Some snaps from our Wine and Cheese event; We are awaiting the final total raised but hopefully it will be in the region of £800. Soroptimists, Friends of Soroptimists, Rotarians and local friends made this a happy occasion and the number of bottles in the raffle was amazing, from the now traditional bottle of bleach to bottles of wine.

Barbara spoke of its foundation, the 8-bed In Patient Hospice in Welwyn Garden City, the ‘Living Well with Isabel’ services in the community, their Home Care Team providing support and nursing care in patients’ homes and their Family Support and Bereavement Service. As well as supporting those living with cancer, they also support those with other life limiting illnesses and their families.  

Sylvia Charlesworth explained The Red Box Project. Members contributed comments and suggestions. Sylvia was asked if she could give us an update on the success of the project next year and the progress she had made in getting the scheme into schools and the wider community. A lively and useful discussion ensued with members contributing comments and suggestions. .

On January 7th, we welcomed Cynthia Stroud, proprietor of Pretty Gorgeous Cakes in Hertford. Cynthia started by telling us how she came to leave her native Nigeria and end up in Hertford. She described the limitations and expectations for women in Nigeria and explained that a visit to her aunt, who lived in Britain, had showed her that she wanted more from life than Nigeria could offer to a young woman. Cynthia talked through her initial training as a doctor, then her transfer to taking an MBA in Bedford! She then told us how she came to turn her love of baking into a career, rather then just her means of relaxation. Cynthia has baked for the Brit Awards, among other high profile events and now specialises in individual cakes for weddings, birthdays and everything else required. She told us about her biggest disaster and

Instead of a speaker meeting we held our Christmas Party in the home of one of our members.  Some of our Friends joined us for a very enjoyable evening raising money for our charities and also, as we have done for the last few years, collecting contributions for Safer Places, the Refuge we support.  This year they had asked for some presents suitable for mums, not to be wrapped so the children could choose and wrap them for their mum.  Pam Robertson who delivered our collection told us later the Refuge were delighted with all our gifts. We had a wonderful spread of food and drink and President Sarah had devised some fiendish quiz questions for our delight! President Sarah also informed us of her impending move, no date yet, but thanked us for our support.  Speakers are in place for the remainder of the

Our biggest fundraising event of the year On Friday 16th. November, Hertford and District Soroptimists, held their annual Quiz Night at Wodson Park, Ware. Over a hundred participants enjoyed trying to answer questions set by one of our members. It was a very happy evening and everyone was most generous with £476 being raised from a raffle. From the proceeds of the evening, the club hopes to give about £1300 to the charity, Carers in Hertfordshire. Sadly no photos!

At our Speaker Meeting on the 5th November we listened to Jennifer Thomas talk about ” From Flanders Field to the Tower” This was a very suitable subject as we neared the centenary of the 1918 Armistice.  Jennifer talked about the evolution of the poppy as the memorial of the Great War and subsequent wars since. She mentioned the dreadful cramped conditions of the military hospitals on line and one man who served in the Medical Corps. This was Colonel John MCCREA who was a doctor and a poet. His poem ” In Flanders Field” was to be the inspiration of the poppy as a symbol of the Great War and subsequent wars since.  The Poppy Factory which produces millions of poppies each year is staffed and supported by ex-Forces men and women with physical or mental challenges back into meaningful work. A very thought

President Sarah gives Dee Thomas, our latest member, with her badge on joining SI Hertford & District

Sadly we have no photos from our Frugal Supper, but by all accounts this was as usual not very frugal but also raised a goodly sum of money for the charities SI Hertford supports.

Our speaker meeting began with the presentation of our Diamond Engineering Award of £250 to Georgia D’Ath. Georgia, a former pupil at John Warner School, Hoddesdon, has taken up a place on an engineering apprenticeship. We had hoped to hear “Remembering Srebrenica” but sadly our speaker couldn’t make it, So President Sarah stepped in and gave us the illustrated talk she was due to give in February – “Free at Last?”  on the anniversary of the murder of Martin Luther King Jnr. and how much has changed in the southern states over the years since segregation ended.  She also looked at the current situation in Alabama, one of the poorest states in the Union and how some of the hangovers of segregation still continue. Members heard about several key events which occurred in Montgomery, Alabama’s state capital, during the civil rights movement. This was where Rosa