Region President Elect Report Jan/Feb 2023
This is my first report as Regional President Elect. It is a great honour to take on this role with a view to being Regional President next year. It was somewhat unexpected that it came so soon as I thought I`d have two years to prepare. However, the previous candidate took on another role at Federation and so I`ve only had a year to prepare!
Just before I was the “official RPE”, I was invited to the Denbigh and Ruthin lunch at Tweedmill and asked to present certificates to two new members and welcome them to Soroptimists. That was a lovely occasion, and I was very happy to undertake that very pleasurable task and welcome their two new members to their club and to Soroptimists. I do hope they will join us at regional events which are both fun and informative and a chance to meet other club members. Thank you to the club for looking after me very well and making me so welcome.
The Change of Insignia at Kinmel in November, was a lovely day at a great venue. It was very Christmassy with beautiful stalls and some clubs had taken a lot of trouble to make it special. I was both excited and apprehensive to receive the President Elect Chain from RP Susan especially as ideas for my own year were still floating in my head. Susan had received her chain from outgoing president Yvonne who had had a successful year despite her ill health. Her conference, held at The St Georges Hotel in Llandudno had been a great success. She had been an amazing example to us all.
I have been attending planning meetings with Susan RP and our RS Pat and RT Diane. These have been very fruitful indeed and we intend to carry these on either f2f or via zoom.
My particular areas of interest and the areas I`d like to focus on are – domestic abuse – projects within our region, food/clothes banks within our region and Ukrainian women and girls either those living within our region or who need help in Ukraine. This can be done through Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline and Llandudno Club have already helped to send shoes, medicines, clothes to the women and girls in Ukraine. I have a speaker who will come and talk to us about this.
I would appreciate it if any clubs involved in domestic abuse projects or foodbank/clothes bank projects could let me know as I would like to come and visit. I hope to get round as many clubs as possible within our region so please send me some dates and let me know when your meetings are.
Finally, I attended the carol service and lunch at South Caernarfon just before Christmas. I don’t know why I`ve never been before as several members of my club always go and love it. Well, it was a perfect day. Sunny weather, snow on the mountains, lovely carol service and lunch at the Porthmerion Hotel. So nice to meet the members of South Caernarfon club. A really memorable day.
Wishing you a happy New Year.
Janet Murfin President Elect Cheshire, North Wales and Wirral
murfinj@aol.com