Every Soroptimist Club devises, plans and carries out project work – known as Programme Action – based on the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SIGBI is a registered charity (Charity Number: 1179433) and has Special Consultative Status at the United Nations.
The SDGs – otherwise known as the Global Goals – are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.
At Regional Level we celebrate the work of individual clubs and also bring it together when a project would benefit for a collective approach region-wide. We have 10 clubs in our region and there are definitely times when the “sum is greater than the whole of its parts”. We also work across regions from time to time for the same reason.
Be Bold & Mind The Gap 2020-2021
The Covid-19 Pandemic – Midland Chase Regional Clubs Working Together
Members from clubs across the region were very busy during the Spring and early Summer of 2020. From making scrubs, masks and uniform washing bags, to knitting bereavement hearts, every club made a significant contribution and worked together to distribute the items effectively and efficiently. You can read their stories on individual club web sites and work still continues in advance of this winter of course.
Separately, the Midland Chase Programme Action Newsletter of May 2020 focused on the individual roles of key workers during the pandemic. These are the real stories of workers in front line positions – not just in the medical and care professions but also transport workers, law enforcement staff, legal workers, teachers and many more. It’s a fascinating and touching window into their professional lives at an extraordinarily difficult time. View and download it here: May 2020 SI-Midland-Chase-Newsletter-Focus-on-Keyworkers-Final
Observing Specialist Domestic Violence Courts – Midland Chase & Midland Arden Regions
Dame Vera Baird QC, Soroptimist and Northumbria Police & Crime Commissioner published her report on Specialist Domestic Violence Courts, in July 2018. She subsequently spoke at the March 2019 Midland Chase Regional Meeting, and having heard about the in depth work which had been carried out, clubs throughout the Region unanimously agreed that this was an area on which they could work together.
We were joined in this by Midland Arden region and between us we managed to cover three police forces – West Midlands, Staffordshire and West Mercia – and a large geographical area. You can learn much more about this cross-region project on the website of Lichfield & District Club where you can also read Dame Vera’s original report “Specialist Domestic Violence Courts, How special are they?”