Heswall club’s association with Hoylake Cottage  has continued through the year with gardening, bingo sessions and quizzes with the residents. The last event of the year was carol singing which was enjoyed by Soroptimists and residents alike!

        During November and into December members of Soroptimist International Great Britain & Ireland (SIGBI) focus on awareness of domestic abuse. Through the year Heswall members have been active in promoting the issue of violence against women and girls with information points and displays in local supermarkets. During 16 Days of Activism  they focused on the ‘Orange the World’ theme to leave message trails locally. This campaign was started in 2008 soon after the establishment of the UN Women.       ‘The colour orange is used as a unifying colour throughout all activities – it symbolises a brighter future, free of violence for women and girls.’  

Here we see President Iris and club member Stella with staff at Arrowe Park Hospital  who received the trauma teddies from the club. The teddies have been chosen as a craft project for the club’s 75th year and this is the first delivery of teddies – 45 in total and mostly knitted by Stella. Each one is different. They were well received and will be welcome over Christmas.  

    During Heswall club’s 75th year our crafty members are making mastectomy cushions and trauma teddies. The cushions are for the Leverhulme Day Surgery Unit at Clatterbridge Hospital. Already twenty five have been delivered to the unit. They were well received and will be given to patients as they leave after surgery. All credit is due to Jean as she made almost all of them!

      Once again members of the Club enjoyed an evening of live music and entertainment as a  fundraiser for Mary’s Meals  Club member, Sue, is an ambassador for the charity which works to give children in some of the poorest parts of the world one  meal every day in their place of education. The campaign to feed children began in 2002 and now over 2 million children benefit daily. The guest musicians were the Sea Dogs from Port Sunlight with a great range of sea shanties for the appreciative audience. It was an excellent evening and fundraiser for Mary’s Meals     

  In 2022 Gayton Park was selected for a small community project as part of Wirral Council’s planting program within the Tree, Hedgerow and Woodland Strategy to improve Wirral’s tree canopy. A hedgerow and orchard with future community use in mind were planted at the Park in the spring. Several Soroptimists helped in planting fruit trees to establish an orchard. Since then regular monthly working parties have met – weather permitting – and the club has been well represented. Working with members of the Rotary clubs in Heswall paths have been cleared and checked and bark spread to protect the new trees.

In 2009, and to celebrate the Club’s Diamond Anniversary, a bench was purchased by members and placed for general use in the centre of Heswall. In recent years it was removed during a building project at the Lighthouse church. It has been absent pending a decision on refurbishment and relocation. Finally it is back in use for the general public and is just across the road from its original position and in front of Heswall Hall.  

At a recent meeting Gerrie Bayley from the charity, The Helping Hand for Ukraine, spoke to members about the charity’s work in northern areas of Ukraine. She described the impact of the war in the country and how the charity is supporting children and their families who are suffering from the ongoing conflict and who are not always reached by larger charities and aid organisations. The Helping Hand for Ukraine is one of the charities President Iris has chosen to support this year. Members responded generously with donations of goods to help improve living conditions and buying from Gerrie’s selection of hand made goods from Ukraine. Two cheques were also given to Gerrie – one following a coffee morning held by Jean S and a second from the club.  

  To celebrate 75 years since SI Heswall was chartered an afternoon tea for members and guests was held in Pam’s garden. Despite grey skies the day was warm, the garden looked stunning in its summer colour and everyone enjoyed the occasion. The catering was provided by the Neo community    

  The theme for SIGBI Day of Action this year was poverty. Clubs could decide which aspect of this they would focus on and members of SI Heswall decided on period poverty. They collected sanitary products which were delivered to the Neo Community in Birkenhead. This is one of President Iris’ charities for this year and she is seen here with staff from Neo who spoke at a recent club meeting.