Good Morning Soroptimist Sisters,
This week I hosted the Regional Officer’s Meeting on GoTo Meetings – very successfully for a first time and favourably commented on by Officers.
This being so, we made the decision to hold our Virtual September Regional Council Meeting and AGM on GoTo.
The date will be Saturday, 26 September 2020; it will be a morning session only. Annual Reports will be circulated in advance in preparation for the Annual General Meeting which will occupy the first half of the morning and Programme Awards [Reach for the Skies] will complete the session.
All will be welcome, if you are able to join us online.
Our Regional Secretary, Joan, will be circulating the details and a booking form, which will differ slightly from the usual one. We would like to be aware of how many to expect. We can accommodate over 100!
Please put the date in your diaries – you do not have to pay for or travel to the meeting!
26 SEPTEMBER 2020
[We have chosen that date, to avoid any clashes with Brian Burnie’s walk, 12 – 23 September – see last week’s message for that itinerary.]
Speaking of the Regional Awards –
following the closing date of 31st July 2020, there are 146 entries from August 2019 to July 2020 to scrutinise, shortlist and come to decisions about. Thank you to all clubs for recording the work they have been carrying out in the last 12 months.
A panel of three – Karen, our PA Chair, IPP Shirley and myself have set ourselves this mammoth task of looking at every single one of these, to be completed over the next three weeks. We will check in with each other regularly on GoTo to confer and highlight our findings.
CLUB NEWS
Last week I reported on Jess Sinclair of SI Carlisle and her project to knit fingerless mitts for the homeless. Jess has kindly provided me with the pattern and photographs should anyone else wish to do the same.
SI Newcastle upon Tyne has two members who are directly involved with the Covid-19 test centres. Laura Steel has been working to set up Centres for Covid-19 Test and Trace support and Doreen Huddart has been using her previous nursing experience to help train those in the Test and Trace Programme.
After 34 balls of wool and 19 bags of filling – Anne Gunning of SI Tynemouth, Whitkey Bay & District has completed 55 teddies [2]. Her knitting needles are worn out! She has raised a grand total of £600, the money is being sent to Newcastle Hospitals NHS Charity and will be used to support the well being of staff working with Covid patients at the height of the pandemic. One further Teddy is going with the cheque and Anne hopes he will be raffled, raising even more for the Charity.
Pat Newsham of SI Penrith recently made an application for Grant Funding to Eden District Council to supply white goods for two safe houses in Penrith, that Eden Forum against Domestic Abuse are in the process of obtaining, for use by Domestic Abuse victims. I am delighted to report that their application has been successful and they are to receive £2,000 in the near future!
Barbara Brown of SI Darlington submitted her ‘memoir’ to The Big Story and raised £150 for Empowering Women and Girls in Nepal. Her story is called ‘Holiday in Nice 1960’ and I so enjoyed reading it.
Only yesterday I read on Facebook that THE BIG STORY had raised £20,765.28 including matching donations received.
Judging is underway.
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Well done to everyone above, working and achieving in the name of Soroptimism and thank you for keeping in touch with your news.
Until next week – stay safe and keep well.
In Friendship,
Joyce
PRESIDENT
SINE
