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Blue text on white background for Zoom meeting
Boom! We’ve Zoomed!

Boom! We’ve Zoomed!

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Is Zoom the new word for Club meetings? Definitely!  Like many Clubs, we’ve embraced the new technology to hold virtual meetings using Zoom.   Thanks to President Gill, we achieved a first for Club and many members.   Despite the restrictions of Lockdown, Gill, in true Soroptimist style, enabled to many of Club to take part. We had a fabulous meeting with 34 of Club.  We greeted members who can’t always attend.  Said hello to a new member who transferred just as Lockdown arrived.   And enjoyed questions from a prospective new member – who wants to attend our next meeting – yay!   It was very gratifying to see so many of our older members join us as ‘Silver Surfers’! And did it stop us having a speaker? Of course not!   Angela Sadler from SI Solihull spoke to us about her work as a JP in Birmingham. Many

Two nurses in Malawi dressed in PPE for Covid 19 protection
Front line care workers in Malawi & Covid 19

Front line care workers in Malawi & Covid 19

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So what’s happening in Malawi? Well they’re preparing for the Covid 19 pandemic in Malawi too.   The front line healthcare workers need just as much support as our NHS. So what have we done to help? If you compare it to the resources we have in the UK it perhaps doesn’t seem much.   But thankfully with our link with Friends of Sick Children in Malawi we’ve been able to help.   Relatively small sums of money make a huge difference there. And it’s very humbling to be sent this thank you video.

Blue house icon on white background, red cross though and sad face icon to show Domestic Violence increase in Lockdown
When being at home is NOT the safest place to be in lockdown

When being at home is NOT the safest place to be in lockdown

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The Domestic Violence Bill has never been more important.   The average number of deaths used to be a shocking  two a week.   In the weeks since Covid 19 lockdown this has increased to FIVE per week As a Club and as individuals we’ve sent letters and emails to our MPs regarding this bill that has just gone through its second reading.   Most importantly it has gone through without a division and now goes to committee stage.

crystal ball
New style AGM and future meetings?

New style AGM and future meetings?

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Well the best laid plans and all that! Despite our excellent Development Group changing the date of our AGM so as not to clash with Maundy Thursday, unfortunately no one foresaw Coronavirus scuppering everything.    A new style of AGM was called for. Thanks to our SUPER secretary, we were all prepared before Covid 19 forced lockdown on us.   Our key posts are filled.  The AGM was managed via email and a few phone calls. And as we Zoom into the future, Meetings via the wonders of Zoom will be happening soon.   Some of our less techy Club members will have their hands held (via phonecall obviously!) to help them join in.   We have great plans! A WhatsApp group now is up and running with many jokes to keep us cheered up and messages of support And although we can’t meet at the

Kangaroo Knitting Club for Premature babies in hospital in Malawi
Kangaroo Knitting Club is thriving!

Kangaroo Knitting Club is thriving!

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Fabulous news – about the Kangaroo Knitting Club in the Spring newsletter from Friends Of Sick Children in Malawi.   SI Blantyre, one of our friendship links, continue to enable women in the Kangaroo Unit at Queen Elisabeth Central Hospital.   These ladies can earn money knitting for premature babies while waiting for their own prem babies to grow!   As a result of start up money from our Club for this project, SI Blantyre have been able to help oversee it

Loud and Proud for the NHS :)

Loud and Proud for the NHS :)

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Well we should have been celebrating President Sandra’s last event with a lovely dinner.   Instead Covid 19 has taken over and we are in lockdown.   Never a Club to dwell on negatives, we celebrated our wonderful NHS instead.   Here we are, loud and proud, clapping for the NHS.   Not everyone could send in photos but we sent loads of supportive messages via our new WhatsApp group.

Midland Arden celebrating International Women's Day 2020
How do you celebrate International Women’s Day 2020?

How do you celebrate International Women’s Day 2020?

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By wearing purple of course! Because the MAR meeting was the day before International Women’s Day, we decked ourselves out in as much purple as possible! Julie, one of our newest Club members read the Mission Statement. Besides the reports from the MAR executive, we talked about ways we can celebrate our Centenary next year.  The possibility of a sculpture at the National Memorial Arboretum is very exciting.  

Who knew that the Red Cross did so much?

Who knew that the Red Cross did so much?

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And in the UK too! Well who knew that the Red Cross worked in the UK as well as internationally!  Not many of our Club, that was for sure! Cara Munrow , our local fundraiser, certainly educated us on the work they do at home as well as abroad.  Besides First Aid courses, they provide all sorts of other support in a crisis that we hadn’t thought about. Not only does the Red Cross provide physical items such as mobility aids and practical help after a flood or fire.   Given the recent floods around the country this winter they have been especially busy.   They also provide emotional support to those affected by a crisis.   Because of their expertise they are also the biggest provider of refugee and International family tracing services. As one of our members put it – Cara, thank you

Andy Bower from Trussell Trust receiving cheque from President Sandra
Do we still need Foodbanks?

Do we still need Foodbanks?

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Yes – because sadly the stats for foodbanks if anything are getting worse. Andy Bower from the Trussell Trust gave us an update on the foodbank situation in our area.   The stats make salutary reading.   There are now 465 foodbanks in the UK.   Besides the one in Kenilworth there are now a total of 6 in the Warwick District. With 158 referral agencies locally more than 5,100 including children were helped in 2019.   53,500 tons of food has been distributed.                         December was particularly busy with 180 people per week helped. The main users being single men and single parent families (usually women).  And the main reasons for need are low income, benefit delays and changes, debt and homelessness.