The recipient of the Soroptimist International Manchester Arena Award 2024 was Leigha Tandy, a musical theatre student.On a beautiful sunny afternoon Rose and myself went along to Pendleton College to present Leigha with her certificate and cheque for £250. In addition we watched performances by the performing arts students which were dramatic and thought provoking. One snippet from the play Road, written by the Bolton born playwright Jim Cartwright set in a northern town in the 1980’s, had overtones of life today for some of the women we support and help as Soroptimists.
Members may remember that in the aftermath of the horrific Manchester Arena bomb in 2017 the club decided to set up an award to a performing arts student at Pendleton College. Many young people attended the concert and were affected by the events of that terrible night. The girl student is chosen by the staff at the college following criteria suggested by the club.
As we came away Rose and I felt very positive that the club had made a difference to both Leigha and the college with the added bonus that we were able to give a brief overview of the work of S I Manchester.
Carole Swarbrick