Project Choice Friday, April 22nd, Cynthia and Lis interviewing candidates on Project Choice. One of the lecturers, Laura Kane, sat in on the mock interviews. We all felt it was a very successful morning. Two other Soroptimists, Christine Lumsdon and Heather Niven, interviewed more candidates in the afternoon. Our last session was on Friday July 8th. All sides felt it had been very beneficial and we hope to continue with it in the next academic year.

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) or Female Circumcision or Cutting FGM is something of which many of us in the UK are unfamiliar. SI Newcastle was invited, along with other clubs in the region, to attend a talk on this harrowing subject, at SI South Shields and District meeting on Tuesday July 12th. The subject was introduced by Dr Kirsten Richardson who is a GP in North Tyneside. She spoke of her experience and introduced the main speaker, Roya K. Rezaee from Shine. Her role is as a Community Development Worker in Newcastle. A quote that remains with me is ‘Every minute 5 girls are cut worldwide’. FGM in the UK is becoming more common as new peoples enter the country. Follow this link for further information: http://www.shinewomen.co.uk/ New castle member, Councillor Doreen Huddart has recently attended a recent meeting of the Home Affairs Committee chaired

Stop the Traffik unwrap the GIFT box   Partnership Project with SI Darlington, Middlesbrough, Newcastle, South Shields, Sunderland, Tynedale & Tynemouth, Whitley Bay & District DO YOU WANT TO SEE THE WORLD AND EARN GOOD MONEY? A better life, an education, a good job and a loving relationship are all enticing promises. But things aren’t always what they seem. STOP THE TRAFFIK and United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT) have teamed up and created the GIFT box. GIFT box is a unique way to raise awareness about human trafficking and gather knowledge on the issue. The large walk-in street sculptures invite you inside with promises and offers, but once inside you are presented with a different reality. The GIFT box Global journey The GIFT box is a unique project launched by STOP THE TRAFFIK and UN.GIFT during the London 2012 Olympics. Around

Dear Editor, The people of Newcastle recently made clear their lack of welcome for Return of Kings / Roosh V and his proposed pro-rape assembly in our city. His advocacy of sexual exploitation of women was particularly repulsive and breathtaking. We think that local people would disapprove equally strongly of sexual exploitation through human trafficking, an activity sadly far more prevalent in our area than the views of these absurd extremists. Women members of Soroptimist International are joining the campaign to ‘Stop the Traffik’ and will be in Newcastle’s city library from Friday 4th to Tuesday 8th March with a vibrant piece of enormous street art. The U. N. Gift Box is a global project to campaign against Modern Day Slavery and this event is to raise awareness of sexual exploitation in our communities. Do come and see us and join the campaign to eradicate

January 2016 Thirteen members met at Gosforth Golf Club to talk around future events including the United Nations Gift Box  event at Newcastle City Library on 4th – 8th March  across International Women’s Day. We looked at an update for the website though we intend to keep the section on the club’s amazing history and expand on the life stories of some of our notable former members. Delighted that our retired members group has decided to match fund the club’s donation to the Cumbria Flood Disaster fund especially to support women alone with children who are less likely to have been insured. FUNDING IS NOW CONFIRMED FOR TRANSPORT FOR THE UN BOX!  Thanks to the Police and Crime Commissioners for Durham and Cleveland for their support and swift decisions. The next meeting of the UN Gift Box Co-ordinating group is at The Quality Inn, East