Good Morning Soroptimist Sisters
How are you handling the increased freedom given to us by the easing of Lockdown?
I imagine there will have been some joyful reunions with children, grandchildren and friends which will provide a boost after so many weeks of contact only by telephone, email, or Facetime.
More shops are opening and from 25 July, pools, gyms, sports facilities and leisure centres will also be allowed to open. All of these facilities have been closed since mid-March and those of you who exercise regularly will have missed your visits.
Not everyone will feel ready to resume activities after enforced isolation. Some will feel anxious, even a little scared about re-joining the world, I have spoken to a few members who feel like this and acknowledge that these fears are reasonable.
The advice is to take things at their own pace and challenge yourself to try something different every day or couple of days.
I read in Thursday’s Daily Telegraph that a successful vaccine against the virus could be ready to be rolled out as soon as September – two billion doses, it is suggested, would be available by then.
We need some positive news like this to give us optimism for the future and when it might be possible to resume face to face meetings with more than just the recommended six persons. I have made a request to Federation Office this week to see if they will be issuing any guidelines on resuming meetings, similar to those issued by Rotary. [No meetings to be planned before Christmas!]
CLUB NEWS
So, I nearly didn’t have a message this week, as all seems to have gone very quiet on the Club activities front. I wonder if you are all winding down for the summer?
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Thanks to Jane Katsambis, our Regional Organisation and Development Officer of SI Durham who attended an online Webinar organised by Karma Nirvana on Honour Based Violence Remembrance Day – 14 July. It was a three-hour session with another 800 people and seven presenters including Dame Vera Baird QC. I remember their founder, Jasvinder Sanghera, speaking at a Federation Conference some years ago, an inspirational woman!
Jane describes the webinar as ‘professional, pacey and sometimes made very difficult listening’.
I had asked Jane to provide an overview for me to report to you today; instead she supplied a full and comprehensive report (circulated with weekly message email – copy available on request)
Jane asks me to tell you that she doesn’t do shorthand, her notes are accurate as far as she is aware, but that the ultimate in accuracy will be found on the Karma Nirvana website. Link to Karma Nirvana Website
I believe that Jane has given us an excellent report and would recommend you read it. Thank you Jane.
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I am also grateful to Barbara Brown of SI Darlington who posted their Buddy Bookmarks on Facebook this week. These Bookmarks show an excellent use of emojis.
Barbara was delighted to receive a request from a Darlington teacher for a small supply and delivered 90 bookmarks to her for use when schools return in September/October when she has asked for feedback on their usefulness.
Barbara will be happy to offload more of her supply to interested schoolteachers who might read this message. Email – darlingtonsorops@gmail.com
My own club – SI Stockton-on-Tees had a ZOOM Club meeting this week; not the first we have held by Zoom but the first with a speaker, who had been planned to attend in person, should we have been able to meet. Dr Helen Machen-Pearce – a GP who became a psychiatrist but is now a teacher of Yoga and described her 25 year career working with the most vulnerable in society.
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SIGBI Items
A reminder that there are a couple of ballots out to clubs from Federation Office which need returning by the end of July. They are for Federation Director of Governance and Federation Director of Membership. Please respond, if you have not already done so. Thank you!
Also find out about the SIGBI Virtual Belfast Conference in Friday’s SIGBI News Briefing where you can read all about the speakers by clicking the link and register to be a delegate. Or head to SIGBI.org and visit the Belfast 2020 Conference pages.
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I have another poem to recommend to you – I SEE YOU – A POEM FOR THE PANDEMIC by Dan Pontefract, widely available on the web.
The quote for this week is one I have carried around with me for many years but never knew where it came from until I planned to share it with you:
The service you do for others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth!
Spoken by Muhammad Ali but cited in 1917 as an inscription over a hospital doorway in India and of unknown origin.
Please keep in touch with news of your activities.
Until next week, STAY SAFE AND KEEP WELL
In Friendship,
Joyce
PRESIDENT
SINE