Dear Friendship links
I hope the start of this New Year finds you all in good spirits and good health.
We are once again in strictest lockdown but maintaining contact by Zoom meetings. Not just with our local members but also with very interesting and enjoyable Zoom sessions with our Friendship links.
Our Christmas meeting was shared with SI Anchorage members who joined us early in the morning as they are nine hours behind the UK. We enjoyed an introductory blether, a quiz and carols. Almost all of us sported a Christmas hat.
On our first meeting of the year, we welcomed Aratrika Bhattacharya from SI South Kolkata. She is a very well-informed speaker on aspects of domestic violence and gender inequality.
Prue, one of our members, heads up the annual Dundee Women’s Festival. A fantastic week-long event of interesting presentations which will be online this year. The link will be on our website, nearer the time, if you’d like to join us? As a club we’ve been invited to participate in a Virtual Trial which will be part of the festival.
At our next meeting on January 26th will hold a virtual Burns Supper celebrating our National Bard, Robert Burns, complete with haggis, mashed tatties, neeps and maybe a wee dram to the background of the Selkirk Grace and an Address to the Haggis- ‘ the great chieftain o the puddin race’.
At our first meeting in February we will welcome Margaret Ikiara of Ciford who does sterling work in Meru in Kenya with the community, supporting food self-sufficiency, and alternatives to FGM, among other issues. She’s a remarkable lady known to us through the SIGBI Meru Women’s and Garden Project-Fundraiser.
President Frances raised over £1k by braving the icy waters and strong tide of the River Tay on January 1st for a Teenage cancer charity.
During lockdown, I’ve had monthly toiletries collections for Women’s Aid, Women in the Criminal Justice System ,discharged from prison with nothing, and for Salvation Army. The response for Christmas was huge.
The £1k plus I’ve raised for Limbene Primary School and St Stephens Kindergarten in Meru from the sale of paintings and painted stones, has paid half of a kindergarten teacher’s salary and desks for pupils.
My resumed daily 100 breaststrokes for Meru has yet to attract sponsors.
All offers gratefully received!
Life goes on and we keep busy with the support of one another.
Wishing you good health and fulfillment in 2021. Although we’ve left the European Union, we are hoping we can still foster our international partnerships.
Best wishes,
In friendship.
Sheila
SID Friendship Officer Jan 2021