Each year SI Cannock and District hold a Summer Celebration with members, family and friends. Until last year of course – when because of Covid-19, no-one was able to meet in such circumstances. So this year was even more of a celebration when, in line with guidelines, 30 members and family were able to meet and enjoy each others’ company and a meal together. And this at the splendid Tutbury Castle, where the sun shone to help things along even more. SI Cannock & District President Jackie Prince said how thrilled she was to welcome everyone to the first formal occasion the club had been able to hold since February 2020 – 17 months ago!! The conversation and the smiles didn’t stop: everyone was so excited to be able to go out and to meet again. And the afternoon was completed by a visit from

Despite the delay to the relaxing of restrictions, SI Cannock and District members were determined to get together safely with the added advantage of taking some exercise on our beautiful Cannock Chase! Last Tuesday (21st June), many members enjoyed a guided walk in our local Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. One even brought her dogs along! This was the first of the wellbeing events that have been arranged in collaboration with Inspiring Healthy Lifestyles (IHL), a charity which, on behalf of Cannock Chase Council offers a wide range of activities to the community to improve their health and wellbeing. Just 30 minutes of exercise per day have huge physical and mental health benefits They were blessed with perfect weather conditions, ideal for a walk with friends, some of whom hadn’t met face to face for months. They were given a challenge; to take two photographs,

Cannock and District Soroptimists again supported Cannock Friends of St Giles by taking part in the St Giles Summer Solstice walk. This year St Giles Hospice organised “Summer Solstice – Your Way” a 5K walk which could be done anywhere on any day during June. Soroptimists chose to walk on the Saturday nearest to the Summer Solstice and to do the walk suggested by St Giles at Marquis Drive on Cannock Chase. Nine club members and two dogs met to enjoy each other’s company and the beautiful views – and were ready for a coffee from the Visitor Centre Café when they finished the walk. They each wore this year’s Summer Solstice logo where they had written the names of those they were walking for and remembering and were delighted to meet others along the way also walking for St Giles Hospice. Those who walked

Cannock and District Soroptimists were delighted to take advantage of the easing of lockdown and meet together in the garden of Soroptimist June Bould to mark Membership month and enjoy coffee, cake and friendship.  Everyone enjoyed the chance to actually talk to each other at long last! Newest member Jill Mason; one of the club’s longer serving members Carole Holdcroft (a member for 34 years) and Club President Jackie Prince all spoke of their reasons for joining Soroptimist International and what it is that they enjoy about their membership.  They each said that they had been drawn by what Cannock & District Soroptimists actually DO, certainly the things they do to help locally but also the work nationally and internationally to enable, educate and empower women and girls. Each of them likes to help others and recognises the strength of people working together to channel

  It is the Centenary year of Soroptimist International and one of the projects for clubs worldwide is ‘Plant Trees for a Brilliant Future’. President of Cannock Soroptimists Jackie Prince is working with a team of club members to arrange for 100 trees to be planted during the year.  The project follows in the footsteps of our first Soroptimists, who, in 1921, lobbied to save the great Redwoods and established ‘The Redwood Grove’ in California, and is also in line with work Soroptimists do to protect the Planet. So far, 28 trees have been planted in the Club’s name and all are registered on the tree planting website.  The son of one member has planted 2 Olive & 2 Holm oak trees in his Cannock garden & a friend of his has planted 2 ash & 2 cherry trees. McArthurGlen Designer Outlet West Midlands, situated

Watch our video to find out more about what we stand for and why we love being Soroptimists Cannock & District Soroptimists on Vimeo If you want to join us email soropscannock@gmail.com  

Cannock Soroptimists are supporting Dementia Action Week, 17th – 23rd May by featuring real life stories from those who care for people with Dementia. Some give their story as a family carer: wife or daughter, others are talking about their caring role within a professional setting.  All are extremely powerful, written from the heart and Soroptimists are grateful to all participants for having the courage to write about such personal and emotive matters. Each of the seven participants will be featured, one per day during the week, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, all will be featured for the whole week and beyond on the club’s website. A staff member from Littleton Lodge, Cannock  [residents will be moving in there very soon] but who has also experienced Dementia in the family writes: “It is imperative to remember that, though the person may have dementia, this does

At their recent AGM, held using Zoom, Cannock Soroptimists welcomed their new President, Jackie Prince.  Jackie has been a member of the club for almost 4 years and during that time she has been totally involved in the work of the club, for the last two years as joint Programme Action Officer and joint Press Officer.  Jackie is fairly recently retired from her job as a trainer with West Midlands Police, a role which gave her an insight into many of the issues affecting our society today; this insight has enabled her to be proactive concerning projects the club could initiate. When accepting the insignia from out-going President Trish Smith, Jackie thanked Trish for all that she had done to keep the club together during the pandemic and indeed, to move projects forward. President Jackie said: “I became a Soroptimist because I wanted to make

Cannock Soroptimists have been lucky to be led by their President Trish Smith for two years.  She took office at the AGM in April 2019 – but by April 2020 the pandemic had altered everything for us all.  President Trish set up the first Zoom meeting for the club, it happened to be the AGM and, as the situation was so unsure, all Officers agreed to stay in post for a further year.  In her address in April 2020, President Trish said:  “Let’s hope that it won’t be long before we are able to resume our work and meetings.”  Little did we know that 12 months later we would still be finding it necessary to hold our meetings by zoom – though outdoor meetings in small groups are now possible. In her report at the 2021 AGM, President Trish was able to remind members of