As a “Service Club” similar to the Lions Club of Jersey and Rotary Club of Jersey, our service to the community is the core of who we are. Although, our interests are wide and varied as Soroptimists our focus is on women and girls and creating a more equal society.
There are many ways we get involved in our projects and fundraisers, some are ideas from Club members and we receive requests from outside organisations and individuals.
Our support for the Poppy Appeal, Jersey Christmas Appeal, Freeda, and Jersey Carers go back decades. Soroptimists traditionally call ‘what we do’ – Programme Action. It is all the work achieved through Programme Action that gave Soroptimist International of Great Britain & Ireland (SIGBI) Category 2 (Special Consultative) Status with the Economic & Social Council (ECOSOC) at the United Nations in August 2013. As Soroptimist members we get the opportunity to attend meetings at the United Nations.
Girls in STEM
Since 2020 the Club has given an annual grant to support female students taking STEM subjects at Highlands College, including Building Services, Digital Games, Automotive Studies and Mechanical Engineering, all traditionally male dominated. A small committee of Club members works with the Highlands Foundation and staff to decide who should benefit, in the past the money has helped provide laptops, tools and steel toe cap safety boots.
No More Taboo’ period campaign
2019 saw the launch of our ‘No More Taboo’ campaign. Members collected period products to help the new red Box initiative which passed these products to Island schools. Research made us re-direct our campaign towards providing more sustainable alternatives to schools. Since 2021 the Club has provided all Year 6 girls (around 500 pupils) with a washable period pad in a small waterproof bag. These are given out to the girls in a PHSE lesson. We have worked on this project with the Jersey Resuse Revolution (formerly the Jersey Sustainable Period Products Project) our aim to help the girls so they can make more informed decisions in the future of the type of products they want to use.
Zumba Glow
An annual fundraising event for Freeda (previously the Jersey Women’s Refuge) and JAAR since 2019 supported by the wonderful Zumba instructor Claudia Moreno of Motion Z Fitness and her colleagues. Sponsored by the Jersey Freemasons since 2022, when the event moved to Le Rocquier School. Every year the amazing lighting has been set up by Paul Herridge of the Wonky Factory. A winter fund raising event where everyone leaves smiling!
Inspiring Women of Jersey
After a chance conversation this publication became a first for Jersey, it celebrated the Club’s 70th anniversary and continues to raise funds for Freeda and Brightly. This book focuses on 16 ‘historical’ women, some names are not so well known, Constance Brown MBE (1904-1984) who saved lives at sea; Elinor Glyn (1864-1943) novelist & scriptwriter and Adelaide Casely-Hayford MBE (1868-1960) activist, writer & educator. This book is fabulously illustrated by students from Haute Vallée, Grainville, Highlands College, Hautlieu, Jersey College for Girls and Victoria College. Available to buy for £9.99 from Waterstone’s or please email us.
See more about our Inspirational Women of the Year
Jersey Festival of Words
The Club has sponsored a visiting female author since 2022: Lucy Easthope “When The Dust Settles – Stories of love, loss and hope from an expert in disaster”; Sheila Hancock “Old Rage”; Helen Fry “Women in Intelligence – The Hidden History of Two World Wars” and Dr Annie Gray “The Bookshop, The Draper, The Candlestick Maker”. None of our authors have disappointed. The Club is keen to support such a wonderful addition to Jersey’s calendar, and of course we hope to raise our profile at the same time to attract new members.
Read about the latest Jersey Festival of Words 2025 event.
13th Parish – Jersey International Film Festival
The 13th Parish Film Festival was established in 2019 and the Club proudly sponsored the Jenny Lecoat award for the best short film script exploring themes relevant to women. Over three years 2022-2024 the Club sponsored “In conversation with…..’ three Jersey born women who left the Island to pursue their careers in the arts: Jenny Lecoat, author and script writer; Terry O’Connor, theatre maker and Rebecca Coley, director, writer and producer. 2025 saw the Club sponsor the film “The Extraordinary Miss Flower” a truly remarkable story of Geraldine Flower and a suitcase of letters sent to her in the 1960s and 1970s, the directors Ian Forsyth and Jane Pollard were able to come over to introduce the film and answer questions afterwards.
Coffee Morning at the Beresford Street Kitchen
Join us on the first Tuesday of the month (apart from August) 11am-12.30pm at the Beresford Street Kitchen, new to Jersey, needing a friendly face, shopping and fancy a chat or would you like to know more about the Soroptimists. No sign up just look out for our logo.
Jersey Sea Cadets STEM projects
In 2024, initially for three years SIJ sponsored £4,000 to benefit the female Jersey Sea Cadets with their STEM projects. The Jersey Sea Cadets Conservation STEM team were recently awarded the Winners’ Trophy ‘School & Youth Category’. The team are working closely with Jersey Marine Conservation and Jersey International Centre of Advance Studies to identify marine species in Jersey waters. A project bringing together STEM, conservation and maritime skills – thanks to SIJ, Jersey Telecom and Government of Jersey Connect. The girls continue to work witth Jersey Marine Conservation – they have moved forward with a design now the cameras have arrived. Building is underway and testing will start soon regarding function and stability. The Unit has started looking at the winter STEM project and may be involved with seal counts at the Écréhous using thermal imaging from the boats.
Carers Jersey
Founded in 1994 by Club members, and originally known as the Jersey Association of Carers Inc. (JACI). Jersey Carers is a forum to represent carers’ issues, to ensure recognition for carers whatever their age, act as a pressure group and lobby for change. SIJ has sponsored the annual Re-charger Day for Carers for the past two years. Held in October it give around 70-80 carers a break from their usual routine, they get an opportunity to meet one another, share lunch and enjoy some entertainment.
Every Child Our Future (ECOF)
ECOF was established in the Island in 2016, some of our Club members volunteer in Island primary schools to listen to children read. In 2025 the Club sponsored the Millbrook Park Story Trail.
LEAP
The Club is delighted to enable a local girl to take part in the annual JCG Foundation Leadership and Entrepreneurship Accelerator Programme (LEAP) joining girls from all over the world to create a social enterprise project.
Beach Cleans
The environment has always been at the heart of the Soroptimists. The first project of the first Club set up in California back in 1921 was to save the redwood trees. The Club has taken part in many beach cleans over the years.
Christmas Shoe boxes in support of Mustard Seed Jersey
For the past few years, at our October meeting, we have been delighted to pack shoe boxes for Christmas for those in need in Romania and Ukraine.
Orange The World March
The United Nations International Day for the Eliminiation of Violence Against Women is observed annually on November 25th. The day marks the beginning of the 16 Days of Activism Campaign which ends on December 10th, Human Rights Day. The Club organises a march through St Helier on the Saturday nearest November 25th.
Malindi Brighter Future Academy, Kenya
The Club has sponsored a girl at the Malindi Brighter Future Academy since 2020. Her annual letter is always a joy to read, and we welcome the newsletter about the school written by founder Ruth Smith MBE, who also happens to be a member of SIJ and the winner of the Inspirational Woman of the Year Award in 2018 (before she became a Soroptimist!)
Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal
The Club has supported the Poppy Appeal since the 1950s. Club members sell poppies at the opening of the Field of Remembrance at the Cenotaph in St Helier, organise the rota and sell poppies at Waitrose, St Brelade and collect again on Remembrance Sunday. The Club President has the honour of laying a wreath at this important Service.
If you would like to get involved with this, please contact us today.
Jersey Christmas Appeal
The Christmas Appeal was fonded in 1897 by the Evening Post, originally as a Christmas Dinner Fund for those in need. In the 1950s the Service Clubs (Soroptimists, Rotary, Lions and Round Table) joined the Jersey Evening Post and it was re-named the Joint Christmas Appeal. It has been called the Jersey Christmas Appeal since 2015 and helps support Jersey’s most disadvangaged individuals and families at Christmas with vouchers for food, heating and toys. (new para) The Club is proud to support such an important, local charity which receives no government funding.
Each year Club members and friends volunteer their time to collect money at Ransoms Garden Centre over three week-ends at the end of November and beginning of December. We also provide two hampers for the Charity Auction held live on the radio station Channel 103.
If you would like to volunteer, please contact us today.
