Immediate Past President Barbara presented two prizes recently – the Helen Latto Soroptimist Prize for Singing to Anna at the Junior Royal Northern College of Music and the Soroptimist Manchester Arena Memorial Award to Maria and Imogen at Pendleton College.
Helen Latto was a pharmacist and President of S I Manchester in 1980-81. During her Presidency she organised a charity event at a music school in Whalley Range; this led to her involvement with the Junior Royal Northern College of Music. She left a bequest to the college for a prize for singing.
Message received from Anna – I was delighted to be awarded the Helen Latto Soroptimist Prize for Singing in my final year at the Junior RNCM. It was so lovely to meet you at the recent prizegiving ceremony and a wonderful way to mark the end of my time there. For 2019 I hold an offer to read mathematics at Oriel College, Oxford, with a choral exhibition at the Queen’s College, after which I hope to complete a postgraduate vocal course at a conservatoire. Thank you once again for presenting me with the Prize. It means a very great deal to me.
Following the Manchester Arena terrorist attack in 2017 members wanted to do something in memory of the victims. It was decided to make an award to a student at Pendleton Sixth Form College who wanted a career in performing arts and who would benefit from a monetary award to help with audition costs.