Following a special White Ribbon Day themed Evensong at Newcastle Cathedral, attended by Newcastle Soroptimists yesterday, a vigil was held outside in a rainy Cathedral Square for the 112 women killed this year by domestic violence in England and The Dean, the Venerable Geoff Miller made a personal commitment never to be guilty of domestic abuse himself nor ever to remain silent if he learnt of violence or abuse being inflicted by another man. The cathedral tower was hung with a giant white ribbon and the tableau in the square depicted a different pair of women’s shoes for each woman who had died and a small lantern was placed beside the shoes of each to indicate they they were remembered and mourned. Newcastle Soroptimist President Vera Baird spoke at the vigil. She described how the physical sexual emotional financial and psychological abuse, which makes up

Members of SI Newcastle upon Tyne, Christine Lowthian and Jill Smith and the Police and Crime Commissioner/SI Newcastle upon Tyne President Vera Baird met with Newcastle Falcons players Trevor Davison, Adam Radwan and Adam Brocklebank, and the Chief Constable of Northumbria Police, Winton Keenan, to raise awareness of the White Ribbon Day. The White Ribbon Campaign (WRC) is a global movement of men and boys working to end male violence against women and girls. It was formed by a group of pro-feminist men in London, Ontario in November 1991 as a response to the École Polytechnique massacre of female students by Marc Lépin in 1989. The campaign was intended to raise awareness about the prevalence of male violence against women, with the ribbon symbolizing “the idea of men giving up their arms. Active in over 60 countries, the movement seeks to promote healthy relationships, gender

Several members of SI Newcastle went to the Metro Centre today ( Tuesday, October 30th )to  hand over the women’s sanitary products that Cris Young (Newcastle SI) has been organising with the Metro Centre Chaplain ( Rev. Lyn Jamieson )  There were 10 large boxes of products to go to the Gateshead Food Bank and another 10 boxes for the West End Food Bank plus some items to be used as a gift for the West End Refugee Service. This collection was in addition two large black bags of products collected by members (plus a donation)  taken to the West End Food Bank 2 weeks ago. As it was difficult to capture everyone who attended in one photograph, three have been used. .

Several members attended the recent regional meeting at Scotch Corner on Saturday, September 22nd 2018.  

Laura started in hospitality aged 16 as a matchday waitress at Newcastle United Football Club’s St. James’ Park. While taking A-levels, Laura became manager of the largest hospitality room at St.James’ Park which can accommodate up to 500 delegates. Laura then went to Northumbria University to take a BSc in Criminology and an MSc in Homeland Security while working full time.”‘Criminology was what I wanted to do at first, but when I started catering at 16 I fell in love with it,” said Laura. In 2011 Laura became Assistant Manager for Sodexo at the Great North Museum, Hancock, the Discovery Museum, Laing Art Gallery and City Library. Nine months after finishing her Masters, Laura was promoted to General Manager with overall responsibility for 50 employees. Laura said,” Women are influential through Sodexo. I look at women higher up in the company and think, ‘If they

    Today SI Newcastle upon Tyne celebrated their 80th Anniversary in style at the Banqueting Centre in the Centre for Life. 93 people attended and the club was pleased to welcome SI Northern Regional President, Linda Johnson, sister soroptimists from 10 soroptimist clubs including Friendship Link club, Glasgow City, former soroptimists and guests. Our guest speaker was Freda Thompson, a Newcastle City guide who gave an entertaining and informative insight into life in Newcastle in the 1930s. In her talk entitled ‘1930’s Hopes, Dreams and Reality’ she examined the consuming and physically tiring nature of work for women in the 1930s’ As in other years, we were very well looked after by the Centre for Life staff and the catering was excellent. Cris Young, a Newcastle Soroptimist, has been doing an eighty mile walk around the North East, snapping eighty images of the local

                  PRESS RELEASE Date: 11th November 2017 Newcastle upon Tyne Soroptimists have organised a series of events and activities to commemorate 80 years of transforming the lives of young girls and women in the local community and beyond. The Newcastle upon Tyne Soroptimists were first presented with their charter at the Club’s first Annual Dinner in November 1937. Soroptimist International Newcastle member, Cris Young, has found an innovative way to update a traditional charity walk as part of the celebrations. During an eighty mile walk around the North East, she is snapping eighty images of the local area, in order to raise money for victims of the recent Caribbean Hurricanes and raise awareness of the Soroptimists. The Soroptimists will also be finding out what life was like for women eighty years ago, when Freda Thompson, a local

S.I.Newcastle member, Cris Young was recently presented with an award to acknowledge her support for the ‘New Start Bags project. Cris liaised with Intu Metro Centre’s Chaplain Lyn Jamieson to organise the collection of items for the bags.