This year members of SI Chester have celebrated International Women’s Day at a number of events in the City. On Saturday, 4th March, we had an information stand at an event in the Town Hall organised by Chester Women’s Aid. On the 7th Anne and Carole gave a presentation at the Diversity Festival held at Chester University – a wonderful way to share our work with a larger audience. And, on Sunday, 12th March, we will be speaking about the Soroptimist Purple Teardrop Campaign at a workshop being held in the Cathedral – this event is free and open to the public and runs from 6.30 until 8pm.

On the 18th February SI Chester celebrated their second anniversary with a fund raising luncheon at the Mercure Hotel.  The Guest Speaker was Patricia Gatherum, SIGBI Liaison Officer for the Meru Women’s Garden Project, who gave an interesting update on this Federation Project. The ticket price included a donation to the Project and additional funds were raised from a Raffle and Photographic Competition  ‘A Passion for Plants’, which was won by one of our own members, Llyn Parkin.  

On Saturday, 17th September, SI Chester members organised an Afternoon Tea with a difference!  The event was to raise funds for the Meru Women’s Garden Project and members and their guests enjoyed a fascinating talk by freelance garden expert, Jo Dyer, from Derbyshire.  Jo titled her talk ‘A Calendar of Useful Plants’ and illustrated it by choosing one such plant for each month of the year. This was followed by a delicious Afternoon Tea, masterminded by one of our members.  Stalls selling plants and preserves, including jams and sauces made by Meru Herbs and imported by the Scottish Fair Trade Firm, JTS, second hand gardening books and tools, along with a raffle and tombola all helped to raise the amazing sum of just over £600.00.      

After visiting the Philippines Community Fund stand at the recent Glasgow Conference members of SI Chester decided to support the fund by collecting ring pulls from drinks cans. As a means of income generation women have been shown how to make beautiful bags and purses with recycled ring pulls. At our Club Meeting in April we viewed a short video about the work of the PCF. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZhktrG7qCw If you would like to collect ring pulls (from drinks cans only) please get in touch with us via our ‘Contact Us’ facility.