April 22nd marks Earth Day which has been held annually since 1973. Its aim is to focus on the environment and support environmental protection. Events with an environment theme are coordinated globally across nearly 200 countries and this year’s theme is Invest In Our Planet. Members of SI Heswall marked the day with an extra working party at Gayton Park where the club has been involved since the park was selected for a community project. The project began when an orchard and hedgerow were planted last year as part of Wirral Council’s planting program. Regular workshops with the Landscape Manager for Wirral Council and members of the three Rotary clubs in Heswall continue with further scrub clearance, planting and path laying.

International Women’s Day at The Lighthouse Centre Three of our members – Pat, Ronnie and Glenys, were invited to attend the The Lighthouse Centre’s International Women’s Day Event, taking place in the boardroom of Tranmere Rovers Football Club on 8th March 2023. The Lighthouse supports women and children survivors of domestic abuse, and there were about 20 of the Centre’s adult clients there, as well as the staff, and some representatives of Victimcare Merseyside. This is an organisation, set up by Emily Spurrell, the Merseyside Police and Crimes Commissioner,  that advises and assists all victims of crime in our area. The staff were very welcoming and we were provided with tea and Danish pastries to start, there were also other sweet delights on offer, and the Centre’s clients were allowed to take the leftovers home with them. The formal opening of the event was by

  The Lighthouse Centre supports individuals and families who have experienced domestic abuse. It is part of Involve Northwest and runs a drop-in service through the week. In a warm and friendly environment it offers independent advocacy and programmes to support women and children including the Leapfrog Programme. This works with children 5-10 and their mums and supports them to speak freely about their experiences and re-establish their relationship. Members of SI Heswall have recently met staff at the Centre to hear more about their work. Jill, a member of SI Heswall, is seen here delivering a basket of trauma teddies for the Leapfrog Programme.    

                Once again it’s story bag time and members of SI Heswall  have made two story bags for Meadowside School. The books chosen were ‘One snowy night’ and ‘The owl babies’.       A young reader here is enjoying ‘The owl babies’.

This year Birkenhead and Rock Ferry Salvation Army have again joined forces to bring some cheer to people in the local community over the Christmas season. SI Heswall members have collected toys for the Christmas toy appeal and at the speaker meeting recently they had an insight into the extent of the Army’s Christmas projects from two of the staff at Birkenhead. Parcels of food, toys and treats are being packed and will be delivered to 200 families. Birkenhead Salvation Army        

Five of SI Heswall members have recently been presented with long service certificates. In total they have 130 years service and they all have served in numerous roles within Soroptimism.  

Orange the World The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is 25th November and marks the start of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, an international campaign initiated in 1991 to challenge violence against women and girls. The campaign has a theme of Orange the World and SI Heswall members wore orange at a recent meeting to mark this. Orange was chosen as the symbol of a brighter future free from violence against women and girls.      

    October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This year members of SI Heswall marked this in two ways. Members wore pink at a recent meeting to promote the awareness of breast cancer. They also collected items for the Foodbank with a pink theme which were delivered together with information on breast cancer for wider distribution. https://breastcancernow.org  

One fine, August afternoon Heswall Soroptimists held a Charity Garden Party at Willaston Grange – by kind permission of Mark and Anita Mitchell. Presidents Iris and Sandra welcomed guests to the beautiful garden for an afternoon of tea and home-made cakes accompanied by music from “The Timeline Duo”. The event was held to raise funds and awareness of the Wirral Fund for Children with Special Needs which is one of the Presidents’ chosen charities for this year. Since 1986 this charity has been supporting children who need specialist equipment by its fundraising activities.    

  SI Heswall members were at the Soroptimists’ stand at the Llangollen Eisteddfod meeting both members of the public and competitors. It was a successful event, celebrating its 75th anniversary this year.  The choir of E.Mikeladze central music school, Georgia, was sponsored by Soroptimists and came third in the Open Choirs class.