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Celebrating 100 Years of Votes for Women

Celebrating 100 Years of Votes for Women

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Members of Soroptimist International of Harrogate and District  joined the march on 6 February to recognise the important role the women’s suffrage movement played in gaining the right for women to vote in 1918 – though it would be another 10 years before all women over the age of 21 were able to vote in all elections. Since then women have taken an active role in the House of Commons although it took until 1958 for women to be allowed to sit in the House of Lords. We have had two female Prime Ministers, and hard fought legislation has been passed that has given women equal rights in the workplace and in the home. Following the first world war, many women held important jobs for the first time and started to access professional and business education. Clubs formed exclusively for women throughout the world, enabled

Hand made quilt raffle raises £700 for Meru Women Project

Hand made quilt raffle raises £700 for Meru Women Project

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Harrogate & District Soroptimists have raised over £700 towards the Meru Women’s Garden Project in Kenya, from a raffle of three magnificent hand made patchwork quilts. The Club is now well on target to raise the £3000 by the end 2018 to enable, empower and educate women and girls in Meru, Kenya. The Meru Women’s Garden project is a 3 year Soroptimist International of Great Britain and Ireland (SIGBI)  project, launched on International Women’s Day on the 8 March 2016 in partnership with Child.org. The project  aims to develop the well being and status of women living in Meru by helping them to develop the land (garden) around their houses, so that they can both feed themselves better and have additional vegetables, fruit and herbs to sell to provide an income. . This is combined with an education programme for girls to reduce the rate of

Wetherby Dickensian Christmas Market stall raises £300 for Club Charities

Wetherby Dickensian Christmas Market stall raises £300 for Club Charities

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It was a very cold day with the forecast for snow but that didn’t deter Club members from setting up their stall at the Wetherby Lions Dickensian Christmas Market. Nor did it deter the families who turned out to see Father Christmas and the reindeer. The children hoped to win Chris the moose by guessing his name. The chocolate oranges with their pudding, snow man and Santa hat covers sold out and we raised £300 for Club charities on the stall and over £100  from pre orders of chocolate orange covers (well done champion knitter Maureen Ingleton). Our stall looked very Christmassy too.  

Soroptimists pay their respect on Remembrance Sunday

Soroptimists pay their respect on Remembrance Sunday

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President Nicola Harding and other Club members took part in Remembrance Services across Harrogate, Ripon, Boroughbridge, Knaresborough, Pateley Bridge and Wetherby on Remembrance Sunday.  It was a day of reflection and a reminder of the consequences of war –  and why we as Soroptimists strive for creating peaceful societies. President Nicola attended the memorial service at Harrogate Cenotaph and joined the civic party to lay a wreath on behalf of Soroptimist International. The Civic party then moved to Stonefall Cemetery for a service of remembrance at the Commonwealth War Graves where over 1000 service men and women are buried. It was a very moving ceremony organised by the Harrogate Brigantes Rotary Club. Many of the young men who lie at Stonefall are from Canada and over 100 are from Australia and New Zealand –  so far from home. We will not forget them or the

Club receives prestigious Mary Hillary Award for the Meru Show Garden

Club receives prestigious Mary Hillary Award for the Meru Show Garden

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HARROGATE & DISTRICT SOROPTIMISTS RECEIVE REGIONAL GOOD PRACTICE AWARD   The Harrogate & District Soroptimist Club were delighted to receive the Mary Hillary Award for the Yorkshire Region. The award is the Soroptimist International Good Practice Award, which the Club received for their ongoing contribution to the Meru Women’s Garden Project and their innovative methods of raising awareness of Soroptimist projects at last year’s Harrogate Autumn Flower Show. Their Kenyan Garden told the story of how women and families in Meru are getting the opportunity to be educated, enabled and empowered to be self sufficient and earn money through the sale of their cash crops. This is possible through learning good agricultural practices, getting the tools they require and being given on going support. President Nicola said ‘It is a great honour to receive the Mary Hillary Award. A big thank you to all the

Meru Day of Service – a washout but good cheer

Meru Day of Service – a washout but good cheer

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Harrogate and District Soroptimists were keen to raise awareness of the Meru Women’s Garden Project and join in with our Federation Meru Day of Action.  We secured the charity stall at the popular Ripon Market –  held every Thursday and Saturday. There is high demand for the charity stall that Harrogate Borough Council offer. The stall was already booked up on the 15th July (the day of Action) so we opted for the Thursday 20th July. –  Thor chose to make that a day to remember as the heavens opened and the rains came down. There was little respite from the rain, nevertheless we managed to sell some of the delicious Meru jams and pasta sauces along with raffle tickets for the amazing quilts that have been given to us. We also had a collection for the Alzheimer Society. We certainly promoted the Club as

Wonderful summer outing to Tennants Auctioneers

Wonderful summer outing to Tennants Auctioneers

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On a beautiful Midsummer evening, 27 members of the Club made their way up Wensleydale to Tennants Auctioneers in Leyburn. We were delighted that three members from Northallerton and Richmond were able to join us. As everyone gathered the shop enticed us, but exactly on time we were led into a beautifully appointed dining room for a delicious supper. We were joined by our host Rodney Tennant who welcomed us and then spent the evening with us. Conversation flowed over the meal and then we went upstairs to listen to Rodney talk about his life as an auctioneer and how he saw the future developing. From a small business based in Middleham, the years have seen amazing growth leading to the £9 million development that is there today. The facilities include not just the auction rooms but meeting rooms, theatre, display areas, a café and a restaurant,

Girl Guides – Redevelopment of Birk Crag Centre

Girl Guides – Redevelopment of Birk Crag Centre

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President Nicola Harding welcomed Sue Mackay, County Commissioner, Girlguiding for North Yorkshire West and Stuart Holland, Project Manager for the re-development of the Birk Crag Centre, to speak at the Club’s June meeting. When Sue highlighted the vision, mission and values of Girlguiding, it was evident that Girlguiding has a very similar vision, mission and values to that of Soroptimist International. The Vision of the Girlguiding 2020 plan is for ‘An equal world where all girls can make a positive difference, be happy, safe and fulfil their potential’. Soroptimist International ‘Is committed to a world where women and girls together achieve their individual and collective potential, realise aspirations and have an equal voice in creating strong, peaceful communities worldwide’. The second half of Sue and Stuart’s talk focused on explaining about the Birk Crag Centre and its current re-development project. For nearly 50 years, the

Meru Women’s Garden Project – raising awareness

Meru Women’s Garden Project – raising awareness

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Club members took the opportunity of a stand at the Ripon Cathedral Home and Garden Event held on the 8th April to raise awareness about the Meru Women’s Garden Project and sell some of the delicious Meru Herbs Jams and Sauces. A very busy day with lots of interaction with the visitors to the stand.  We sold out of most of the jams and the  Tomato and Chilli sauce proved popular too. The Meru Jams and sauces are available to buy from JTS ethical foods. JTS also donate 10p per jar to the Meru Women’s Garden project –  just let them know your are supporting the Soroptimist Meru Women’s Garden Project.

Find out more about our Club – Listen to our Podcast

Find out more about our Club – Listen to our Podcast

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We are delighted to present our Podcast recorded by Stray FM during our International Women’s Day Event on the 8th March 2017. It will tell you more about the organisation, the Club, where we meet and what we do. Please contact us on sihandd@hotmail.co.uk if you would like further information. The Club meets on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month at the White Hart Hotel, Harrogate.