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A great time at Leighton Moss RSPB reserve 17 July

A great time at Leighton Moss RSPB reserve 17 July

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Good weather for ducks! Despite picking an unseasonably wet day, 13 members of our club thoroughly enjoyed a visit to Leighton Moss. One of our members, Kath Smith, who works at the centre, led us enthusiastically around the attractions helping us to identify different species of birds and plant life. She also explained how the RSPB came into existence thanks to a lady called Emily Williamson back in the 1920's. A visit to the on-site cafe for tea and cake provided us with a chance to all dry off before members headed home. Five members decided to make another pit stop at a local wine bar in Arnside for pizza and wine to finish the day off in style.
Lend with Care

Lend with Care

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Lend with care Grange Soroptimists have just lent a total of £997 into the Lend with Care scheme. We have made loans ranging from £150 to £493 to  3 different projects with 27 different female entrepreneurs, 37 family members and created 8 jobs. The loans will help them buy a range of items to support and expand their businesses. The projects range from a grocery store in Paraguay, a group running grocery stores, second hand clothing and market stalls in Zambia allowing them to support many dependent children including orphans and thirdly a pork roasting business in the Philippines who need to buy more pigs! All of the recipients will make repayments, and as these come in it  will allow us to re-use the same money to help more people. It’s a win-win situation, and a circle of support which can keep on running indefinitely!
Grange Soroptimists show commitment to recycling with their new gilets

Grange Soroptimists show commitment to recycling with their new gilets

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Grange Soroptimists in new recycled gilets We are delighted with our new eyecatching gilets complete with Soroptimist International logo which we ordered from local firm Coniston Corporate We ordered recycled 2-layer printable softshell bodywarmer and used the Soroptimist International logo using guidelines from SI.   Any Soroptimist Club wanting to order similar gilets best to E mail Coniston Clothing  at info@cceuk.org  with an enquiry  as Coniston Clothing have the logo available to use for further orders. Its easier than trying to fill in an order form as need to be sure re logo. Be aware that the logo has correct spelling of Soroptmist on the gilets and on the order form  but  the  file name of the logos on the order form is named incorrectly! They dont seem to want to alter the file name. The gilets are made from recycled PET-bottles and certified by
Swimathon for ShelterBox

Swimathon for ShelterBox

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The 2025 Swimathon Soroptimists Team We swam in the Swimathon in Kendal  raising funds for ShelterBox. We  had fun and achieved 168 lengths  swimming in a relay for 55 minutes, raising £935 which with Gift Aid will exceed £1000. This was the most lengths we have ever achieved greatly helped by Sarah swimming  alongside us and doubling our efforts! Afterwards we enjoyed a delicious meal at the home of Club member Sheila. ShelterBox provides vital tools and shelter for families in disaster areas worldwide. Women and children are disproprtionately affected by disasters and we therefore like to support ShelterBox every year. ShelterBox are heavily involved in Gaza and their stocks are very depleted so our donation will help to support families. Club members have swum in the Swimathon  for 39 years and raised funds for ShelterBox sice 2009. If you want to find out more
Soroptimists take the plunge for ShelterBox 15 March

Soroptimists take the plunge for ShelterBox 15 March

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Grange Soroptimist’s team  are taking the plunge and  swimming in the Kendal  Swimathon on March 15th, and once again are raising funds for ShelterBox.  ShelterBox provide family tents and other life sustaining equipment for displaced  victims of disasters or war. Soroptimists work to improve the lives of women and girls worldwide so we are delighted to support ShelterBox as women and children are disproportionately affected by disasters. We have been raising funds for ShelterBox  by swimming  in the Swimathon  every year since 2009 and have raised enough for 18 ShelterBoxes, which currently cost £590. Please help us to continue to help those most in need. Any donation would be most welcome and you can contact us through this Website or donate direct via our Swimathon  for ShelterBox  Just Giving page Images are photographs of the 2 latest Beyond the Box magazines.
Zoom with our Friendship link Club in Prague

Zoom with our Friendship link Club in Prague

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Meeting up with our Soroptimist sisters SI rague On 15th January we had a Zoom meet up with our Soroptimist sisters in Prague ( SI Praha)  We shared ideas and the projects both clubs are working on and there was a great similarity with a lot of work going on helping victims of domestic abuse. It was sobering for SI Grange to realise the anxiety felt by SI Prague members with the situation in Europe.  It was however very cheerful reminisvcing about Alice and Janna's  visit to the UK for our Platinum celebrations!
Soroptimists talking Pants

Soroptimists talking Pants

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We are delighted to anounce our knicker tree resulted in over 1,500 pairs of pants despatched to Smalls for All. Local people , local schools and Soroptimist members generously donated new pants and these have been distributed to multiple organisations both abroad  and in the UK. Since our donation in early November Smalls for All  have sent out 638 pairs of pants to The West Lothian Financial Inclusion Network for families in need in West Lothian. 285 pairs of pants to the NNLS Destitute Asylum Seekers Drop In, an organisation based in London. 98 pairs of pants to Refugees Welcome Crawley. 300 pairs of pants to Days for Girls Ealing for including in their hygiene kits going to Africa. 1,800 pairs of pants and bras to the AMUKA foundation, an organisation working with the remote villages of Karare, Marsabit County in Kenya. 191 pairs of
Grange Soroptimists Write for Rights 2024

Grange Soroptimists Write for Rights 2024

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Members wrote in support of the Write for Rights campaign run by Amnesty International, writing letters of solidarity to victims of Human Rights abuses and letters to officials appealing for action. About 60 letters / E mails/ Tweets/ Facebook posts were sent off / posted on social media in December to coincide with Human Rights Day. Human Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December — the day the United Nations General Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It  is a milestone document that proclaims the inalienable rights which everyone is entitled to as a human being - regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. 10 December is an opportunity to reaffirm the importance of human rights in re-building the world we want, the need for global
Creative Christmas Flower Demonstration by Joan Bentley 1st December

Creative Christmas Flower Demonstration by Joan Bentley 1st December

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60 members and guests enjoyed a Creative Christmas Flower Demonstration by Joan Bentley. Joan was entertaining, very creative and we all learnt something. A delicious afternoon tea with homemade cakes rounded off the afternoon when there was also a very popular raffle of the Flower arrangements including a special Orange the World one  to coincide with the 16 Days of Activism. £425 was raised for our Christmas hampers for the Women's Centre.
How did Grange Soroptimists help families at Christmas?

How did Grange Soroptimists help families at Christmas?

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Club members donated hundreds of pounds worth  of food and 6 members packed 48 hampers for families attending BarrowWomen's Centre Several members cobvered the boxes beforehand and the hampers looked lovely. Pupils of Kirkbie Kendal school  generously donated many boxesoffood and toiletries. If you are interested in finding out more about our Club or would likew to join please CONTACT US