Good Afternoon Sister Soroptimists
As we end our first week of LOCKDOWN, I hope that all of our Northern England Members are safe and well and coming to terms with this unprecedented situation.
We are living in a very strange and different world of enforced inactivity where we are unable to make plans for the future.
Thank you to those who joined in the CLAP FOR OUR CARERS on Thursday evening. I know that some of you did as I saw your Facebook posts. As I opened my front door at 8pm, I expected to be the only one, and I was inspired to hear many of my neighbours clapping and cheering [plus some fireworks] to say thank you to our wonderful NHS staff in every capacity, who are doing so much and putting themselves in danger during this crisis. It was quite emotional to be honest!
I was so sorry that it was necessary to cancel our March Regional Council Meeting. It is always a great pleasure to meet in Carlisle in the excellent venue of the Auctioneer. Our Regional Secretary, Joan, had done so much planning for the meeting and she sent me the list of those who had registered to attend – 71 of you, with two clubs still to respond. It was so sad that we did not get the chance to greet you all. Members of SI Penrith were to be our Hostesses for the day and they had also worked hard on their plans and to share some words about their 60th Charter Year. I fervently hope that this can be rescheduled for the September Meeting, if we are allowed to meet by then.
Joan is tying up a few loose ends from the cancelled meeting and will be circulating these to Clubs very soon.
I am grateful to her for doing this and for returning cheques to clubs so swiftly. [Sunderland’ will be sent by Dorothy]
I am sure that you will agree that the decision to cancel was the correct one and done at the right time.
So, Ladies, how are you filling your time during Lockdown?
I didn’t really get motivated until Thursday, but since then I have done a mountain of shredding, cut the lawn, defrosted the larder fridge and cleared out the cupboard under the stairs – an unexplored cave, which revealed that I own 13 umbrellas!! Quite ridiculous!
I find it is good to have a plan to do one thing every day, and there will be plenty of days to fill!
So whatever you are doing or going to do in the coming week – to you and your loved ones – Stay Safe and Keep Well.
Until next week.
In Friendship,
Joyce
SINE President