Region Meeting Cheshire North Wales & Wirral in Chester
Region Meeting 20th May 2023 saw Soroptimists from our region arriving early at the Queens Hotel, Chester. Many were carrying bags of sanitary products while others were weighed down by display boards, laptops and other items for their Barbara Dixon Award displays.
There was a real buzz in the room as clubs set up their displays. 8 clubs entered – Anglesey, Bebington, Chester, Heswall, Llandudno, Nantwich & District, Northwich & District and Rhyl & District. Judging was to take place at lunchtime by Alan Dixon and Lindsey Green.
Our first speaker was Adam Norton a police officer with the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit. He gave an excellent talk on how “County Lines” worked, explaining how vulnerable individuals were intimidated and eventually became victims of violence and exploitation. It is believed that approximately 46,000 children are in gangs. A lot of drugs come out of the Merseyside region.
There was a brief update on micro loans, but there was nothing to report on friendship links.
For the President’s Appeal: The Big Help Out, a collection was made of period products from the 13 clubs across our region and brought to the Queens Hotel, Chester, where we formed a ‘mountain’ of 736 packets which will now be delivered to the food banks in our region. With a rise in the cost of living and crippling fuel bills, many are struggling with the basics of food and heating and as a consequence period poverty is on the increase. Food will be the priority on any parent’s list. Sanitary wear may be considered somewhat a luxury. We want to give women dignity.
After lunch Lindsey Green, Director of PA, SIGBI, gave a very informative and useful talk on programme action forms and listed the Sustainable Development Goals that our forms should include.
At 2pm the result of the Barbara Dixon Award were announced. In joint 3rd place were Northwich and Nantwich, 2nd place Rhyl and 1st place Llandudno. Llandudno’s project showed how they had supported Ukrainian refugees and how the project had expanded to help local residents as well.
Kath Lewis and Penni Nicholas were asked to join the Council as Vice President and Lead of the Communications Team respectively.