Preparations all complete and the room is looking fabulous. Christine Lowthian’s fantastic creative touches in evidence once again. SI Newcastle upon Tyne President Vera Baird QC, President SI Northern England Shirley Hallam and our guest speaker Newcastle City Guide Pat Stevens pose with two Suffragette dressed ‘Teddies for Terror’ in front of the clip from Clare Balding’s programme about Emily Wilding Davison. Entertainment was provided by The Standing Sisters, who sang rousing songs of the Suffragette movement, accompanied by a silent film of Suffragettes in action. Led by renowned choir leader/singer Bethany Elen Coyle, Standing Sisters are a group of women who sing about women’s lives, history and stories. They were joined by some WASPI women and performance included the (shortly to be launched) WASPI Anthem.             President Vera welcomed everyone and after introducing her top table, invited them to

East met West at Bradley Gardens, near Wylam on Thursday, August 2nd. Bradley Gardens is situated on the edge of the Tyne Valley, 9 miles from Newcastle and is an 18th century walled garden.   S.I. Cockermouth were hosting a fund raising coffee morning in aid of Brain Tumour Research. At the March Regional Meeting Cockermouth members came with hats on to highlight it this charity. So SI members from Newcastle, Tynemouth and Whitley Bay and Tynedale took the opportunity to parade their summer headwear – and very smart they looked too. Approximately £150 was raised. If you would like to know more about the charity’s work please follow this link: https://www.braintumourresearch.org/       We were also joined by a member from S.I. Bangkok, Christiane Kitchakakarn. When she visited S.I. Newcastle in 2016, she was very interested in helping with some clothing for the

August 16th was the date of S.I. Newcastle’s member, Dorothy Sisterson’s summer Garden Party. There were a variety of delicious treats on offer as well as opportunities to participate in fun activities. A splendid total of £310 was raised and added to the club’s General Fund.

              C       2016 is the seventy-ninth anniversary of the Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland, Newcastle upon Tyne branch’s initiation. This year, our Charter Lunch was held at the Centre for Life, Times Square, Newcastle upon Tyne on Saturday October 29th and began at twelve noon. The club members had decided that the memory of a former club member, Olive Kaer, would be celebrated in the collection taken up for the Great North Air Ambulance Service. Olive Kaer was a long standing and committed member of Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland, Newcastle upon Tyne branch and was Club President in 1992 – 93. Olive was awarded an M.B.E. in 1992 for political and public service and was a leading City Councillor for many years in the Arthur’s Hill Wingrove ward. Olive served as a Governor

  On Saturday, 13th August we hired at stall at Tynemouth Station Market  and had yet another extremely successful stall at Tynemouth Market Thank you to everyone who collected, donated ,stored ,priced, set up the stall , sold and bought goods.   (Not only Soroptimists, but their friends and families, includng Cynthia’s ‘Ladies who lunch’ and book club friends)    It was another fantastic team effort  of great service,  fun and fellowship We sold EVERY ITEM donated and the end of day sale was great fun and it meant we benefited from every penny and no one needed to get rid of the couple of boxes of items left over The final total will be annnounced later, but to date,  we made over £300 with everyone,s help and support.        

The meal at Lezzet, on Friday April 22nd, was every bit as delicious as anticipated- now where we will go next?

Saturday, June 11th was the Soroptimist summer regional event at Lumley Castle. All participants, as can be seen in this photograph enjoyed a delicious afternoon. The event raised money for the Duchenne muscular dystrophy charity. Sumptuous surroundings!         Suzanne Brown (current Regional President) introducing Anne Garvie – fourth from the left. Anne Garvie, Soroptimist International Immediate Past International President, spoke on the subject of her two years term of office. She was informative and entertaining but above all, thought provoking.