Polycrisis. It’s a word that no-one wanted to invent. But the pressures of insecurity at work or  unemployment, underlying worries about global warming, the unsettling threat and promise of Artificial Intelligence, the unreliable lure of social media, not to mention ever more polarised politics,  they all work on us as individuals. The effect  can be panic, loneliness, unease and fear. Fear even of being seen to be suffering from these anxieties, fear of being found out to be struggling, vulnerable, at sea. The irony is, often the greater our concerns, the less we speak about them, not knowing perhaps that so many other people are in the same situation and that help is at hand. Which is why for Mental Health Awareness and Well-Being Day this year, Grange-over-Sands  Soroptimists are asking How are you? at an all day event on Saturday 16 May at the

  From October to December 24 we’re all inundated with ads assuring us that if we buy this or that, a merry Christmas is in the bag. Hard enough when you’re flush. But if you’re broke, had to take refuge from a violent home, have far more love for your kids than money in your purse, the jolly jingles can be torture.  Which is why this year Grange-over-sands Sorops have once again been merrily packing hampers for people who could really do with a treat. 46 boxes of goodies, sized to cater for different family needs were sealed with a bow. The contents, loads of useful basics plus some special seasonal goodies, were provided by Club Members themselves, with money raised from Floral Decoration demonstrations, Cheese and Wine parties, and jam making. The pupils of Kirkbie Kendal School also made outstanding contributions.  46 boxes of

A new look can do wonders for your mood, but cripple your credit card and worse, leave threads of destruction in its wake. Fast fashion is one of the horrors of our time, involving child labour, sweated labour, and pollution. Cocktails anyone? According to Oxfam*, by 2050, the industry is on course to produce enough unwanted clothes to stretch almost from Earth to Mars. That’s equivalent to nearly four outfits for every single person on the planet, or 138 billion items.Swapping clothes gives your wardrobe that much needed lift, bypasses waste and can be a lovely social event. That was the thought behind the Grange-over-Sands Soroptimist Clothes Swap on 7th November. While guests enjoyed a glass of fizz, Mags from Evermore Vintage, a preloved and vintage shop in Ulverston showed us how to glam up our looks. Her interactive presentation highlighting the issues around fast

Racegoers at Cartmel on 28 May this year were treated to a rare sighting: the trusty (inflatable) steeds of Grange-over-Sands Soroptimists. Champion the thoroughbred, ridden by Janice Carrick, and pit pony Bloddwyn. ridden by Rebecca Bilkau were accompanied by trainers and supporters Sheila Cheesebrough, Lynne Coles, Isabel Huggett, and Penny Ward. Rumoured to have promised punters not to enter the real race track for a small consideration, the teams raised smiles all round. Plus an over £600 for Barrow Women’s Centre . Some lessons were learned: rattling tins may have been superseded by card readers, for example. Many people these days don’t carry cash, but are happy to swipe at least a fiver in the charity’s direction. All in all though, the Soroptomist Stable had a lovely day at the races and were able to support great and vital work for women facing difficulty.