hyra Sutton and parliamentary candidate Amanda Milling to help with the grand ‘clear-up’ at Weston Park following another very successful V Festival. Wearing wellies and other appropriate clothing members set to work dismantling and re-packing tents, rolling up air beds, collecting chairs, buckets,

‘Memories of a Corner Shop’ was the title of Margaret Smallman’s talk when she was the speaker at SI Cannock & District’s August meeting.  She was an accomplished and amusing speaker and many members could remember the things she spoke of; those who couldn’t found it a fascinating insight into the social history of the 50s and 60s. Margaret grew up in a corner shop in Wolverhampton, the shop sold almost everything – and she remembers her Mother telling them all never to tell a customer they didn’t have or sell any item, always to say that it wasn’t in at the moment but they could get it! It was a very happy evening, reminiscing about rationing, blocks of butter and cheese, liquorice and sherbert in a bag. Corner shops were a vital part of the community, a place where everyone went, where stories could

SI CANNOCK & DISTRICT Diamond Celebration Year 2014 – 15 PRESS RELEASE AUGUST 2014  Cannock Soroptimists are celebrating their Diamond Year – 60 years of working to improve the lives of women and girls locally, nationally and internationally.  As the local club celebrates reaching this milestone, the Soroptimist International UK Federation is celebrating reaching it’s 80th year. The first Soroptimist Club was formed in USA in 1921, 3 years later the first UK club was formed in London and in 1934 clubs within the UK formed their own Federation within the International organisation – Soroptimist International United Kingdom and Ireland – SIGBI.  SI is divided into four federations: SIGBI actually comprises 355 clubs in 29 countries, including many Commonwealth and former Commonwealth countries such as Barbados, India, Gambia, Zimbabwe, Jamaica, Nepal and Sri Lanka. When the Soroptimists first formed as a club for women it was