We are all concerned about the state of our beaches and the quality of our bathing water. Can we find the perfect family picnic spot on the beach, unworried by abandoned plastic bottles, cans and other detritus? Are we and our children safe to bathe in the sea or local rivers or is there untreated sewage swimming around with us? Soroptimist International Canterbury has been carrying out regular beach cleans in Seasalter since July 2019. However, as well as picking up the usual litter left behind by visitors, in the last year we have been picking up more and more reams of toilet paper and other sanitary products left behind on the shoreline when the tide retreats. Disgusting!! Nobody wants to find this on the beach, let alone imagine what is swirling around in the sea! Great Big Green Week (June)  - a nationwide week

Our AGM was filled with fun, laughs and gratitude from outgoing President Agatha. President Dawn was formally welcomed into the role and expressed her gratitude, enthusiasm and hope for the year ahead. The club also thanked secretary Jane for her wonderful work keeping us organised and up to date over several years. We look forward to another inspiring year!

Our April Charity Car park at Whitstable Junior School raised the largest sum yet for the school and our charities. This was a joint fundraiser by Soroptimist Canterbury and Whitstable members and we raised an incredible £927.13 through donations for parking. 50% of the proceeds will support the school and 50% is donated to charities supported by the two clubs. This month’s charity was The Rising Sun Domestic Violence Unit in Canterbury.  Thank you to everyone who donated. #charityfundraiser #siwhitstable  #sicanterbury

Soroptimist International Canterbury, in partnership with Save the Children, hosted a Christmas carols luncheon at the Kings School in Canterbury on Monday 19th December. Over 80 guests attended and enjoyed a three course meal provided by the Kings School kitchen staff and carol singing by the Cathedral boys choir and Good company Regional president Lyn Chiswick was accompanied by other members of Soroptimist clubs in the South East region. Opening and concluding remarks were made by our President Elect, Dawn Ryder. She perfectly expressed the essence of appreciation for all those who made the event a success. We would like to thank the Lord Mayor, Cllr Anne Decker for her support and participation and give a special thank you to Carol Reed for the organisation of this event. We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a great New Year.

Canterbury Soroptimists Support our local refuge throughout the year. For Christmas, members bought, packaged and delivered presents for the women and children and also collected items for the pop up boutique which runs at the refuge. In the summer of 2022, for example members raised over £900 for a garden project at the refuge. This was aimed at improving outdoor facilities for the women residents and their children. New seating and planting brightened up the area and improved the outlook. We wish all clients and staff at the refuge a very merry and safe Christmas. 

Canterbury Soroptimists recently traveled to Nepal to undergo an arduous hiking trip to visit the Hidden Villages. Whilst there, Canterbury members Dawn, Maggie and Joy plus Tunbridge Wells member Jane, met up with Soroptimists from Kathmandu. All agreed that this was a truly  amazing opportunity to meet fellow Soroptimists and to discuss and share ideas and friendship.                     The group hiked for several days and after an arduous 12 hour slog over the pass they finally arrived at the Hidden Village to a wonderful greeting.     

          Canterbury Soroptimists were joined by members of SI Folkestone, Thanet and East Grinstead as well as staff and supporters of the Rising Sun Domestic Violence & Abuse Service as they gathered to mark the beginning of 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence. After an emotional speech in Canterbury city centre by Cllr Anne Dekker, Mayor of Canterbury, a silent march began through the streets thronging with shoppers. Those who marched wore or carried something orange, chosen to represent a bright and free future. The aim was to raise awareness through the power of silence. Throughout the march passers-by stopped and watched and sympathetic comments were heard.                                             For more information, please go to: www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/take-action/unite      

                Canterbury Soroptimists attended the Remembrance Day events outside Canterbury Cathedral and club member Keji laid a wreath alongside other local organisations. The wreath laying was followed by a short service in the cathedral attended by several club members.

  At SI Canterbury’s AGM members celebrated a new venue, the Abode Hotel, Canterbury. Looking through the archives just before the meeting secretary, Jane, realised that the club’s very first meeting 60 years ago, was held at the same venue. This provided a poignant start to our meeting made more so by the fact that it was our first face to face meeting in two years. During the meeting members listened to outgoing President Carol’s review of the year, celebrated and inducted four new members and welcomed new President, Agatha Okwudinka.     During the meeting we were reminded of the projects and fundraising achieved during two very difficult and isolated years. After the meeting, members chatted, ate cake, renewed friendships and made new ones. We now look forward with optimism, to another successful and fulfilling year supporting women, girls and their families through these

Club Secretary Jane, wrote this review of her challenge to celebrate our club’s 60th anniversary: ‘My challenge to celebrate Canterbury’s 60th year was to collect 60 bags of rubbish over the year. I live near the sea and swim most days so I was very aware of the hazards of plastic pollution. Especially in the summer, and when its a sunny evening, the rubbish is left by the public. That’s when the champagne corks and fish and chip wrappers appear. But there is plastic from the sea all year round. It’s worse after a high tide and even worse after a sewage outfall. I estimate that I’ve picked up 240 kilos of rubbish over the last 12 months and thousands of sticks from cotton wool buds. Every litter pick seems to include a Red Bull can, a ketchup sachet, at least one mask (though the