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Centenary Celebrations

Centenary Celebrations

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Each month we will be posting an image like this one for February, as a reminder of our Centenary Year. Soroptimist clubs and Regions throughout the world are planning events to celebrate this wonderful achievement.  In our club, we planned to have a theatre performance celebrating iconic women in each of the decades but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this will now be a virtual performance.  Other clubs in our Region will be taking part, each choosing a decade.  This will take place at 2pm on Sunday, 27th June.

Fundraiser – Tales for a Dark Winter’s Night

Fundraiser – Tales for a Dark Winter’s Night

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Our latest fundraiser is entitled Tales for a Dark Winter’s Night.  It will take place by Zoom and will last approximately 90 minutes. SI Kidderminster Storytelling evening ………..will take place at 8.00pm Friday 27th November 2020 This event is a fundraiser for the SI President’s appeal The Road to Equality for Older Persons The cost is £5.00 (additional donations much appeciated). Do feel free to invite any family and friends. The evening is aimed at adults but is suitable for children of age around 8 and upwards. To book  places please contact ruthwalmsley28@btinternet.com  

Centenary Year for Soroptimists

Centenary Year for Soroptimists

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3rd October 2020 starts a year of centenary celebrations.  One hundred years ago, professional women were very much in the minority.  When the extension officer for Rotary International went to invite the principal of a secretarial school to join Rotary, he was shocked to find that the principal was a woman.  After some discussion, it was realised that women could also have a service organisation of their own.  So, Soroptimist International started with a meeting in Oakland, California on 3rd October 1921.   This first Federation was called Soroptimist International of the Americas.  In time, Soroptimist International spread throughout the world with three more Federations.  They were Great Britain and Ireland, Europe and  South West Pacific  This year, they have been joined by a fifth Federation, Africa. We stand up for women and girls.  Soroptimists are concerned with Education, the Environment, Economics and Social Policy,

birthing sheets, hats & vests
A little help for Hoima, Uganda

A little help for Hoima, Uganda

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          We have been doing this project for more than 4 years and it is still successful.  We make birthing sheets for the delivery of babies in the midwifery unit and knit vests & hats for the newborns.  There is an orphanage next door and we make dresses for the girls and shorts for the boys.  The birthing sheets, dresses and shorts are made by recycling pillowcases and sheets, thereby helping the planet by reducing waste. This time we are sending: Hat & Vest sets 108 Hats 30 Vests 37 Birthing sheets 31 Dresses 41 Shorts 40 Boys’ shorts:                                                                                                  Girls’ dresses: Despite lockdown and Covid-19, we are occupying ourselves and others in our community by continuing to do work for this project whilst helping the midwifery unit and orphanage in Hoima  

An environmental Project

An environmental Project

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SI Kidderminster embarked on a long term Environmental Project in January 2020.  We planted trees at Uncllys, a conservation farm in the Wyre Forest. On World Environment Day in June we launched the Bee Project which is part of our ongoing environmental project.  However, to play our part in saving the rapidly declining bee population, members were asked to plant a new bee loving plant in their garden or to give a bee loving plant or cutting to a friend.   Moreover, we need bee hotels for solitary bees and we are looking at doing that as well as planting bee loving plants. See our photo montage above showing aspects of our project Additionally, we will be working with our local U3A Environmental concern group.  They are working on The Thousand Pond Project, which aims to increase the number of wildlife ponds in the area.  

Virtual Tea Party for Shared Lives

Virtual Tea Party for Shared Lives

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Shared Lives is a charity which looks after people in their own home.  It provides ongoing care and support for adults living with learning disabilities, dementia, or mental ill health. It can also support people who may need additional care in their older age, young people leaving care or provide respite for people needing to convalesce after leaving hospital. Shared Lives asked us to join their virtual tea party, to raise much needed funds and awareness.  As a result, we arranged to have afternoon tea in our own gardens. However, we were able to invite a few others to join us whilst staying socially distanced.  Some of our members prepared and delivered a wonderful tea which we all enjoyed.  

Thank you to the Rose Theatre and Soroptimists from children’s charity Mentor Link

Thank you to the Rose Theatre and Soroptimists from children’s charity Mentor Link

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  The Rose Theatre, and Kidderminster Soroptimists organised a “Posh Jumble Sale” in aid of Mentor Link.  It raised a fabulous £1130. What is Mentorlink? Mentor Link is a National School Mentoring Award Winner and provides one to one support to vulnerable and distressed children in schools across the West Midlands.  Thank you to Hilary Thompson and Sue Downing for organising the event and everyone who helped on the day. http://www.mentorlink.org.uk

THE BIG CURRY -28TH FEBRUARY

THE BIG CURRY -28TH FEBRUARY

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We are holding a BIG Curry evening on Friday 28th February at Baxter Church Rooms, Kidderminster DY10 2AA at 7 for 7.30pm. Tickets cost £20 to include, starter, main and side dishes. Bring your own drinks. This event is to fund our project of “Empowering girls in Nepal”. Soroptimists are working in partnership with ChoraChori and Empowering Girls in Nepal to make a sustainable difference to the lives of vulnerable and trafficked girls through education and training. It enables them to continue their education safely , enhancing their employability and helping rebuild their lives for a positive future. Tickets available from Ruth: 07817 808320 Update: This was a very successful event, raising £900 for Chorachori.  We transformed a meeting room into a very welcoming dining room.  Philip Holmes, CEO of Chorachori, gave a moving presentation about how the began and the work it has done

Covid-19 how it affects our club

Covid-19 how it affects our club

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Covid-19 and how this has affected us. The Covid-19 pandemic has affected all aspects of our lives and particularly for members in our club.  We have been in lockdown since 23rd March 2020 and therefore unable to meet physically.  However, we have met on a Zoom meeting and propose to do that twice a month to replace our usual meetings until we are able to meet again.  We will be able to keep in touch and still make plans for when this is over. It has significantly affected our ability to fundraise for other organisations and charities.  We were due to hold our annual bridge event last week in aid of the Stourport Stroke Association.  The event had to be cancelled due to the lockdown.  It is unfortunate as this event usually raises a significant sum which we are able to donate. So what have