It means a great deal to begin my year as President of Soroptimist International Manchester.
Before looking ahead, I want to acknowledge the extraordinary year we have just shared under Fiona’s leadership. It has been a year filled with energy, ambition, and remarkable achievements, and one in which we honoured our Centenary with pride and purpose. Fiona’s dedication, patience, calm strength, and her ability to bring people together have guided us through a truly successful year. We are deeply grateful for everything she has done.
As I step into this role, I have been reflecting on my own journey with Soroptimism. I first joined twenty years ago this year, at a time when I was still finding my feet and learning what Soroptimism meant in practice. I was new to the traditions of the Club and unsure of what my place might be and how I fitted in.
When I rejoined seven years ago, I returned with a clearer sense of myself, what I was looking for, what I was able to offer and of course, I wasn’t new to Soroptimism. I found myself surrounded by an amazing group of women whom I feel privileged to know and proud to call friends. Women who inspire, challenge, support, and make me laugh. Women who remind me that what we do together is far greater than anything we could do alone.
That sense of belonging, of being part of something bigger, is what Soroptimism means to me. It is the understanding that our actions, however small they may seem, ripple outward and make a real difference to the lives of women and girls. And it is the joy of doing that work together.
As we look ahead, I want to hold onto something simple but essential:
As we look ahead, I want to hold onto something simple but essential:
Kindness, respect, and compassion must guide everything we do.
Our Club is a place of joy, friendship, and purpose. It is voluntary. It is meant to enrich our lives, not overwhelm them. One of our greatest strengths is that we are many. When one of us has more time, she can give more; when life becomes busy or difficult, others step forward, allowing that member to step back whilst still remaining part of our Club. What each of us can give will naturally ebb and flow, and that is not only acceptable, it is the beauty of a strong, supportive Club.
Every contribution matters.
Every voice matters.
Every member matters.
Every voice matters.
Every member matters.
As we continue our Centenary celebrations, we have some wonderful moments ahead. We begin with the Afternoon Tea hosted by the Lord Mayor of Manchester on 1st May at the Central Library, held especially to mark our Centenary. It promises to be a very special occasion. In June, we will mark the anniversary of the signing of our Charter with a party kindly hosted by Fiona on the 19th, a moment to honour our history and the women who shaped this Club before us.
Later in the summer, we will hold our one major fundraiser of the year: the Race Lunch at the Novotel on Sunday 16th August. It will be a lively, enjoyable event and an opportunity to raise funds while celebrating our friendship and our purpose.
Later in the summer, we will hold our one major fundraiser of the year: the Race Lunch at the Novotel on Sunday 16th August. It will be a lively, enjoyable event and an opportunity to raise funds while celebrating our friendship and our purpose.
Alongside these celebrations, we have the opportunity to strengthen our Programme Action with new potential projects, either through speakers we have heard this year, through our friendship links – old and new, and through the ideas that members bring forward, we review the projects we support at the beginning of each year. We will continue supporting projects that change lives, and we will welcome new members into our Club, inviting them to share their skills, experiences, and enthusiasm as part of our ongoing story.
And we will do all of this best when we do it together – with warmth, generosity, and a sense of fun. Fun is not an optional extra. When we enjoy being together, when we laugh, and when we feel connected, our service becomes lighter, our ideas become brighter, and our impact becomes greater.
My hope for the year ahead is simple:
That we continue to be a Club where every woman feels valued.
Where kindness, patience, and understanding are our default.
Where we lift each other up.
And where we remember that what we do is meaningful, and that doing it together is a privilege.
Thank you for trusting me with this role. I will do my very best to lead with care, attention, steadiness, and gratitude. I look forward to everything we will achieve – as friends, as Soroptimists, and as a team.
That we continue to be a Club where every woman feels valued.
Where kindness, patience, and understanding are our default.
Where we lift each other up.
And where we remember that what we do is meaningful, and that doing it together is a privilege.
Thank you for trusting me with this role. I will do my very best to lead with care, attention, steadiness, and gratitude. I look forward to everything we will achieve – as friends, as Soroptimists, and as a team.
Let us make it another wonderful year.