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President Blog – Summer

President Blog – Summer

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Welcome back. Meetings start again on 7th September.  I hope everyone has enjoyed summer despite the heat that at times felt overwhelming. The Climate certainly seems to be changing. We may not of met during August but we certainly have been busy. If you are not a member and are interested in finding out more about our Club and organisation  email sihandd@hotmail.co.uk Toilet Twinning in Wetherby                                 On the 25th July and I was delighted to meet the Mayor  of Wetherby with Sue Williams and Heather Shipman to present the toilet twinning certificates that will be displayed in the public toilets at the town hall. We had great press coverage in the local paper too.  A great start to our commitment to see Wetherby become a Toilet Twinned Town. Dementia

President’s Blog – March

President’s Blog – March

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Storm clouds gathered physically and metaphysically at the beginning of March. For the world, as Russia’s attack on Ukraine has led to the biggest migration of people since the Second World War; in the UK, as over a million trees were blown down in the successive storms; and personally, as a bout of Covid meant that I was unable to chair the March business meeting.  Thank you, President Elect Pat, for deputising for me. The world has changed. The last two years have changed the way we live our lives as we return to the ‘new normal’ as the pandemic continues.  The war in Ukraine has woken many of us to how quickly things can change from stability to absolute horror. I know that our Soroptimist sisters, especially in Poland but also other countries too are supporting the millions of refugees, mostly women and children

Annual General Meeting – Celebrating a busy year

Annual General Meeting – Celebrating a busy year

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The 89th Annual General Meeting took place at the Crown Hotel in Harrogate last night. The Club welcomed SI Yorkshire Region’s President Lindsay Green. Lindsay presented the 25 year Long Service Awards to Irene Kerr and Christabel England. A great achievement. Our new  Vice President is Christine Anderson. She will also be the Club Programme Action Officer with Paula Newson Smith. Val Hills is continuing as Club President and Pat Shore is President Elect. President Val congratulated the Club on all it has achived over the last 12 months including raising over £11,000 for Just ‘B’ and achieving Toilet Twinning status for Harrogate Borough Council. Val also thanked the Club members for their support in raising over £700 for the The Trussell Trust #RaceAgainstHunger. The Club is looking forward to a busy 12 months and is delighted to have welcomed four new members in the

Resurrected Bites – Better in Bellies than Bins

Resurrected Bites – Better in Bellies than Bins

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Left to Right: President Val, Polli, Michelle and Club member Janet Resurrected Bites Hot from her interview with Katherine Jenkin on the BBC’s  Song of Praise Michelle Hayes, founder and CEO of Resurrection Bites  gave us a fantastic insight into the organisations incredible work. Making sure surplus food ends up in ‘Bellies not Bins”. Starting up It is shocking that 30% of  food in the UK ends up going to waste whist some families are struggling to put food on the table.  Michelle talked about the two cafes and community grocery stores the charity has set up in Harrogate and Knaresborough since early 2018. She explained how the Covid pandemic had affected their plans.  But, how they had quickly adapted. And, between March 2020 and July 2021 they had delivered food and other essential items to the equivalent of 15808 people in the Harrogate area. Michelle

Memorial Weeping Elm Tree and Plaque surrounded by newly planted spring Bulbs

Memorial Weeping Elm Tree and Plaque surrounded by newly planted spring Bulbs

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  Harrogate and District Soroptimists had a busy few weeks. On 28 September we welcomed the Mayor and Mayoress of Harrogate Borough, Cllr Trevor and Janet Chapman to help us unveil a Memorial Slab for ‘Our Sisters’ at Stonefall Cemetery in Harrogate.  And, one month later,  five busy Soroptimist’s planted over 7000 spring flowering bulbs to surround our Memorial Weeping Elm tree. Harrogate Borough Council Horticultural Officer Sue Wood provided the expertise. Next Spring  we are looking forward to a wonderful display of: Crocus Ruby Giant, Chionodoxa luc., Anemone blue s.,   Ornithogalum umbellatum (Star of Bethlehem) Muscari azureum, Pushkinia libanotica, Narcissus Jack Snipe, Scilla Mitschenkoana, Scilla Siberica Tulipa Turkestanica   Please note the links to the flowers above are not recommendations to purchase – just to illustrate the flower type. Before –  During &  After

Pat receives #Whoisshe award from President Sandra
We’re back – First Club meeting in person for nearly a year.

We’re back – First Club meeting in person for nearly a year.

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It’s been more than a year but at last we are back. We celebrated our first face to face on 21 July. Our new venue is the Crown Hotel in Harrogate. Lots of fun and catching up to do as we enjoyed a meal and a drink.  We played a couple of guessing games too including ‘Would I lie to you’. We also celebrated  Pat Shore MBE recognition by Soroptimist International of Great Britain and Ireland (SIGBI).  She is one of some one hundred women who have made a difference by her commitment to the organisation and our Community.  We are very proud that  three  members received the #WhoisShe? Award.   President Sandra presented Pat with her certificate. Well done Pat and much deserved. It was great  to welcome four new members who have joined since we were last able to meet in person rather

Janet Haywood
Annual General Meeting and Celebration of Long Service Awards

Annual General Meeting and Celebration of Long Service Awards

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President Sandra and Club members welcomed Linda Davis, Yorkshire Region President to their AGM held by Zoom on the 21st of April. Sandra will be continuing as Club President till October. This is due to the impact on many of the Clubs planned events. Despite this,  the Club’s raised over £2000 for her chosen charity Just B.  This included a Zoom Burns Night supper, Club member Maureen taking part in the Great North Run and a lot of knitting!   Just B is the bereavement service that is part of Saint Michael’s Hospice. Long Service Awards It was a special night  as the Club celebrated the long service of three of its members who have served a total of 115 years between them. Val Hills, joining the Club 25 years ago, Dorothy Taylor joined 40 years ago and is the Clubs longest serving member. And

Deadlier than the Male – Dr Phil Judkins

Deadlier than the Male – Dr Phil Judkins

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In March we welcomed Dr Phil Judkins by Zoom, an internationally acknowledged  expert on the history of radar, radio interception and electronic warfare. His work has featured in daily papers, film and television. We heard one of his most requested talks “Women are Deadlier than the Male”. Phil described the astounding roles undertaken by women in both world wars at home and abroad. Some very unexpected and some almost unbelievable, except they actually happened. Nurses on the front line such as Edith Cavell saved lives of many soldiers of all nationalities.  She also paid the ultimate price when shot by firing squad.  We heard about code breaker’s intercepting messages, a highly secretive activity during the 1st World War and at the TOP SECRET  Bletchley Park. Women making ammunition  shells in the first and second World Wars where one spark could set off an explosion. The last

Challenging the status quo
Choose to Challenge – Forgotten Women – International Women’s Day

Choose to Challenge – Forgotten Women – International Women’s Day

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Soroptimist International of Harrogate and District – Celebrates ‘Forgotten Women’ on International Women’s Day 8thMarch 2021 Seventy Soroptimists and guests Zoomed in from all over the Yorkshire, the UK and the World to celebrate the unveiling of a Harrogate Civic Society Plaque,  in recognition of Dr Kathleen Rutherford on International Women’s Day.  A woman, described as a legend in her own life time in a 1970’s Yorkshire Television Calendar News Special about her life, now all but forgotten. Dr Kathleen was a founder member and first Club President of Soroptimist International of Harrogate in 1933.  The Club was also delighted to welcome award winning journalist Nicky Harley, whose ‘Forgotten Women’ campaign kicked off our quest to find out more about our founder President.   Civic Society Brown Plaque scheme The Club always knew of Dr Kathleen but in 2019 Nicky contacted the Club as part
‘Forgotten Women’ – Dr Kathleen Rutherford Remembered on International Women’s Day

‘Forgotten Women’ – Dr Kathleen Rutherford Remembered on International Women’s Day

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International Women’s Day -  Forgotten Women Dr Kathleen Rutherford M.B.E Harrogate Civic Society Heritage Plaque for Dr Kathleen Rutherford MBE   Forgotten Women In  2019 Soroptimist International of Harrogate and District Club received an email from journalist Nicky Harley. Nicky’s mission is to increase the number of women recognised by a Blue Plaque by bringing attention to the ‘Forgotten Women’ -  well known during their lifetime but often forgotten since.  One of these women was Dr Kathleen Rutherford MBE. A name well known to the Club as one of the founding members in 1933 and first President but there was little known about the person. Doing our research Using the information provided by Nicky, Club member Rachel Richardson’s research revealed a whole lot more. This  includes a Yorkshire Television Calendar programme made in 1970 about her life.  Dr Kathleen, recognised as being a ‘Legend in