President Blog – November
Presidents Report – November/December Where has this year gone? And yet is seems ages ago since we made our first tentative steps back to normality. Last year we met on the 1st of December and awarded the Charity Shop Christmas Window winners at the Crown Hotel. A week later, I had to make the presentation to the Wetherby Winner’s in the street as restrictions were reintroduced due to the spread of covid. Covid is still a factor but is now part of our everyday lives. I hope all of you who have recently had covid have made a good recovery. Remembrance Sunday 13 November November has been another very busy month. There is so much going on in the Club. On the 13th of November I represented the Club at the Harrogate Cenotaph to lay a wreath at the Remembrance Service. It is always a
President’s Blog – December/January 2023
President’s Blog – October
President’s Blog – September
Welcome to my September/ October Blog, Cost of Living Crisis Thank you to Club Members who’ve donate blankets/throws/ hot water bottles, flasks and hats for the Harrogate District Food Bank. I know this will help make a difference. People are already struggling to get by and though the energy cap will help, some of them will still have to make a choice between heat and eat. 5 Ladies and a bus call Bertha I know that many of us where shocked at the death of HM The Queen on the 8th September. The news had just been released as I travelled with Jennifer to the Knaresborough Library to listen to Sue Williams reading from her newly published book. There was a good Soroptimist turn out and it was an enjoyable evening. We are looking forward to the next instalment. A few of us raised our
Hygge raises £712 for Dementia Forward
Club member’s Heather and Di’s Hygge Lunch-time Event raised a fantastic £712 for Dementia Forward. The heaven’s may have opened but that didn’t detract from a lovely homemade soup and fresh bread lunch in the garden. Hygge – So what is Hygge (pronounced hoo-guh)? In Denmark Hygge is described as an event that brings courage, comfort and joy. There was certainly plenty of that despite the heaviest rain we’ve had in months. Not only was there delicious soup and cakes but also things to take home. Beautiful handmade bags, oven gloves, tasty scones, delicious crumbles, and chutneys and much more. It was great to meet friends and neighbours to chat. We were certainly protected from the elements and kept warm, dry and snug. Dementia Forward All the money raised will help Dementia Forward provide more support through their helpline for people with, and people caring for
5 Ladies and a bus called Bertha
The Club is delighted to announce the Book Launch of 5 Ladies and a Bus called Bertha, written by our very own Sue Williams. The book is available to buy from Amazon. Sue will donate all profits to Be shared between Dementia Forward Toilet Twinning The Trussell Trust and Soroptimist SIGBI. It promises is an excellent and fun read.
President Blog – Summer
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
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
Soroptimists Stride Out to support Trussell Trust #RaceAgainstHunger
The first two United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals are to; 1, Stop Poverty, 2, Zero Hunger. In the UK families are going hungry because they cannot afford food. The Trussell Trust campaigns to stop the need for food banks. It also works to ensure that families don’t go hungry by seeding Food Banks like Harrogate. It has seen the demand increase from 200,000 food parcels ten years ago to over 2 million last year. All of us are facing higher cost of living due to energy and food price increases but if you are already struggling to make end meet more people may have to resort to visiting a Food Bank. The Club registered the Soroptimist Striders as a team who would join others throughout the UK on the 2nd April to RaceAgainstHunger by completing a 5K run/walk The money is raised by individual and