Good Morning Soroptimist Sisters
Following on from last week’s message when I listed the various named ‘days’, I realised that I had missed the International Day of Peace, observed around the world every year on 21 September and, for our Soroptimist Sisters of SI Penrith, this year was no exception. Due to the current restrictions, it was decided to keep the celebration simple and six members met in the Coronation Garden, Penrith, beside the rose trees which were planted in the garden, [along with commemorative plaque] by Penrith Soroptimists to celebrate Peace Day in 2014. They gained publicity for this in their local press and also gave contact details for the Club.
Other days which have been celebrated this past week include UK Modern Slavery Day and Global Mental Health Day and today is International Day of the Girl Child. Forgive me if I have missed any other important days!
I am also aware that the month of October is always Breast Cancer Awareness Month and that SI Tynemouth, Whitley Bay and District members are usually active in publicising this, turning local landmarks ‘pink’ including St Mary’s Lighthouse. At their Zoom Meeting, next week, they will all be wearing PINK.
A day which may have escaped your attention this year was World Porridge Day, which was yesterday, 10 October, and I received an invitation from Mary’s Meals to join a Porridge Party at 10am on You Tube. For those who are not aware of this charity, Mary’s Meals serve a steaming mug of vitamin enriched porridge to more than one million children every school day in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. I first heard about this charity at a Federation Conference some years ago. Several Soroptimist Clubs support Mary’s Meals, supplying Backpacks containing basic learning tools for children in the countries they support.
Saturday, 3 October, when it rained persistently nearly everywhere, Jane Inman and Doreen Bertram of SICockermouth, joined SI Chennai Downtown – Day of Non Violence and Peace – by Zoom, via a link on the SIGBI website and publicised in the SIGBI Mailing. Jane has been kind enough to prepare a report for us – saying that it was an interesting and worthwhile way to spend a dreary afternoon.
Jane has also updated me on their Ring Pull Project which I featured last week with a mailing from Purple Community Fund [PCF]. They are appealing for [old/unwanted] iphones and ipads/tablets which will enable children to continue learning online as the Philippine Government closed all schools at the end of May.
Send to: https://www.p-c-f.org/phones-for-futures/
There are new ring pull items for sale on the PCF website which members may be interested in: http://www.p-c-f.org/shop
To see their annual PCF Newsletter reporting how the pandemic has impacted on the poorest communities in Manila and what PCF is doing see – https://p-c-f.org/purple-news-2019
On social media you can help by liking and sharing their Facebook page @pcf.uk.
After seeing Jess Sinclair’s pattern for fingerless mitts in an earlier message, Edna Ford of SI South Shieldsgot out her knitting needles and produced what you see illustrated . Edna said that this has kept her busy during Lockdown and the mitts will go to the Wear Seaman’s Mission. I am sure that they will be welcome as the days get colder.
This week has been notable for the announcement of the Nobel Laureates for 2020 and it was wonderful to learn that two women had shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, for the development of a method for genome editing. Jennifer Doudna [US] and Emanuelle Charpentier [France] were the winners and the first time any of the science prizes has been awarded to two women without a male collaborator listed on the award.
On Thursday it was announced that Louise Gluck, American Poet, had been awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. A woman also shared in the Physics prize – Andrea Ghez, with her male partner, won for the discovery of a supermassive compact object at the centre of our galaxy.
In over 900 Nobel prizes awarded since 1901, less than 60 have been awarded to women. This year’s has been an exceptional Nobel event for women.
Congratulations to SI Middlesbrough who are celebrating the 75th anniversary of their Charter today. How sad that they are not able to hold their planned lunch at Crathorne Hall. Let’s hope it will not be too long before they can all celebrate together and we are able join them.
There are now only six days left to register for the Virtual Belfast Federation Conference 29/30 October.
I understand that registrations have now exceeded the number needed to break even, but that only 15 members from the Northern England Region will be attending. I am looking forward to a Conference which will be very different from the previous 25 Federation Conferences which I have attended and this time, I will not have to pack a case or leave home.
Until next week, stay safe and keep well.
In Friendship,
Joyce
PRESIDENT
SINE