Both Ipswich Soroptimists and Ipswich Inner Wheel normally meet for their separate meetings at the Ipswich & Suffolk Club in the evening of the 2nd Wednesday of each month.  In February 2020 we decided to hold a joint meeting, including supper and both organisations had booked interesting speakers. The Gender Equality Quilt was our contribution, with a presentation by Women’s Voices representatives.  This quilt started at the Festival back in October 2018 with many of the attendees producing a tile.  All the embroidered tiles have been lovingly compiled into a major piece that is very expressive about the status of women.  It will be going into The Hold later this year but hopefully will be regularly shown at key events for women. The Inner Wheel speaker was the new CEO of Ipswich Ipswich Housing Action Group (IHAG) a Registered Charity that was set up in

Ipswich Soroptimists joined in the excellent event organised by Women’s Voices and Volunteering Matters on International Women’s Day, 8th March 2020.  With an eclectic mix of poetry, a Footsteps play, singing and dancing, plus Open Mike sessions from ourselves, Extreme Revolution and other amazing organisations we held a raffle of a beautiful quilt made by friends to raise funds for Lighthouse Women’s Aid.  The money will go towards furnishings for their new Therapeutic Room. The winning ticket number was ‘Yellow ticket 551’ which was drawn by a speaker at our Club meeting on 11th March. We hope the winner enjoys using it.

The Quiz for this year had to be cancelled due to the Coronavisus pandemic.  The new date is 24th March 2021 and will be held at Seckford Golf Club.  We’re raising funds for 2 different but connected causes – Lighthouse Women’s Aid, who give such wonderful support to women who have experienced domestic abuse and our own Education Bursary Fund which assists vulnerable women who need to acquire qualifications to enable them to join the world of work and become independent. There will be a meal before the quiz, a raffle with great prizes, an auction of a 3 night stay near Southwold for up to 4 people and Simon Jay, our Quizmaster is renowned for his sense of humour.. ADD THE DATE TO YOUR DIARY To book either email us at ipswichsoroptimists44@gmail.com or visit our Facebook page.

Members already make syringe driver bags for Ipswich Hospital and we are very grateful for the donation of materials to make them from people who support us. Tracy Hitching, the Palliative and End of Life Coordinator, asked whether we could possibly also make purple bags in a similar design; not for patients this time but for the Butterfly Volunteers. How could we say no! These volunteers provide company and companionship to hospital patients in the last days of their lives. They also reassure and support patient’s loved ones (if they have any). They also work closely with the Palliative Care and Chaplaincy teams. The purple bags will hold notebooks, pens, tissues and whatever else the volunteer thinks would be useful. By wearing the bags the volunteers will stand out easily for both patients, visitors and staff to recognise easily. We have made 15, with varying

One of our speakers last year was Sarah Lungley, Mental Health and Wellbeing Coordinator for Suffolk Libraries who spoke about her role.  We had invited Sarah as 1. it was Mental Health Awareness Week (and we wore something green in recognition of this) and 2. Suffolk Libraries are a collection point for sanitary wear to try to counter period poverty. Their over arching objective is to enhance quality of life by connecting individuals and groups to information, ideas and experiences.  In order to do this they reach out into the community and are improving their resources in terms of use of space and type of information and services available.  New ideas are tested in perhaps one library initially, refined and feedback obtained before rolling the initiative out to other Suffolk Libraries.  There is something for everyone and all are welcome. This was quite an eye-opener

Just before Christmas we had the opportunity to hear Helen Pankhurst (granddaughter of Emmeline) talk about the lead up to (some) women achieving the vote, progress made since 1918 and raise a discussion about what changes we would like to see in the next 10 years when we will celebrate the centenary of all women being given the vote. Helen is now Chancellor of The University of Suffolk and ideas were raised as to what she might achieve. Exciting times!