The 83rd Conference of Soroptimist International of Great Britain and Ireland in Cardiff, provided inspiring speakers, lively entertainment and friendship from across the federation for 1,500 Soroptimists including nine members of SI Canterbury. The conference, themed ‘Step Up, Lead the Way’, delivered keynote speakers Michael Kaufman (@WhiteRibbon_UK) and Mandy Hickson, (@MandyHickson). In addition we were treated to inspiring talks, from Rebecca Lewin, Director of Logistics & Procurement at Plan International and Dame Katherine Grainger, one of Britain’s most decorated female Olympians. Discussion sessions and club presentations provided further inspiration and, if that’s not enough, we were entertained by Aaron Pryce-Lewis, the Bristol Military Wives Choir and the Phil Dando Band and Singers at the opening and closing ceremonies.     Michael Kaufman, co-founder of the White Ribbon Campaign, the largest effort in the world of men working to end violence against women, gave a stimulating  presentation, “In Our Lifetimes – Engaging

SI Canterbury were delighted when a local Meet Up Group ‘Canterbury Eye’ offered to hold a quiz to raise funds for our federation project, the Meru Women’s Garden Project. Club member Jo, liaised with the group’s founders Eddy and Martin, and attended the event along with four other club members. Carol, our secretary and a member of our MWGP team, spoke about the project explaining the need to support women in this impoverished area of rural Kenya to establish a sustainable food garden enabling them to feed their families.   The event went very well with around 30 people making four teams. These came from Canterbury Eye and two local pub quiz teams, Village People and the Two Amigos as well as SI Canterbury. The quiz was fiercely contested but there was lots of laughter, especially at the Charades which was played in the quiz interval.

Canterbury members raised awareness of modern day slavery on Anti Slavery Day 2017. Manning an information stall on Canterbury High Street, members shared stories and statistics about the frequency and effects of slavery and trafficking in our local communities. Many shoppers and visitors were  shocked to learn about local prosecutions of traffickers who forced slaves to work in car washes and fruit farms. Kent is a transit hub for this terrible trade and local police have made slavery their highest priority, a fact which surprised some people.   SI Canterbury has an active Anti Trafficking team which works hard to raise awareness of the issue within our local community and beyond. As a club, we also support the Medaille trust, a charity which aims to end the trafficking and enslavement of women, children and men. They operate safe houses, including one in Kent, and outreach services providing support and

SI Canterbury had the pleasure of hosting and meeting a Soroptimist from SI Cobram, Baroga in Australia who was visiting our club as part of her Grant of Friendship trip offered by SI South East England. Jenny Gaylard enjoyed a day visiting our beautiful city in the company of club members Yvonne and Carol. During the day they walked the walls, strolled by the river and through the historic streets and visited Canterbury Cathedral, undoubtedly the highlight of the day.   In the evening club members gathered to celebrate her visit at a Bring and Share supper which gave everyone the chance to relax, chat and realise how much we all have in common.

      SI Canterbury members and members of Canterbury Save the Children board celebrated their formal partnership with a yoga session and lunch event in August. SI Canterbury has supported Save the Children Canterbury for many years and one of our members is Chair of Save the Children Canterbury and so a formal partnership clarifying and agreeing how we will work together and support each other in the future  made perfect sense. The yoga event, run by Cora of Save the Children, was a huge success and the Bring and Share lunch eaten in the sunshine of our secretary Carol’s garden rewarded members’ efforts. Many thanks to Carol and Cora for organising such a successful and fun day.

SI Canterbury’s July Club meeting will be held on Thursday July 27th, 7 for 7.20pm, at the Kent and Canterbury Club, 17 Old Dover Road, Canterbury CT1 3JB. This month’s meeting will feature a speaker from the Medaille Trust, a charity which works against human trafficking and modern day slavery. http://www.medaille-trust.org.uk If you would like to come along to this meeting, please contact our club secretary at secretarysicanterbury@gmail.com or just come along on the night.      

      Visitors to Canterbury Cathedral’s Open Garden weekend have helped to raise nearly £13,000 for charitable causes.   Two cheques, each for £4,500, were presented to Carol Townsend and Carol Reed from Soroptomist International on behalf of the Meru Women’s Garden Project in Kenya (a collaboration between child.org, Soroptomist International Great Britain and Ireland and CIFORD Kenya) and to Jessica Maddocks from the Kent Refugee Action Network (KRAN) by Events Manager Emma Clarke and Senior Gardener Luke Matlock. The remainder of the money raised during the May weekend has been given to the National Garden Scheme (NGS) to be distributed between their chosen charities.         The money will go such a long way towards supporting  women of Meru County to establish their own sustainable kitchen garden, feed their families and even earn a small income by selling excess produce at market. SIGBI clubs are currently

SI Canterbury new member, Mary Adams, was formally welcomed to our club at our May meeting. Mary has been attending meetings for several months after hearing about the organisation and our club online. She was introduced by club secretary and former membership officer Carol Reed then formally inducted into Soroptimist International by club President Carol Townsend. Mary has already made significant contributions to club discussions and we have no doubt that she will be an effective and supportive club member.   

Michelle Owens, Women’s Right’s Leader, Amnesty International, Canterbury was the guest speaker at our  Club meeting on May 25th. SI Canterbury and Amnesty Canterbury have formed a partnership to help protect and further the rights of women and girls and to enable our two local organisations to better support each other’s work. Our members were therefore delighted to welcome her to our club and hear about the work of Amnesty . Michelle explained that the Canterbury group are part of the organisation Amnesty International UK, standing up for human rights across the world – wherever justice, freedom, fairness and truth are denied.    In a stimulating talk she told us a little about the history of Amnesty International as well as the Canterbury branch, which is currently focusing on the Philippines and what they are doing to help protect and defend Human Rights. Michelle then told us more about

Club member Jane Webb, and her husband David, sold tomato plants that they had grown from seeds in aid of the Meru Women Garden Project. This SIGBI Federation Project  was proposed by SI Canterbury at our conference in 2015. It supports women in one of the poorest regions of rural Kenyan to establish their own sustainable food gardens, enabling them to feed their families and even earn a small income by selling excess produce at market. The plants were bought by members and friends and raised a total of £70 for the project. A very worthwhile effort which will make a great contribution towards the project.