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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,

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

Comfort Quilts for the Women’s Refuge

Comfort Quilts for the Women’s Refuge

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Club member, Tricia Chapman, has many skills, one of which is making quilts. Together with Cindy, Kip, Pat, Christine and Elizabeth, of the Yorkshire Yanks Quilt Group, plus the help of Tricia’s personal friends Beryl and Isabel, some wonderful quilts have been made for the children of the Harrogate Refuge. Tricia said “We have made these quilts for the children of the Refuge, to provide them with a little home comfort, whilst they are at the Refuge and to take with them when they leave. We have made them in different sizes for all ages and we do hope that they enjoy them”. A message from the Harrogate & District Soroptimists has been put on the back of each quilt as a reminder of where they came from.  

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.  

COFFEE MORNING – Starbeck Methodist Church raises over £100 for Craft Aid International

COFFEE MORNING – Starbeck Methodist Church raises over £100 for Craft Aid International

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Starbeck Methodist Church,  raised over £100  for Craft International a local charity that works locally and globally by “Enabling, empowering & supporting differently-able people in the UK and overseas, creatively.” Local MP Andrew Jones popped in for some tea and cake too. .