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President’s Blog – December/January 2023

President’s Blog – December/January 2023

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President’s Report – December/January 2023 Happy New Year to all of you! I hope you all  had a Happy and Joyful Christmas? The twelve days of Christmas will be over by the time we meet again. It takes a while before we feel the benefit of the lengthening days.  But - the days are getting longer. A big thank you for the Christmas Cards and to those of you who donated in lieu of Christmas Cards. Jennifer will update me in the next couple of days and I will be writing out to thank those individuals who made donations. The money will help the Food Banks who are under a lot of pressure as the cost of living bites. Charity Shop Winners I was so pleased that so many of you were able to attend for the presentation to the winners of the Harrogate District
Charity Shop Window Competition – The Results

Charity Shop Window Competition – The Results

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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 7th December.  The Deputy Mayor of Harrogate Borough, Cllr. Robert Windass  and Club President Val Hills, presented the Award Certificates and the Soroptimist Cup to the overall winner. The judging took place in three zones.  Harrogate Town; Ripon with Boroughbridge and Knaresborough with Starbeck and Bilton. This year the judges were joined by Cllr Mark Flood, the deputy Mayor of Knaresborough  and Linda Birkinshaw a local artist from Ripon. This year’s winner of the Soroptimist Cup is Shelter, Harrogate. Zone Winners –  Harrogate Town Gold Award: ​​Shelter, Commercial Street Silver Award: ​​Martin House Hospice Shop, Commercial Street Highly Commended. ​Saint Michael’s Hospice Shop, Cold Bath Road, Cancer Research UK, Oxford Street and Yorkshire Cancer Research, Oxford Street

President’s Blog – October

President’s Blog – October

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It has been a busy month of events. The nights are drawing in and I’m still getting used to ‘gaining’ an extra hour. I write this the day after my return from a fabulous 4 days at our Federation Conference, Climate for Change in Belfast. More about that later. Since our last meeting I’ve met with the Elves chaired by Chief Elf Liz Stickney; experienced an outside Hygge event organised by Heather Goodall and Di Fleming that raised over £720 for Dementia Forward; walked around Swinsty Reservoir with our Stride Out walking group and celebrated the 89th Anniversary since we were chartered in 1933 at wonderful Goldsborough Hall. attended a very active Toilet Twinning meeting with Sue W and the team at Horticap. met with Maureen and handed over the cash raised for the Food Bank to  Dawn from Harrogate and District Foodbank. Well over
President’s Blog – September

President’s Blog – September

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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

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

Summer Evening Music Concert in aid of Dementia Forward

Summer Evening Music Concert in aid of Dementia Forward

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Club members invite you to join them on the 25 June at the Wesley Church, Harrogate  for a wonderful summer evening of music. Outstanding musicians from Queen Mary’s School, directed by Sarah Holloway Lloyd, will perform the works of Bach and Beethoven.  The event will raise funds for Dementia Forward. Purchase tickets on line at tiny.cc/soroptimistconcert or email sihandd@hotmail.co.uk

Soroptimists Stride Out to support Trussell Trust #RaceAgainstHunger

Soroptimists Stride Out to support Trussell Trust #RaceAgainstHunger

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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

Club launches Toilet Twinning Project on International Women’s Day

Club launches Toilet Twinning Project on International Women’s Day

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SI Harrogate and District celebrated International Women’s Day by launching their Toilet Twinning Project – aiming to become the first District in the country to become twinned. President Val Hills and members welcomed the Chairman of North Yorkshire County Council, Cllr Stuart Martin and his wife April. Also the Mayor and Mayoress  of Harrogate Borough, Cllr Trevor and Jan Chapman and the Mayor of Pateley Bridge,  Cllr Mike Holt. We are pleased  other local Councillors including the nominated  Mayor of Harrogate Borough for 2022-23  Cllr. Victoria Oldham and  representatives from local schools, community groups and businesses were present. We were delighted to  also welcome Lindsay Green, President of Soroptimist International of Yorkshire Internationaal Women’s Day President Val Hills spoke about why International Women’s Day is so important and The 8th March – a day chosen 110 yrs. ago to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political

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

Wetherby Mayor and Club President plant Memorial Tree for past members

Wetherby Mayor and Club President plant Memorial Tree for past members

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Soroptimists Honour Past Members The rain didn’t deter President Val Hills  and the Mayor of Wetherby, Cllr Neil O’Bryne from planting  a memorial tree by the River Wharfe in Wetherby on the 8th February. The tree, a silver birch, was planted in memory of past members. It  follows the planting of trees in Ripon and Harrogate to celebrate over 100 years of Soroptimist International. President Val and 12 members of the club, including three from Wetherby braved the weather and mud. The Mayor  spoke of the invaluable work done for women and girls by Soroptimists in the district. President Val thanked the Mayor for his kind words and also praised Colin Trayford and Gerald Williams from Leeds City Council Parks and Countryside Department who did the heavy work. President Val said “It is a privilege to be joined by the Mayor today in the planting