Presidential Address – President Margaret Emsley
President Margaret expressed her sense of privilege and the honour of serving as Soroptimist International Great Britain and Irealnd (SIGBI) President.
Highlights of her year were:
- The zip-wire to raise funds for the Diamond Education Grant when she, Ann Garvie (a past Soroptimist International (SI) President) and Margaret Baker (Chief Steward for Malta Conference) raised nearly £3000
- Attending CSW60 and the SIA convention
- Visited Sierra Leone where girls are asked for sexual favours by teachers in order to pass exams, and met Ebola orphans helped by SI Freetown
- Cameroon – where a penal code was introduced so that perpetrators of violence against women can be prosecuted
- Skirting science projects run by several clubs were mentioned and praised. These were of particular interest given the important to President Margaret and her theme of ‘Engineering the Future’
- She apologised for being unable to mention everyone but expressed her thanks to the conference committee and all who attended conference
See Margaret’s full presentation
Change of insignia
President Margaret handed the insignia to incoming President Ann.
Changes of insignia continued with handovers between Immediate Past President Jenny, President Elect Sue Biggs, Vice-President Sue Williams and new Directors and Members of Federation Management Board (FMB). All were introduced to conference. Regional Presidents then exchanged insignia.
Inaugural Address – President Ann Hodgson
Congratulations to Margaret Emsley and SI Malta for this most enjoyable conference.
The AGM saw the introduction of challenging resolutions but she deemed this important if we are to progress, increase Membership and make the most of our opportunities.
Her theme, and challenge, for the next year is ‘Step up and lead the Way’.
We need to move forward and double our Membership by 2021.
Programme action is central to our work and to our status at CSW. The theme next year at CSW61 is economic empowerment.
Programme Focus Reports are so important for maintenance of our ‘special consultative status’ which enable us to make our voices heard at the United Nations (UN) and internationally.
Soroptimists were mentioned favourably at the UKPAC Study Day in July, by the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, Kevin Hyland. President Ann would like to see us continue to focus on this.
She praised the women’s hockey team for winning gold at the Rio Olympics and for giving us an example of how playing as a team brings success.
Next year the conference will be in Cardiff, in the Wales Millennium Centre – an iconic centre for the performing arts. She wants the conference to have a fresh and different feel and is looking forward to having many soroptimists there.
The SIGBI flag was handed over by Ann Dawson to Helen Murdoch in readiness for the Cardiff Conference.
Entertainment by Red Electric
This 5 man band won the Best Band and Best Song categories at the 2014 Malta Music Awards. Theirs is a sound influenced by the bluesy swagger of 70s rock and a more contemporary lilt.
Many danced in the aisles as a rumbustious end to the conference.