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Student Emotional Health and Wellbeing support at Rossett School

Student Emotional Health and Wellbeing support at Rossett School

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Over the last 2 years we have raised more than £7500 so that additional Just ‘B’ provision of student emotional health and wellbeing support could be provided for students of Rossett School, Harrogate. This enabled an extra half day a week of student support making a big difference to the level of support available for students. Working in Partnership Harrogate & District Soroptimists have been working in partnership with Rossett School since 2022. Originally with a Sharing our Skills project, in which sixth form students gained valuable experience and transferable skills to take forward into their future. It gave them the opportunity to get involved in community project to raise awareness of significant worldwide issues. Sharing our Skills – Listening to Students During the project, the students flagged up that more emotional health and wellbeing support was needed for students in the School.  The Harrogate

Garden Party raises £420 for Salvation Army Food Bank in Ripon.

Garden Party raises £420 for Salvation Army Food Bank in Ripon.

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Garden Party A wonderful Garden Party in Ripon in August raised a fantastic £420 for Harrogate and District Soroptimist’s Stop Food Poverty Project.  Club member Denise Newby, who organised the event along with Sandra Jowett and Tricia Chapman provided an array of wonderful cakes and sandwiches. Denise’s garden proved the perfect venue and thankfully the sun shone too. Why we need Food Banks! It is a sad fact that almost 1 in 3 children (4.5 million) in the UK are now living in relative poverty. The continuing rise in the cost of living regarding food and fuel is putting pressure on many households. The income and essential expenditure gap identified by Trussell, and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation is increasing. Whist food banks are not a long-term solution they provide a stop gap to help families and individuals through hardship. The average cost of a food

Brown Civic plaque on a gate post
Harrogate Civic Society Plaque for former member Mrs Mary Fisher MBE JP

Harrogate Civic Society Plaque for former member Mrs Mary Fisher MBE JP

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Fantastic news –  there is now a Harrogate Civic Society Brown Plaque to mark  Mary Fisher MBE contribution to civic life of Harrogate from the 1920s until her death in 1972. The plaque is sited at 1 Mount Parade in the centre of Harrogate. A place she lived with her husband and family for over forty years. How we got involved? Club member Val Hills first became aware of Mary Fisher MBE when she saw her gravestone in Stonefall cemetery in 2021 and wondered,  who was this woman?  The first Lady Mayor and Alderman of Harrogate and Honorary Freeman of Harrogate Borough. This started her inquiry into Mary’s  life, using the Internet, visiting Harrogate library’s newspapers archive collection, the British Newspaper Archive,  Ancestry.com and by talking to people who knew and remembered Mary. The life of a remarkable woman. Mary Fisher, nee Stott,  played a

Fabulous evening with Caroline Hawley raised over £1758 for School Counselling Service

Fabulous evening with Caroline Hawley raised over £1758 for School Counselling Service

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  Soroptimist International of Harrogate & District were delighted to welcome guests and Harrogate’s first Town Mayor, Chris Aldred to their Charity Event on Friday 16 May at the Crown Hotel Harrogate – An Evening with Caroline Hawley – BBC TV Personality & Expert Auctioneer. Caroline gave an insight into her work with TV and shared her extensive knowledge of antiques and collectables. Her enthusiasm and passion showed through, as she spent time talking about, and valuing, the antiques and collectables that guests had brought. In the last part of the evening, everyone was able to experience Caroline in action, as she ran a Charity Auction of experiences that local businesses had donated. Raising a total of £1758. A fantastic amount. Harrogate & District Soroptimist President Sheila Ince said: ‘It was a fabulous evening, thoroughly enjoyed by all, at the same time as raising money

An Evening with Caroline Hawley – Auctioneer and TV Personality 16th May, Crown Hotel, Harrogate

An Evening with Caroline Hawley – Auctioneer and TV Personality 16th May, Crown Hotel, Harrogate

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The Club is delighted to welcome Caroline Hawley, well known BBC personality and Auctioneer as our Guest on the 16th May at the Crown Hotel, Harrogate.  The evening starts at 7pm.  Caroline will talk about her life as an Auctioneer and as one of the main experts on BBC’s Bargain Hunt and Flog It. Bring along the items you want to know more about –  Caroline will talk about and value some of these items.  The cost is £25 and includes a glass of Prosecco or non alcoholic drink. Tickets are available from Eventbrite our Facebook Event page The event is to support Just B provide emotional support to young people in Harrogate.

INSPIRATIONAL HARROGATE WOMEN HIGHLIGHTED FOR INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2025

INSPIRATIONAL HARROGATE WOMEN HIGHLIGHTED FOR INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2025

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INSPIRATIONAL HARROGATE WOMEN HIGHLIGHTED FOR INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2025 Past and present inspirational Harrogate women are being brought to new audiences as plans are underway to celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) on 8 March.  Harrogate has many inspirational women, and thanks to a new local partnership between Harrogate Film Society, Harrogate Town AFC and Soroptimist International of Harrogate and District, a year long programme of events is being planned rather than just a single day. Copa ’71 The Forgotten Women’s World Cup As a pre-launch event, Harrogate Film Society will be screening Copa ‘71 The Forgotten Women’s World Cup at Harrogate’s Odeon on Monday,3 March.  It will be introduced by Sarah Barry Chief Executive of Harrogate Town AFC and Kate Donan, Head of Women’s Football. Paula Stott Chair of Harrogate Film Society said: “We are very excited to be showing this wonderful documentary

Charity Shop Christmas Window Competition – The Results 2024

Charity Shop Christmas Window Competition – The Results 2024

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Harrogate and District Soroptimist were delighted to welcome the award winners of the annual Charity Shop Christmas Window Competition to their meeting at the Crown Hotel on the 4th December.  The Mayor of Knaresborough Cllr. Margy Longhurst and Club President Christine Anderson presented the Award Certificates and the Soroptimist International of Harrogate and District Cup to the overall winner. The judging took place in three zones.  Harrogate Town; Ripon with Boroughbridge and Knaresborough with Starbeck and Bilton. Overall Soropoptimist International of Harrogate and District Cup Winner and Zone Winners – Ripon and Boroughbridge Gold Award:                  OXFAM Shop, Fishergate Ripon Silver Award:                Saint Michael’s Hospice Shop, North Street, Ripon Highly Commended.      Yorkshire Cancer Research Shop, The Arcade, Ripon and Saint Michael’s Hospice, High Street, Boroughbridge Cup Winner The winner of the Soroptimist International of Harrogate and District Cup for the Christmas Window Competition is

Gill Smith Award for Best Girl Improver at Harrogate Spa Tennis Club

Gill Smith Award for Best Girl Improver at Harrogate Spa Tennis Club

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Gill Smith Best Girl Improver Shield Every Year the Club presents  The Gill Smith Award for Best Girl Improver,  at Harrogate Spa Tennis Club. Gill was a much respected member of our Club and an ardent tennis player and fan. She was also member of Harrogate Spa Tennis Club. We remember Gill every year with the presentation of the Best Girl Improver Shield. This year  Club President,  Christine Anderson,  was delighted to present the Shield to Sofia Perez at the Harrogate Spa Tennis Centre. Carolyn Rothwell, Club administrator said, ‘Sofia has been a member of Club for nearly 10 years. During that time she has developed confidence, both in her own tennis playing ability, and in the way she enjoys helping others, particularly youngsters, improve their game.There is always a smile around on court, from Sofia, and the children love being helped by her with

Celebrating our Ninety-one years charter lunch

Celebrating our Ninety-one years charter lunch

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President Christine Anderson welcomed the Sheriff on North Yorkshire Dr Ruth Smith and her husband, SI Yorkshire President Sue and husband Jonathan and President Julie from SI Wakefield as her guests at our luncheon to celebrate 91 yrs. since  getting our charter. It was a wonderful afternoon with perfect weather too. Over 70 people attended the luncheon, held at the Bridge Hotel near Wetherby. This included members from Clubs all over the Yorkshire Region.  We’re delighted that our Young Woman in the Community Award winner, Grace a talented violinist, provided the entertainment with classical music and Irish jigs. Members, including President Christine,  danced along as Grace sang ABBA songs. Finishing with ‘Thank you for the Music’.

President’s Blog – August

President’s Blog – August

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Welcome back, I hope you all had good break. Where did August go? I thought I had plenty of time to do lots of chores and jobs at home but guess what … hardly anything has been ticked off my “to do” list! But I have had spent this month enjoying some new experiences, which I thought I would share with you. Yorkshire Day Yorkshire  new experience this month was On 1st August, Yorkshire Day, Heather and I joined members from 10 other Yorkshire Clubs for a fantastic and fun packed evening at Yorkshire President Susie’s fundraising event. We experienced a wine / beer / food pairing evening to support Breast Cancer Awareness. The choice of 6 wines came from France, Argentina and Puglia and included Hospices de Beaujeu Bourgogne Gamay, which is made and sold to support the local hospice, this was one of