Good Morning Sister Soroptimists
As we approach the end of our third week of lockdown, it is good to reach out to all Northern England members and to hope that you are all staying safe and well?
It is Easter, but we have never spent an Easter weekend like this; not able to join with our families and friends to share meals with them, unable to worship in our churches and with any planned holidays cancelled. I am so sad for Grandparents who are unable to hug their grandchildren at this time.
As I CLAPPED FOR OUR CARERS on Thursday, not only was I clapping for our wonderful NHS staff, I was also clapping and saying thank you for police and fire services, teachers and support staff, food manufacturers, the supermarket and shop workers, postmen and women, delivery drivers, and waste disposal operatives and everyone who is going to work each day to help keep us safe. .
There are Soroptimist members in our Region who will be included, continuing their work either at home or in the workplace, some on the front line and others who are volunteering in all sorts of ways. We must never forget to thank them and hope that they will stay safe.
There is manufacturing going on in our Region also; members making face masks, bags for nurses’ uniforms, mask extenders for NHS staff and using 3D printers to make visors.
I couldn’t be more proud of Northern Region Members
You are also using various ways of keeping touch with each other and making sure that those who are living alone and have health problems never feel lonely. Thank goodness for the telephone, What’s App, email etc. and for the people who are keeping us online and connected! They are so important!
The teleconference of Regional Presidents with President Isobel, yesterday, was extremely interesting with 18 taking part, including Presidents from South Africa and Trinidad & Tobago. I was happy to report on the work that is being carried out in the Northern Region from those of you who responded to my appeal and from Facebook and Twitter posts. Much the same is happening UK and Ireland wide and this gave an inspirational message that Soroptimists can overcome any obstacles to achieve their aims.
Regarding the Belfast Federation Conference, President Isobel said that a decision as to whether to go ahead or to cancel, will be made by the end of June 2020. She also told us that the UKPAC STUDY DAY, which was to be held in Durham on 1st August, has been cancelled, but nobody seems to have any knowledge of this cancellation to date.
I was so delighted to get your feedback to last week’s message. Thank you to everyone who has responded. My umbrellas seemed to spark interest and I attach below a photograph from Barbara Brown [SI Darlington] who has certainly beaten mine with her colourful display and arrangement. Thanks Barbara.
Cris Young [SI Newcastle upon Tyne] came up with an alternative caption for the umbrella photo – THERE WILL BE SUNSHINE AFTER THE RAIN. I like that and we certainly hope so!
Anne Gunning cheered me greatly with her beautiful photo of the beach at Seaham which she walks along for exercise, stopping on the way back to donate to the pop up Food Bank there.
I attach, with their permission, the photographs which Hilary Clavering and Linda Johnson have posted of their gorgeous Easter decorations. Quite stunning!
I look forward to hearing from some of you in the next 7 days with anything you want to communicate or circulate.
Until then STAY SAFE, STAY PUT AND KEEP WELL.
In Friendship,
Joyce
SINE
PRESIDENT