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Diary of the month January/February 2024

Diary of the month January/February 2024

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In January 2024, members attended a zoom meeting about Modern Day Slavery, in which Independant Modern Slave Advocates talked about their roles dealing with this disturbing problem on a daily basis. February saw our sewing sisters making dresses and birthing sheets from duvet covers and pillowcases donated to us for girls in Uganda and Malawi. We are now looking to make Mastectomy Bags for our local hospital. In recognition of International Women’s Day and our Orange Cafe meeting to highlight Violence against Women Campaign, we met at the Guildhall in Bewdley Town Centre  where this photo was taken, and at a local cafe where we gave out leaflets and showed a video of Soroptimists’ activities. It drew attention from locals and even from this dog Mia, who was eager to get in on the action with the club members.

Diary of the month Nov-Dec 2023

Diary of the month Nov-Dec 2023

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Novmber and December were two very busy months for the club, with lots of events. The first event was SIGBI’s Annual Conference, being held in Friend’s House in London this year. The speakers were so inspirational that we left feeling ready to work for women and girls throughout the U.K and beyond. At our supper meeting this month, we were privileged to have two speakers from Kidderminster’s two women’s refuges. They told us of the difficulties facing the women of today. We gave them donations for speaking to us at our meeting, and money towards their Christmas meal for all the women in their care.  We also gave them £200 from Hartlebury Community Café, which one of our members runs. Some members attended our neighbouring club S.I Stourbridge’s Literary dinner where, one of our members Sue Merrill, was one of the speakers for the evening. 

SI Kidderminster – Sewing Sisters New Start Goody Bags

SI Kidderminster – Sewing Sisters New Start Goody Bags

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At our Regional Meeting in December 2022, we heard a speaker from ANAWIM, the women’s centre in Birmingham which supports women in need.  After hearing this speaker, we decided to continue making these gym style backpack bags from donated fabrics at our Sewing Sisters sessions. This enabled us to continue using our skills and donated fabrics to create items that can be given to women who need them when they access ANAWIM services. This expands on our other sewing projects for women and children in Uganda and for the Buddy Bag Foundation. We meet in a member’s home and all club members are welcome to come along even if they don’t sew. They help with pressing as well as providing much needed refreshments. Our sessions normally end with a bring and share lunch. Over the course of several sessions we made a total 24 bags

Diary of the Month February & March 2023

Diary of the Month February & March 2023

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Diary of the month Feb/March 2023 Standing up for women and girls. At our business meeting in February, there were lots of ideas and offers of help from members in planning future events for the forthcoming year. What can we achieve as Soroptimists? Chris Bradley was our guest speaker at our February supper meeting. He came to talk to us on a subject we all hold dear, our Wyre Forest and the wildlife that live there. He lives in a cottage in the forest and showed us all some wonderful pictures of the forest and its inhabitants. He was a very knowledgeable person on this subject and there was not a query that he could not answer in great detail. Violence against women was again highlighted this month. Read our blog on the SIGBI website about the deaths of women by their partners/husbands/ boyfriends. Truly

Diary of the Month – January 2023

Diary of the Month – January 2023

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Phrase of the month- Soroptimists want to contribute to their local community. 5th January- We held our monthly Business meeting today to start off the new year . We held it on zoom in case of inclement weather and dark nights. Good to see familiar faces after the Christmas break. 10th– The Sewing Sisters met once again to finish off  bags for women just leaving prison, so that they can have something for their personal items.  Items for the Midwifery Unit in Hoima, Uganda which the sewing sisters have supported for about nine years have just been delivered by our member Stephanie. This is a project close to all our hearts with over 5000 items made and delivered. Keep up the good work ladies! 21st– We held our annual Reflection Day where we all meet at a members house to organise our coming year of

Diary of the Month – September 2022

Diary of the Month – September 2022

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Phrase of the Month—Soroptimism is volunteering with friends. In our meetings this month, we have paid our respects to our late majesty Queen Elizabeth the second. We thank you for your Inspiration and duty over 70 years. Cindy, who is a long standing member of our club, has for years has held lunches to raise funds for The Three Roses Home in Clent.  The Three Roses looks after people who are severely mentally disabled, and are mainly women. She holds these lunches at Lord Morton’s Tea Rooms near Kidderminster. The lunches average £400 profit each event and she recently held a special one for a family coming from the troubles in Ukraine, which made a profit of £600. Our warmest thanks to both Cindy and Lee Morton for their generosity and invaluable support. Our Soroptimist club was invited by a previous speaker Det Inspector Elizabeth

Curry Evening for Tarango

Curry Evening for Tarango

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On 17th September, Kidderminster Soroptimists held a curry evening to raise funds for Tarango in Bangladesh.  Tarango’s mission (below) echoes very many of Soroptimists own aspirations.  We raised nearly £1,000 to send to this worthwhile organisation. TARANGO is a voluntary non-government organization which dreams of and desires to contribute to the establishment of a just and poverty-free society by organizing and training the most disadvantaged women through its committed, dedicated and skilled workers. It further aims to make the women resourceful, skilled and production oriented by assisting them to develop their human potential and talents to promote leadership and entrepreneurship in order to take up the responsibilities of sustainable economic activities to establish a self-reliant and gender-balanced society. We held the event in St Michael and All Angels hall in Stourport and about 50 people attended.  We had a lovely meal and good companny and