President Lesley, Donna, Angela and I attended theconference – I found these wonderful notes and unashamedly copied them into our site!! Margaret arrived for the AGM only. Very good conference!
First Full Day of Conference – There’s a Buzz in the Air
Bill Turnbull, popular BBC Broadcaster was our first speaker – with “honeyed” words he told us about his shared interest with President Jackie Mosedale in bee keeping. He informed us about the Bees for Development charitywww.beesfordevelopment.org Bill is patron of the Bees for Development Trust, an international charity working to promote sustainable beekeeping in developing countries, to support livelihoods and to conserve biodiversity.
International President Hanne Jensbo updated us on the work of Soroptimist International around the world, and encouraged us to attend the International Convention in Montreal July 10-14 2011 www.si-montreal2011.org/
Anne MacDonald encouraged us to go “Full Steam Ahead” for the last year of Project SIerra www.projectsierra.org we have raised £700,000 and need another £300,000 to hit the £1 million targe we set ourselves when we started the project in 2007. She gave us some great fundraising ideas – including sending our unwanted jewellery to raise funds – we can do this through our Regional Programme Action Officers.
Winners of Programme Action Awards – Three projects were presented in each of the Programme areas, and it must have been really tough to pick the winners!
Economic and Social Development – “Women into work – mock interviews” by Si Nottingham
Education – “Skirting Science” by SI Weston Super-Mare
Environment – “Ladies public toilets” by SI York Ebor
Health – “World Aids Day” – by SI Ikeja
Human Rights and the Status of Women – “Domestic Violence” by SI Pune Metro East
International Goodwill and Understanding – “Hospitality at the Eisteddford” by SI Cheshire N Wales & the Wirral
Renewing Friendship Links – see picture of SI Freetown, Sierra Leone members
The General Meeting after lunch was very well run, and took less time than planned in spite of the electronic voting pads failing! The first 4 Resolutions were passed and Resolution 5 failed.
