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Maureen at the end of the Virtual North Run
Virtual Great North Run – Maureen runs for Saint Michael’s Hospice and Just B

Virtual Great North Run – Maureen runs for Saint Michael’s Hospice and Just B

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The cancellation of the Great North Run didn’t stop Club Member Maureen from running. Mapping a route through the streets of Harrogate she took part in the Virtual Great North Run on the 13th September. Maureen completed the 13.1 miles in record time. Club members waited on the Stray to greet her. All the money raised will go to Club President Sandra Frier’s chosen charity. Saint Michael’s Hospice and Just ‘B’ provide support for those who have life limiting conditions and their loved ones. Just ‘B’ provide an excellent bereavement service. Maureen has completed a number of Great North runs over the years. This is her first virtual one. Perfect weather conditions coupled with the quiet early morning traffic made sure there was no delays. She completed the Half Marathon in 2 hrs and 59 minutes. We are delighted to announce that Maureen has so far

Iris Newbould with SIGB President Sue Williams
Up in the skies and down to earth – Club members attend Yorkshire Conference

Up in the skies and down to earth – Club members attend Yorkshire Conference

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Club members spent a fantastic day at the Yorkshire Air Museum when we attended the  Soroptimist International of Yorkshire Conference on 29th June. The theme of conference was, ‘From Behind the Scenes to the Front Line’. We were privileged to hear from Iris Newbould, now 94 yrs old and full if vim, and her life as young Land Girl. WW2 like WW1 opened up job opportunities for women. Corporal Katherine Height gave us an insight into what’s life like now for a woman serving in today’s RAF.   The 29th June is Armed Forces Day. and at 12.10 a Hurricane provided a Fly Past tipping it’s wings on the 3rd Approach. So emotional. It reminded us of all the sacrifices Iris’s generation made ‘just doing our job’ to give us a future. Excellent representation from SI Harrogate & District  with 14 members attending and nearly all

Club members celebrated a total of One hundred and fifty-five years of service

Club members celebrated a total of One hundred and fifty-five years of service

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At the Club AGM held in April 2019 at our new meeting place, the Yorkshire Hotel in Harrogate, we celebrated 155 years of service to Soroptimist SIGBI. Janet Hutton. 40 years, Judith Webb, Hilary Waddington, Nicola Harding (not shown) all 30 years and Liz Stickney 25 years.   We were delighted that Soroptimist International of Yorkshire Region’s President Pat Kilbane was able to join us to present the long service certificates.

Celebrating International Women’s Day

Celebrating International Women’s Day

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Harrogate and District Soroptimists celebrated International Women’s Day at their Club meeting held at the White Hart on 6th March. Club Presidents Hilary Waddington and Elsie Johnston and Vice President Sandra Frier introduced three local women who have helped make a difference to women’s lives or helped highlight women’s achievements. Taking inspiration from Desert Island Discs each of our guests talked about their lives, what influenced them and their achievements.   Anne Smyth OBE spoke about how her own and her mother’s experience of caring had made her aware of how little support there was for Carers – and how Carers are of all ages but still predominantly women. Anne set up the Carers’ Resource in Harrogate in the early 1990s. Anne’s hard work and diligence had seen it grow to an award winning charity providing support for carers and families across Harrogate District, Airedale and

Club Celebrates reaching it’s target to raise £3000 for Meru Women’s Garden Project

Club Celebrates reaching it’s target to raise £3000 for Meru Women’s Garden Project

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Club members Celebrated  reaching our  target and more by raising £3500 for the Meru Women’s Garden Project in Kenya. This is equivalent to providing the resources to establishing twelve gardens.We were delighted to welcome three  prospective members and enjoyed an excellent  supper meeting at the White Hart Hotel on 6th February. The Club’s three year project to support our Federation project included raising funds and awareness in many different ways to support women and their families in Meru Kenya .The ladies in Meru have developed sustainable market gardens producing food for their own families and extra produce to raise family income. The project has also introduced education programmes for girls and boys with the aim of stopping Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), still widely practiced in this part of Kenya though illegal. The picture shows Soroptimist Penny Broadley, Joint President Hilary Waddington, Soroptimist Val Hills and

Shwops Evening Thursday 28th February 7-9.30pm Starbeck Community Library

Shwops Evening Thursday 28th February 7-9.30pm Starbeck Community Library

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Are you looking to reorganise your wardrobe – have you thought about recycling clothes by swapping them? Harrogate and District Soroptimist are organising a Clothes Swap/Shwop at the Starbeck Community Library, 68A High Street, Harrogate HG2 7LW Tickets cost £8 per person and available on the door or in advance by emailing sihandd@hotmail.co.uk before February 6thplease. All monies raised will go to the Grove Academy Japanese Garden project. Wine and soft drinks will be available , a prize raffle and free nibbles. So how do you Shwop Clothes? Bring up to 5 items of clothing in new or good condition. Plus any accessories you may wish to SHWOP i.e. jewellery, handbags, scarves and shoes. Full details of the Shwop procedure will be explained on arrival. Shwop Poster

Burns Nights Supper – 25 January 2019 at Wetherby Golf Club raises £300 for charity

Burns Nights Supper – 25 January 2019 at Wetherby Golf Club raises £300 for charity

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Burns Night Supper Joint President Elsie Johnston had pleasure in hosting a supper in recognition of Robbie Burns, on his birthday Friday 25thJanuary.  This was held at Wetherby Golf Club and the evening was a great success with members, family and friends in attendance including Soroptimist International of Yorkshire President Pat Kilbane and members from Garforth Elmet Club. The Presidents were piped in by Dianna Walsh and following the Selkirk Grace by Nicola Harding the haggis, carried by Chef Richard Goodbarn, was piped in and Sue Williams gave the address to the Haggis and the Toast. This was followed by a delicious supper and the programme continued with readings, poems and toasts to the Lassies and to the Laddies. It was a distinctly feminine entertainment with a lady piper. and all but the Toast to the Lassies, read by Club members. There was plenty of

Wetherby Christmas Market raises nearly £400

Wetherby Christmas Market raises nearly £400

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Fantastic news. The Club stall at The Wetherby Christmas Market raised £250 on the day plus £120 taken for pre orders of the fabulous knitted pillar boxes and chocolate orange hats created by our own Maureen Ingleton. That’s a grand total of £370 for Club charities. This is after we paid for the stall that enables Wetherby Lions provide a NewYear Lunch and entertainment for Senior Citizens in the Wetherby area. #WetherbyLions #WelcometoWetherby #SIGBI #Soroptimist @soroptimist80 @SIGBI1 #SoroptimistInternationalofHarrogateandDistrict  

Wetherby Winners in Charity Shop Competition

Wetherby Winners in Charity Shop Competition

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St Gemma’s Hospice Charity Shop  was the worthy winner of the  Gill Smith Memorial Cup for the best dressed Charity shop Christmas window in Wetherby. Cancer Research UK was also Highly Commended. The judging panel organised by Club members who live in Wetherby included The Mayor of Wetherby, Cllr. Galan Moss and Cllr. Cindy Bentley.  The Mayor of Wetherby and Club President Elsie Johnston presented the awards at the event organised by Welcome to Wetherby that took place at the Town Hall on 13th December. President Elsie Johnston said, ‘The judges were impressed by the innovation, impact and the spirit of Christmas that the shops displayed. We recognise that the shops have limited resources. The managers and  volunteers who work in them do a fantastic job in dressing  their Christmas Shop Windows.  Charity shops play a crucial role in ensuring the organisations they represent have

The Results are in – Harrogate Borough Charity Shop Christmas Window Competition

The Results are in – Harrogate Borough Charity Shop Christmas Window Competition

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Harrogate and District Soroptimist’s are delighted to recognise the resourcefulness and imagination of the managers and volunteers who run the charity shops in some of the main shopping areas of Harrogate Borough namely Harrogate Town, Ripon and Boroughbridge, and Knaresborough with Starbeck. We first presented the Soroptimist Cup for the Best Dressed window back in 2004 as part of our five year project to Light up Harrogate. In 2010 we were delighted to be invited by Harrogate at Christmas to run the Harrogate Christmas Shop Window Competition. Three years ago we narrowed our focus to concentrate on the Charity Shops but broadened our reach to include the neighbouring towns and areas to reflect where our members come from. Harrogate Rotary Club took up the mantle and have done at fantastic job in running the Commercial Shop Competition since then. Soroptimist International seeks to improve the lives