Cirencester Soroptimists were joined by friends and colleagues from many organisations from in and around the town for and evening of cheese, wine and chat. We enjoyed presentations about the Minnis Trust, our new directory “What’s on 4 women- Cirencester and beyond” and about the new exhibition in the museum about war time in the Cotswold, hearing about the part women played in the war effort in the local area. This exhibition is on in the museum from 11th September until 12th October                       https://coriniummuseum.org/event/cotswold-district-in-the-second-world-war/

Cirencester Soroptimists had a stand at the wonderful Phoenix Festival this year.       We raised awareness of the United Nations initiative to “Orange the World” a campaign to eliminate violence towards women and girls. Thousands of people enjoyed the festival       The festival began with a procession of puppets to celebrate the 200th  anniversary  of the finding of the Orpheus mosaic in the town. We also promoted the uptake of the HVP vaccinations to help eliminate cervical cancer Cirencester Soroptimists support the Festival from their Charitable Trust, The Dorothy Minnis Trust. This money was granted to the festival for the  Creative Zone

Cirencester Soroptimists enjoyed coffee and cake at the Long Table as part of our regular “Orange the World” get together to support the United Nations initiative  to stop violence towards women and girls on 25th of each month                             Later that day members attended a Reception at The Old Department Store, home of the Long Table. It was to celebrate being named one of the UK’s top 100 Social Enterprises in the SE100 Index 2025. Tom was quick to declare that since opening their doors on 8th November 2024, this recognition was only possible because of the strength, support and generosity of the community. The Reception was a ‘thank you’ to everyone who has walked the journey with them and that includes the Soroptimists.                 

        We know just how much Kids Stuff in both Cirencester and Stroud need pre loved children’s clothes as well as a long list of new items for their Starter Packs. With this in mind we were delighted to drop off a few bags of donations to Kids Stuff at Brimscombe Mill last week.

Members of Cirencester Soroptimists were made welcome at the new Phoenix café for their monthly meet up for coffee.  On the 25th of each month Soroptimists in many countries around the world raise the profile of the UN campaign to “Orange the World”  highlighting the issue of violence towards women and girls.       The next meet up for coffee will be on Friday 25th July at the Long Table, in the Market Place, do come and join us, we will be wearing orange!

Soroptimists in Cirencester supported the Town Council’s Big Lunch We promoted “Orange the World” and the SIGBI campaign for the elimination  cervical cancer by 2030         Our colourful stand attracted attention from the many people attending the event                    

        One of our members raised over £1,000 for Ukraine at her home in Down Ampney on Friday. On a beautiful summer evening over 30 guests enjoyed a four-course meal of a blend of traditional Ukrainian and English dishes. We started with borsht, dumplings and cabbage rolls with all the trimmings, followed by chicken and beef casseroles served with Ukrainian wines and a range of delicious puddings. The food was prepared by a group of women from all parts of Ukraine who have got to know each other over the past three years though living in Cirencester and surrounding villages. The meal was completed with coffee and a blue and yellow iced Ukrainian Honey Cake donated by the new Phoenix Café in Cirencester.  With all else going on in the world we don’t want to forget the people of Ukraine.    

Women’s Softball Cricket Festival                         The spirit of community, competition, and cake was alive and thriving on Sunday, 8th June, as Poulton Cricket Club hosted its second annual Women’s Softball Cricket Festival. With teams from Poulton, Quedgeley, Tetbury, and Charlton Kings showcasing their skills, the event was more than just a display of sporting talent—it was a celebration of strength, support, and fundraising. This year’s festival carried special significance, with proceeds supporting local cancer charities. The cause was especially close to home for the Poulton squad, as two of its team members had undergone breast cancer treatment this year. Their continued involvement in the game stands as a powerful testament to resilience and camaraderie found on the cricket pitch. Cricket may have been the main event, but it was the Bake Off that added an extra

A joint dinner meeting between the three service clubs took place at “Roots and Seeds” on Wednesday 14th May. The Great Western Air  Ambulance charity spoke about their work and a cheque from  The Minnis Trust, the charity of Soroptimist International of Cirencester & District, was presented to Andrew Harper from GWAA  at the event           For the first time since Covid, Cirencester Soroptimists recently hosted a joint event with the Cirencester Rotary and Inner Wheel Clubs in aid of the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC). The venue was Roots & Seeds, at the Old Kennels, which opened specially for the event and offered a selection of freshly prepared great food. A volunteer told us about the work of this incredible charity, whilst an experienced paramedic currently serving with the organisation used a real incident to demonstrate the multiple complexities involved in saving lives in an

Cirencester Soroptimists assisted with the Community Awards, where 18 community organisations took part, at the Baptist Church on Wednesday 30th April 2025 140 people were served drinks and nibbles and an information table was set up highlighting our work on the United Nations programme to eliminate violence towards women and girls called “Orange the World”