In the past month I have zoomed to several individual Clubs and love meeting you all in those little boxes we see on our screens.
What a smashing Christmas Concert I went to at SI Bilston with authentic poetry and reading of the true Nativity Story, amply sprinkled with the tinsel of cheeky asides and jolly Soroptimisters joining in.
It’s great that Clubs are still engaging speakers too – I really enjoy them as there is always more to learn isn’t there?
We have had to think outside the box many times, and all Clubs are doing so in some very innovative ways. The panic of the demand for PPE and scrubs is subsiding, but food banks and other charities are still glad of what we have done, and are continuing to do for them.
As a non-driver I am chuffed to say that I’ve been zooming around the world! I zoomed SI India for the new National Association President’s inauguration. They all wore lovely saris and there were gifts of plants for each new executive committee member. An Icelandic Club is empowering girls into S.T.E.M. careers and in the UK universities report more and more female students in medicine, dentistry and all areas of engineering. The world is changing and the Road to Equality is widening.
I also get to zoom with Federation President Johanna each month and there is a great deal of agreement throughout the 17 Regions of SIGBI. I find myself listening to Scottish, Welsh and Irish region presidents who hold similar opinions to ourselves here at Midland Chase. It has been an eye opener and a confidence builder to know how much we care about our members and stand up for them when Federation doesn’t get it right sometimes. To her credit Johanna has always taken any complaints or concerns back to be dealt with positively.
What about the e-Club begun in Milan, Italy? WOW! 35 young women speaking perfect English with degrees in subjects from business administration to nano-scientific engineering. They all looked like catwalk models to me, the youngest being 21 and the oldest 33. They each put in ideas to bring the 9 -16 years age group into good career paths. The ideas were melded into a very slick e-Diary for youngsters to click on the subject they want and see examples and case studies of people in that profession, plus the route to get there themselves. You can watch the Charter Video here.
I think this is something SIGBI will be thinking of too. Let’s face it ladies – we have the technology and most of all we have the talent within all our members. We have no lack of expertise in our Clubs. We know each other’s strengths when a knotty problem arises.
I know I am wittering on, but you know I value every member because that’s one ‘Road to Equality’ we have all already successfully trodden at Midland Chase.
In friendship,
Margaret