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July update on what we have been up to

July update on what we have been up to

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What a great July branch meeting.  We were very fortunate to have Sarah Flain to speak to us about the charity Mummy’s Star.  Mummy’s Star is the only UK and Ireland charity helping women, partners and families diagnosed with cancer during pregnancy and/or within 12 months of giving birth. They provide a holistic approach with support and advice working with all professionals from medical to local authorities to ensure their clients are able to access the right help, the right support and that the support they give is personalised to meet their needs.  They do this totally relying on donations from individuals. This year the charity is celebrating their 10th anniversary and were set up by Peter Wallroth in memory of his wife Mair in 2013.  To find out more about this fantastic charity click here Click here to view Mummy’s Star Youtube link with

Mummys Star welcomed to our July meeting

Mummys Star welcomed to our July meeting

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Our July meeting was very inspirational and we have Sarah from Mummy’s Star for her talk about the charity she works for.  Mummy’s Star is the only UK and Ireland charity in helping women, partners and families diagnosed with cancer during pregnancy and/or within 12 months of giving birth. They provide an holistic approach with support and advice working with all professionals from medical to local authorities to ensure their clients are able to access the right help, the right support and that it is personalised to meet their needs and they do this totally relying on donations from individuals. This year they are celebrating their 10th anniversary and were set up by Peter Wallroth in memory of his wife Mair in 2013.  To find out more about this fantastic charity click on the following link https://www.mummysstar.org/ Please spread the word about this amazing charity with

Feb 2024 presented SDAC to Ben Everitt MP
Specialist Domestic Abuse Courts – How special were they in 2022?

Specialist Domestic Abuse Courts – How special were they in 2022?

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Specialist Domestic Abuse Courts – a call for action “Specialist Domestic Abuse Courts – How special were they in 2022?” is a report prepared by members of Soroptimist International, a global volunteer women’s organisation. Some 160 members of the organisation have carried out structured observations of over 30 Specialist Domestic Abuse Courts across England. The information in the report shows a clear increase in the number of victims of domestic abuse, yet the system which was established and developed over a five-year period in 1999 as a special form of Magistrates Court set up to hear and provide specific support to the victims of domestic abuse, is falling short of the service which the public has a right to expect from these courts. Key findings include, amongst others: ·        Absence of specialist courts across the country. In some cases, this meant that victims of domestic abuse

Soroptimists MK now on Easy Fundraising

Soroptimists MK now on Easy Fundraising

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Support us and our charities through easy fundraising Did you know that whenever you buy anything online – from your weekly shop to your annual holiday – you could be raising free donations for Milton Keynes Soroptimists with easyfundraising? There are over 7,000 brands on board ready to make a donation – including eBay, Argos, John Lewis, ASOS, Booking.com and M&S – and it won’t cost you a penny extra to help us raise funds. All you need to do is: 1. Go to https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/milton-keynes-soroptimists/?utm_campaign=raise-more and join for free. 2. Every time you shop online, go to easyfundraising first to find the site you want and start shopping. 3. After you’ve checked out, the brand will make a donation to Milton Keynes Soroptimists at no extra cost to you whatsoever! There are no catches or hidden charges and Milton Keynes Soroptimists will be really grateful for your

SI Milton Keynes Green Pledge

SI Milton Keynes Green Pledge

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SI Milton Keynes, as part of Soroptimist International of Great Britain and Ireland (SIGIB) supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) also known as the Global Goals. The SDG’s are a collection of 17 interlinked global goals setting out targets to achieve by 2030 of a better and more sustainable future for all.  These Global Goals are universal and call on everyone individual and organisations to work together to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure all people enjoy peace and prosperity. Number 13 is Climate Action.  The global temperature has already risen by 1.1ºC above pre industrial level.  We are seeing glaciers melting and sea levels rising.  Impacts of climate change include flooding, droughts, displacing millions of people and sinking them into poverty and hunger, denying them basic services, such as health education and work.  By 2030 an estimated 700 million people will be

Comunity Fridges/Community Larders
Community Larders/Comunity Fridges in Milton Keynes

Community Larders/Comunity Fridges in Milton Keynes

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SOFEA Community Larders in Milton Keynes These are difficult times for every body and we can all help each other by giving support where we can and raising awareness of initiatives that help people. There are a number of Community Larders in Milton Keynes as part of the SOFEA iniitative.  You pay a one off membership fee to join and then pay a weekly amount of £3.50 for which you will receive  £12-£15 of food each week.   SOFEA community Larders are there for the local community and are not just a place to access food. You can stop and chat, catch up with friends or make new friends. The community larder is also a place for support and advice. Perhaps you need to ask a question about debt or finances. Perhaps you want to know how to access mental health care. Perhaps you’re worried – about

Music Event 2022 raising £600 funds for Ukraine crisis and Winter Night Shelter. LOvely to have some of the Ukrainian families in MK come along
Music Event 2022

Music Event 2022

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        In 2021 we held our first Music event with the help of one of our members Karen Mason who is an Oboe player and she very kindly agreed to donate her time and that of her friends again for us this year. Our Music event was on 8 October at the Mead Centre, Newport Pagnell and this year we were raising funds for two very important issues. The first is our link charity the Winter Night Shelter.  They have continued to see significant numbers of people requiring their services and with the current cost of living crisis need all the help they can get.  if you want to learn more and how you can help.  Click here. The other issue we wanted to help with was the Ukraine crisis. We had made a donation earlier in the year and on 1 October some of

Stop Spiking

Stop Spiking

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Definitions of drink and needle spiking (Home Affairs Committee Report, published April 2022: Drink spiking is when someone puts drugs or alcohol into a person’s drink without their knowledge or consent. It can include putting alcohol into a non-alcoholic drink, adding extra alcohol to an alcoholic drink or slipping prescription or illegal drugs (such as tranquilisers, amphetamines or GHB – liquid ecstasy) into an alcoholic or non-alcoholic drink.  It can be difficult to tell whether a drink has been spiked, as substances used for spiking usually have no taste, odour or colour. -Needle spiking is where someone surreptitiously  injects, with a hypodermic needle (or other form of administration e.g., combi-pen) a victim with a substance. There has been a prevalence of drink spiking in recent years, but needle spiking appears to be a new phenomenon in the UK from 2021, peaking in October 2021, coinciding

Winter NIght Shelter need volunteers 2022
Winter Night Shelter need Volunteers

Winter Night Shelter need Volunteers

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  Winter Night Shelters will be opening end of November 2022  After two consecutive years of being unable to open due to Covid-19, The Winter Night Shelter MK are thrilled to announce they will be opening their night shelters at the end of November 2022 for people in need of emergency overnight accommodation. The current cost of living crisis is forcing more of us into stressful and uncertain circumstances, and our welfare team, who work at our day centre throughout the week, are busier than ever – seeing more than 250 people each week, some of whom will desperately need somewhere to sleep each evening. There are lots of different roles based either in our overnight shelters located throughout Milton Keynes, or in our welfare centre at Unity Park Station which will be hosting the evening meal and morning breakfast service. All details about the venues,

Ukraine Appeal Winter 2022 in MK
Ukraine Appeal for Winter items – Pleasse Help

Ukraine Appeal for Winter items – Pleasse Help

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The war in Ukraine continues and has become the biggest refugee crisis since World War 2, with citizens being displaced acrosss Europe.  But we are now into winter and with tempertures dropping the citizens and soliders still need our help.  If you have any of the above items you can spare please can you donate them to the Ukraine warehouse at 50 Tanners Drive Blakelands.  They are hoping to get a van out to the Ukraine on 5 December and 28 December, so any donations you can make for shipment on those days would be gratefully received.  Please share this with friends. The Ukrainian Appeal charity are looking for donations to help provide emergency relief including medical supplies and assistance, provision of clean water, shelter and food and other necessary items.  The charity also support internally displaced persons, host communities and refugees in neighbouring countries.