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Members of SI Glasgow City take part in a Walk to mark World Environment Day 2018

Members of SI Glasgow City take part in a Walk to mark World Environment Day 2018

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On Sunday 10th June, members of SI Glasgow City took part in an organised walk in the West End of Glasgow to raise awareness  of  World Environment Day 2018. They were joined on the walk by family, friends, members of the SI Paisley Club and Glasgow members Sheena and Annie’s dogs! The mile long walk mapped out by Moira Ord, one of our Club’s Programme Action Convenors, wound its way through leafy Kelvingrove Park, along Kelvin Way, University Avenue, Byres Road and ended at  the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. As they walked, participants collected litter, filling several large bin bags in the process. Walkers wore the Suffragette colours, white, green and violet, in support of the marches in the UK’s 4 Capital Cities, commemorating the centenary of the granting of the vote to some women, which were also taking place on that Sunday and

Courage Calls to Courage

Courage Calls to Courage

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On a recent visit to London Glasgow City Soroptimist members took advantage of the opportunity to photograph the newly unveiled statue of Millicent Garrett Fawcett in Parliament Square, as well as the  much older statue of Edith Cavell, opposite the National Portrait Gallery near Trafalgar Square. Two incredible women, both courageous, but in different ways. Edith Cavell saved the lives of many wounded soldiers of both sides in WWI and  was executed by the Germans in 1915 for  assisting allied soldiers to escape from occupied Belgium. Millicent Garrett Fawcett was a prominent Suffragist for women’s right to vote in the early years of the 20th century and was leader of the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies. It was a time for courageous women: a third photograph was taken in Govan, Glasgow, of the recently unveiled statue commemorating the role played by Mary Barbour in

Club members respond to Urgent request from Neonatal Unit

Club members respond to Urgent request from Neonatal Unit

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SI Glasgow City Club members were uniquely placed to respond to an urgent request from the Neonatal Unit of a local Maternity Hospital for woolen caps for premature babies following the loss of most of its woolen garments in a flood in its laundry room. Club members regularly supply another Neonatal Unit with these tiny  woolen caps, so when President Myrtle alerted members to the Urgent Appeal, they could help immediately. Within 36 hours, Club member Christine visited the Neonatal Unit and presented them with a gift of 35 woolen caps from the Club. The present was gratefully received and a letter of thanks has since been received by Secretary Liz. The picture shows the caps before they were despatched to the Neonatal Unit.

SI Glasgow City’s AGM brings in the club’s 2018 officers

SI Glasgow City’s AGM brings in the club’s 2018 officers

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SI Glasgow City’s Annual General Meeting took place on Wednesday, April 18th and at these meetings the office bearers for the new Club year take up their term of office. At every AGM, the outgoing and incoming Presidents, give a short address. The outgoing President reflects on her year, while the incoming President lays out her plans for the year. This year, Immediate Past President Madeleine told us of the highlight of her year – “If I can say that I am proud of one thing the club has achieved this year, it must be our vintage fashion show. Not just because it was an enjoyable event, and not even because it raised £1,700 for the Mercy Ships, but because we all worked together so well as a team………………..We all came together as a club and our teamwork made the event a success.” And Incoming

Building Bridges at the Scotland North & South Joint Conference 2018

Building Bridges at the Scotland North & South Joint Conference 2018

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A number of Club members attended the recent Scotland North and South Joint Conference held in Stirling on the 14th of April. The theme of the conference was ‘building bridges’ and the speakers approached this with a range of topics. Keynote Speakers One of the key note speakers was Mariet Verhoff-Cohen, President of Soroptimist International – who spoke on her President’s Appeal for the 2017-2019 biennium, Women,Water and Leadership. Mariet is recognised as an expert on the topic of water and how it impacts the lives of women and girls globally. She stated that more than 600 million of the world’s population lack ready access to safe water and sanitation and because they are the primary water carriers for their families, water scarcity affects women and girls disproportionately. The hours they spend daily fetching water prevents them from attending school and impairs their ability to

3S Fund winners share their experiences with SI Glasgow City members

3S Fund winners share their experiences with SI Glasgow City members

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At a recent SI Glasgow City meeting, two recipients of awards from the Soroptimist International Scotland South 3S Fund outlined their experiences in Malawi in 2017. Carol travelled to Malawi with 7 other volunteers to prepare a building for use as a school for over 200 children. The group also helped distribute backpacks to school children, which had been donated by people across Scotland. Carol used the 3S Fund donation to purchase educational toys used by all ages for the children. Kirsty travelled to Malawi with the charity Project Trust, which specialises in placing school leavers in projects around the world, and she taught in two nursery schools for 8 months from September 2016 to April 2017. Teaching children aged 2 to 5 years was a challenge when Kirsty could not speak the local language, but she did manage to share basic numerical and literacy

SI Glasgow City candidate receives funding for Nepalese project

SI Glasgow City candidate receives funding for Nepalese project

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The candidate our club has put forward for 3S Funding has been successful and received £300. She will be going to Nepal this summer with Raleigh International to help build water and sanitation units. The 3S Fund supports projects which improve the lives of women and girls to achieve their potential in line with the objects of Soroptimist International. It is run by the Soroptimist International of Scotland South Region and its full name is ‘Soroptimist International Scotland South Region Project.’ You can learn more and find a handbook and application forms at the SI Scotland South webpage.

Donation to WaterAid’s Untapped Appeal

Donation to WaterAid’s Untapped Appeal

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SI Glasgow City recently donated £500 to WaterAid‘s Untapped Appeal, which was match funded by the Government bringing the total donation to £1000. Joanna and Norma, volunteer WaterAid representatives, gave the members a brief update on the appeal which is providing clean water to villages in Africa. Tombohuaun is a tiny village deep in the jungle of Sierra Leone, where clean water has been provided via the ‘Untapped Appeal’. 31% of schools worldwide have no access to clean water. The funds will help to train local water engineers to ensure the sustainability of the work of WaterAid. See the Tombohuan villagers clebrate the arrival of clean water at https://www.wateraid.org/uk/tombohuan-untapped

Agnes Duncan Trophy honours the memory of an Inspirational Soroptimist and Musician

Agnes Duncan Trophy honours the memory of an Inspirational Soroptimist and Musician

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In 1989 the Agnes Duncan Trophy was presented to the Glasgow Music Festival by the Soroptimist International (SI) Glasgow City Club to mark Agnes Duncan’s 90th Birthday.  Since then, the Trophy, and a cheque for £100, has been gifted by the Club, annually, to the winner of a vocal soloist competition on the last night of the Glasgow Music Festival. Agnes, a long-standing member of the SI Glasgow City Club, had a lifelong interest in music, particularly choral music, and was awarded an M.B.E in 1967 for her services to music. She attended every Glasgow Music Festival from its inception in 1911 until her death in 1997 participating as a performer, conductor, committee member and later as the Festival’s Honorary President.  At this year’s Glasgow Music Festival held in March, 7 male and female vocal soloists under the age of 18, competed for the Trophy

Vintage Fashion Show raises £1,700 for Mercy Ships!

Vintage Fashion Show raises £1,700 for Mercy Ships!

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To celebrate 90 years of Soroptimists in Glasgow the members of Soroptimist International Glasgow City put on a fashion show and raised £1700 for Mercy Ships, the world’s largest charitable floating hospital. The Soroptimists acted as models wearing a variety of vintage outfits displaying what women wore from 1860 to 1988. Most of the outfits were modelled by ladies aged 60-90 showing you can look glamorous at any age. Soroptimists are part of a global movement working to educate, empower and enable opportunities for women and girls, helping them to achieve their potential. A cheque was presented by President Madeleine to Mary Smith, a representative of Mercy Ships, at a recent club meeting in Glasgow.