An Update on Programme Action in lockdown provided by our Programme Action Officer.
At our last meeting we had in March – it does seem so long ago!, we were planning our Programme Action for the coming year but little did we know just what was coming But in just 3 short months despite not being able to meet or even get out for many of us we’ve done so much.
We decided to celebrate the Centenary of Soroptimist International by theming some of our PA around 💯
100 tins for the food bank.
Challenged by the emergence of Covid19 we adapted by
• immediately making donations of £100 to both East and West End Newcastle Foodbanks
• encouraging members to make donations of tins into the collection boxes at the supermarkets. Although a Newcastle Club given the current restrictions we agreed that members should support food poverty local to where they live as there is widespread need. We’ve already smashed this target with 221 items donated.
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our secretary contacted 5 CEOs of the biggest supermarkets requesting that they can facilitate online or click and collect customers can donate to food banks – the online version of dropping your donations in the box at the door. A great idea and good start with Tesco saying they will look at it. Can you imagine how many people could be supported in this way?
We agreed to collect 100 sanitary products for the Foodbanks and Joseph Cowan Healthcare Centre
•. To date we have donated 28 items.
• More items donated through the Body Shop have been given to the West End Food bank and the Joseph Cowan Healthcare Centre.
100 Trauma teddies and animal friends.
Catherine continues to lead the production of 100 trauma teddies and animal friends. (Previously carried by local police forces,) With her band of merry knitters the spring babies are growing. I’ve had a discussion with Catherine and we would like to extend our use of these special ‘friends’ so we are going to discuss with the Food banks later in the year the possibly of opening a new distribution channel as we’re sure local children will certainly have suffered trauma due to Covid19.
Kath has produced 100 drawstring bags into which the teddies will be transported so they have homes to live in when they are ready to be handed on. She has also produced 100 bunting triangles for the Regional celebration.
This group has also diversified producing knitted baby blankets in response to a request by Cramlington hospital and are way on target to the 100 with 14 already completed.
Reading 100 books
Members are using the Lockdown to make an indent into 100 books read in the Club. So far, 49 books have already been read.
100 Miles of walking completed.
Cris started to walk 100 miles and not thwarted even in Lockdown she completed the challenge
100 items of clothing
Chris has donated 100 items of clothing to a rehabilitation charity
100 games of Scrabble
Cris and her husband started to play Scrabble through the Lockdown. So fierce (although friendly) has the competition become they have joined our 💯 list are now playing the first to 100 games. Current tally is George 40 Cris 27. Keep going Cris.
Losing 100lbs
Completing the 100 theme, a number of us having indulged in Lockdown nibbles and unable to get enough exercise have embarked on losing 100lbs between us. Every two weeks Cris will be given our results so on Monday we have our first weigh-in hopefully pounds lighter
100 women for 100 years of Soroptimism
Great news with all four of our nominees for 100 women for 100 years of Soroptimism having been shortlisted.
Blue or Black Plaque
Following our success last year, Hilary is looking to prepare another application for a Blue or Black Plaque in Newcastle so we are nominating Dorothea Sinton. A good start has been made with information being collared for her 100 4 100 nomination.
Club Lockdown Recipes
Christine and Pam are collating a Club Lockdown recipe book and looking forward to receiving your contributions. Any process will go towards tackling food poverty.
Club history project group,
Christine, Lis and Pam, are progressing well and is being uploaded to the Club website by Margaret. Last week members were asked to share their experiences of Lockdown and beyond to create a record as to how we are living and working through this current m history.
Contact with those isolated during lockdown.
Members have also, through Church and community networks been supporting those isolated and lonely checking that they are well with regular contact.
Although unable to meet for coffee and food we have continued our fun and friendship by keeping in touch with and supporting each other and checking that everyone is well.
Hopefully this just shows that even a global pandemic does not stop a group of creative and formidable women carrying on and succeeding to deliver Programme Action.