Our annual Festival Market took place yesterday – enthusiasm was not dimmed even though the torrential rain the day before caused concern.  President Chris poses with Winnie the Pooh – we have ‘him’ every year so we now think he is the same one that keeps coming back to us – via Ebay this time!! Gill and Clive did a sterling job arranging the jam jars for the tombola and Lesley and Annette on the soft toys.  Club members helped throughout the day to raise £427 for our charities.  Record amount we think!!!

President Chris led the three hours of service yesterday evening as Pathway prepare for their fashion event this evening.  Joined by Anita, Margaret, Liz, Maggie and Dishi, clothes, handbags, shoes, jewellery and scarves have been displayed for sale. As Federation has asked of us, this has been an empowering and enabling project as Pathway have been supported in planning and managing the event for themselves.   Tonight, six Lichfield Soroptimists have bought tickets to attend.  Our role though will be ‘housekeeping’ – looking after clothes that need returning to rails etc.  We shall be like mother hens watching over the staff and volunteers managing the evening and raising much need funds to employ a playworker.  This will be the person who will help the children to mend after the violence that they have witnessed in the family homes.  The innocent victims.  

Last week Lichfield Soroptimists were delighted to welcome a guest speaker from Water Aid.  Our donation of £300 has been match funded by a current Government initiative to match donations made.  £600 to a very worthy cause – no wonder President Elect Donna looks proud!

Well, Saturday 16th saw Lichfield Soroptimists helping to sort clothing for the Fashion Event that Pathway are hosting on 30th June.  generous donations needed sizing, steaming and pricing.  President Chris (in turquoise) led the action with more members of the Club than are evident in these photos.  This website won’t play properly today and a meal out awaits!  As web officer, I understand that all clubs are having issues with placing text – we await instructions.      

                        Well, we are never sure whether we celebrate our Charter (14th) or get together to celebrate Muriel’s birthday which this year was her 90th!! The event started at Lichfield Cathedral with a guided tour led by Cathedral guides who spoke with enthusiasm and knowledge about this wonderful place of worship.  It was followed by tea and scones at the Stables building of Chapters.  There were very few formalities but President Chris of Lichfield did thank all the clubs that were represented – which was 12 out of the 13 in our Region.  Tea and conversation flowed! Muriel was a special guest and we presented -what she told us-  was the 9th bouquet of the week!  One for every decade seemed appropriate.  She then danced as we sang Happy Birthday to her. Other guests

Liz Pritchett, Dishi Attwood and Bev Haywood attended the presentation hosted by SI Cannock to raise awareness of sex trafficking across the country.  The Purple Teardrop campaign, begun by SI Poole, exhorts Sorotimist clubs in SIGBI to advocate for action to stop this practice. SI Lichfield have been active in gatheriing signatures for a petition for action to protect victims. SI Barnstaple, visited recently by Dishi, have raised funds to put large banners on haulage vehicles to raise awareness amongst companies that might inadvertantly find themselves being used to smuggle women into the country.  

                    If we had any doubts about a friendship link with SI Trinidad and Tobago, these lovely photos of our sister Soroptimists and their meeting place has dispelled them all!! Liz Pritchett from SI Lichfield was proud to present a cheque to President Pam from whom it was swiftly taken by Treasurer Susan!  The money will pay for one girl to attend a ‘Healing with Horses’ programme during the summer. Planning continues and we look forward to receiving updates during the coming months.      

On the sunniest weekend of the year, 5 Lichfield Soroptimists and 1 from Sutton Coldfield visited our friendship link club in Kaarst.  We were hosted by individual members who made us very welcome in their homes.  During the weekend, we had a guided tour of Dusseldorf, coffee and cake in the tower and an evening meal in the Hofbrauhaus – and many more opportunities for eating!  The visit was si successful, we are already planning for a return visit from Kaarst members later this year.      

Liz Partridge, caseworker for Young Carers in Lichfield, Burntwood and Tamworth, came to talk to us about the impact of the Drumming DVD and Sponsorship for a Cookery Day. The DVD has been used all over Staffordshire for fundraising talks and awareness raising at school assemblies.  This is in addition to the enjoyment of the young carers who attended the drumming workshop and then were able to have a premier night with their families. The cookery day was very popular and 10 young carers learned to make a full roast dinner followed by apple crumble.  They are often the food providers in households and regularly use ready made items.  This was an opportunity to both enjoy the company of others but also to learn a valuable skill for the future.     Liz was also able to let us know that funding has been reduced for

Julia Pinner, Chair of Lichfield Programme Action Committe was delighted to present a cheque to the representative of Breast Care Charity.  We heard that despite positive developments, 1,000 women a month still die of the disease. Latest development include a test of the tissue surrounding the cancer and only if the test is positive does radiotherapy need to take place.  Currently the test is only available from the USA but it is hoped that it will soon be available in the UK.