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Stop Planned changes to funding for women’s refuges – Please sign the petition

Stop Planned changes to funding for women’s refuges – Please sign the petition

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New government funding plans threaten to dismantle our life-saving national network of refuges and put the lives of women and children trying to escape domestic abuse at risk. A Women’s Aid survey of refuge services showed that the proposed new model of funding could force over half of refuges responding to close or reduce their provision – resulting in 4000 more women and children turned away from the lifesaving services they desperately need. SIGN THE PETITION

Orange the World – STOP Violence Against women and girls

Orange the World – STOP Violence Against women and girls

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  Club members  along with Soroptimists from throughout Yorkshire wore something orange on 25 November at the start of the United Nations 16 Days of Action for the Elimination of violence against women and girls and its mission to ‘Orange the World’. The day coincided with the Regional Council Meeting held in Barnsley where newly elected Yorkshire President Chris Clark welcomed over 80 members from the 23 Yorkshire Clubs. The Yorkshire President’s theme for this year is ‘Power of the Second Chance’ with Yorkshire Clubs raising awareness and supporting women and girls affected by violence. The Lord Mayor of Sheffield Anne Murphy joined members for lunch. Soroptimist International is a worldwide women’s voluntary organisation working to Educate, Enable and Empower women and girls locally and globally. New members are welcome. #16days

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

Maureen tops £700 for her Great North Run to support the local Renal Dialysis Unit

Maureen tops £700 for her Great North Run to support the local Renal Dialysis Unit

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PHOTO: left to right: Sandra Frier (a member of SI Harrogate & District); Beverley Harrison, (Harrogate Hospital Community Charity), Andrew Cundiff, Senior Charge Nurse, Harrogate Hospital Dialysis Unit; Maureen Ingleton and President Nicola Harding, SI Harrogate & District. DIDN’T SHE DO WELL! – Maureen Ingleton, a member of the Harrogate & District Soroptimists, entered the Great North Run, to raise funds for one of President Nicola Harding chosen charities, the Renal Dialysis Unit at Harrogate District Hospital. The run was on the 10 September 2017 and is the biggest half marathon in the UK and the World, with over 57,000 runners taking part. Congratulations to Maureen who walked the 13.1 miles in 2 hours 54 minutes and for raising over £700 in sponsorship money for the Dialysis Unit. The money will go towards a very much needed new commercial dishwasher. Maureen said ‘I was delighted

Combating Modern Slavery – Margaret Cook, chair of Soroptimist International of Yorkshire’s Anti Slavery Group

Combating Modern Slavery – Margaret Cook, chair of Soroptimist International of Yorkshire’s Anti Slavery Group

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On Anti Slavery Day, October 18th, Harrogate Soroptimists heard from Margaret Cook the chair of the Yorkshire Region Soroptimist’s Anti Slavery Group.   Margaret began by talking about the importance of raising awareness of the need to protect vulnerable women and girls from modern slavery, as many people do not realize that it is a problem in our society today. Modern day slavery includes forced marriage, domestic abuse, grooming for sexual exploitation, female genital mutilation and people trafficking. We learned about some of the very successful resources that the group has created which help to get the message out, including the Loves Me Loves Me Not bookmarks. We saw a series of excellent information displays that can be used in public places and also the latest social media resources including Facebook and Instagram. The Anti Slavery group speaks to many organizations and at present is

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

A chance to win a beautiful handmade and embellished art quilt to raise funds for Meru

A chance to win a beautiful handmade and embellished art quilt to raise funds for Meru

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Harrogate and District Soroptimists are raffling this beautiful handmade and embellished quilt (8’7″x 7’7″). It is hard to capture the beauty of this piece of work and the detail of the stitching and embellishment (see photos below) also in the raffle are two further quilts donated by the quilting group at Menwith Hil  (5’7″x4’6″ & 4’7″x4′)l. All profits will go to the Meru Womens Garden Project that aims to enable, educate and empower women in Meru, Kenya – for more information visit SIGBI Meru Women The raffle will be held on the 13 December –  for more information on how to purchase tickets email sihandd@hotmail.co.uk  

Soroptimist Charity Cafe raises over £600 for Charity

Soroptimist Charity Cafe raises over £600 for Charity

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  It proved to be a very busy day at St Peter’s Church, Harrogate as we raised over £600 for our Club Charities – The Alzheimer Society and the Harrogate Renal Unit. It was a lovely September day that brought people to town who wanted our tea, coffee cakes and light lunches, whilst enjoying a catch up with family and friends or just having a break from shopping. President Nicola Harding said: ‘The Soroptimist team worked really hard throughout the day. A fantastic result the will really make a difference, as we raise money four our charities’. Photos below of Club members in action               St Peter’s Church, Harrogate Alzheimer’s Society

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,