A message from President Angela.
I have the honour and privilege to be elected as President of Soroptimist International of Hallamshire in Sheffield during it’s 50th Charter Year April 2021 to April 2022. As well as the International Organisation celebrating 100 years since its formation.
SI Hallamshire is a club of active and enthusiastic women who want to make a difference to the lives of women and girls in the community and across the world. We are a small club but our members enthusiasm, talents and skills make up for this and we aim we to make a difference by empowering, enabling and supporting the education of women and girls.
It is important that we support each other especially at this time of the pandemic while having fun and laughter at our social events as well as achieving our Soroptimist aims. We meet twice a month and the key focus of our work is Programme Action.
The club charity that we are supporting this year is The Alzheimer’s Society, we not only fundraise but try to give practical help such as becoming dementia friends, knitting Twiddlemuffs supporting events such as the memory walk. Our fundraising often involves cakes and food and such events as wine tasting, fashion shows, barbeques when we are able to meet.
Our members use their skills to make beautiful quilts and knit blankets for the Sheffield Children’s Hospital also knitting garments to provide clothing for refugees and the homeless.
Recycling of many items over the years has helped with fundraising and in a small way made the planet more sustainable. Recycling of jewellery, mobile phones and other objects will raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society this year.
Other projects and charities we support are:
Roundabout – a local charity supporting homeless young people
Young Women’s Housing Project- a local charity for vulnerable young women that have been sexually abused, experienced violence, exploitation and women with mental health problems.
Zion Graveyard Attercliffe- site of burial ground of anti-slavery campaigner Mary Anne Rawson
St Luke’s Hospice
Working with Sheffield College to award a catering student that has overcome adversity a monetary prize to help them achieve the next stage of their career.
Laptops and connectivity for young people during lockdown to help them access their education.
We have a Friendship link with SI Sutton Coldfield club meeting socially usually once each year and we attend special events at each other’s club. We support each other’s Programme Action projects.
Our club is a member of the Yorkshire region which has 21 clubs, SI Yorkshire is part of a global network of more than 72,000 Soroptimists in 121 countries across the world with consultative status at the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) at the United nations.
We support regional, national and international projects such as the Soroptimist International President’s appeal “The Road to Equality” which aims to advance the human rights and equality of women and girls.
We welcome new members do come and join us, we have fun and laughter while often educating ourselves with interesting speakers and undertaking projects together to make a difference to women and girls.