SI Manchester was chartered in 1926 and celebrated 90 years of service in the city at their Charter Dinner on 27th February, in the beautiful setting of The Monastery in Gorton. The evening was a great celebration of Soroptimism and a chance to meet old friends and make new ones, and to welcome our friends and families.
President Sue welcomed members from sixteen other clubs, including the Presidents of four of our daughter clubs, Ashton-u-Lyne, Blackburn, Bolton and Stockport.
Federation President Margaret Emsley kindly gave the response to the Toast to Soroptimist International, which was proposed by Martin Smedley, CEO of the charity Act4Africa. Sandie Taylor, President of SI South Lancashire, and Margaret Hammond, President of SI North West England and the Isle of Man were also present, to mark the fact that we have daughter clubs in both regions.
The Lord Mayor of Manchester, Councillor Paul Murphy and the Lady Mayoress, Mrs Anita Murphy, were our honoured guests, and the High Sheriff of Greater Manchester, Sharman Birtles, attended in her capacity as a Soroptimist, as she is a member of SI Ashton-u-Lyne.
We were entertained and enlightened by our guest speaker, Ann Garvie, Immediate Past President of Soroptimist international.
We were also pleased to welcome President Yemisi OpAneye and members of our mother club, SI Greater London, and Presidents Sue and Yemisi together cut the celebration cake.
At the end of the evening President Sue had a surprise in store for Martin Smedley and the other staff members of Act4Africa, when she announced the launch of our 90th Project. It is well known that Soroptimists do not give up in the face of a setback, and, after our disappointment in Glasgow, the club will be working with Act4Africa to deliver a HEAL Malawi project to change the lives of women and girls living in extreme poverty in the Mchinji district. The project was ‘launched’ in true style with a bottleof champagne and a cheque for £5000 to get it started.
