Good Morning Soroptimist Sisters,
This week has seen International Friendship Day, National Poetry Day [of this, more later] as well as the UN International Day of Non Violence and Peace, National Bookshop Day and the International Day for Older People.
With reference to the latter, I have just written a Birthday Card to a lady who will become 105 on 8 October. I don’t know this lady and have never met her, but she is in a Nursing Home close to where I live and the staff have appealed on Facebook for people to send birthday cards to her since there are no visitors allowed and they want to make her birthday extra special. It is hoped that she will receive 105 cards! I rather think she will get many more from the comments on Facebook.
Happy Birthday, Florence @ Wellburn House!
Since our Virtual Regional Council Meeting last Saturday, I have been gratified to receive many messages from members who obviously enjoyed the meeting, even though they were not seen on camera but were able to see and hear all that was going on. Claire Rawlinson, Secretary of SI Cockermouth wrote to tell me how she kept herself busy whilst ‘listening to the inspirational Programme Action from our Region‘. For many years their club has collected ring pulls from drinks cans to support the Purple Community Fund [Philippines] working with girls and their families in the slums and rubbish tips of Manila. These are made into jewellery, bags, clothes etc.; the money used from their sale supports education and living. Incredibly, each ring pull is worth 3p! Claire is usually presented with Club’s collection of ring pulls at Regional Meetings [I have a shoe box full] and she hopes to get these when we are next able to meet face to face. Meanwhile, before they go to Southampton to await the next container to go to the Philippines, she sorts the bags to ensure that only the right type of ring pulls go – no food cans – and divides them into colours. I suppose, if clubs do have ring pulls, maybe they could be posted to Claire?
Thank you, Claire, for multi-tasking and using the time so usefully.
Also news from Maureen Dixon who reported that the Five Penrith Associates, who met together at Maureen’s house to be part of the Regional Council Meeting and enjoyed ‘a lovely day after a very good meeting‘. They started with coffee and shortbread biscuits [as we usually do at our meetings], then lunch with wine and then they put the world to rights during the afternoon whilst obeying the rules of 6 only and social distancing. Thank you Maureen, Marie, Sheila, Carol and Debbie for being a part of our meeting. Maureen also sent me more photographs of their beautiful Lake District: Borrowdale Rainbow, the path behind her house to Beacon Edge [5] and the view from the top of Beacon Edge. Taken by her husband last weekend.
This week I was contacted by Rosemary Jenkinson, President of SI Sunderland who tells me that Sunderland members continue to keep busy. The sale of face coverings which they have made has raised an incredible £650 for their club charity – St Benedict’s Hospice. They have plans to make and distribute ‘Poppy’ patterned and ‘Christmas’ face masks which have been ordered for Remembrance events and the festive season – what a good idea!
Their President Elect – Violet Stoker has been knitting Twiddle Muffs all year and distributed them to local Care Homes and Hospitals. The two photographs show her handing these over earlier this week and also just how colourful the Twiddle Muffs are! More are requested.
On Thursday, I was privileged to witness the announcement of the winners of Poems in a Pandemic. You will remember that this was the brainchild of SI Sunderland member Angela Richardson of ACE Training which invited entries of Poems and Artwork from Care Home Staff describing their experiences during the pandemic.
The poems were based on 10 categories, such as – Hope, Isolation, Reflection, Loss, Bravery etc. Over 300 entries had been received and the 100 shortlisted poems will feature in a book to be published at a later date. Thursday was National Poetry Day so it was appropriate to witness the 10 winning poems being read by their authors.
Congratulations to the President of SI Sunderland, Rosemary who introduced the sections on Uplifting and Reflection and declared the winners, taking the opportunity to describe to the audience what a Soroptimist is and what we do! I know that a number of our Region’s members were involved, some were judges, and observed the proceedings and I was delighted to see that our International President-Elect, Maureen Maguire, was present. She congratulated Angela, Rosemary and SI Sunderland and made the following comment in the Chat Box – ‘it was a beautiful way to recognise caring and the work Health Care Staff have undertaken during these uncertain times.’
The poem which resonated most with me was ‘RECOVERY’ read by its author – John Buxton, with great passion and gave an uplifting and optimistic end to this inspirational session. Not for the first time, I was PROUD to be a Soroptimist and to be associated with this wonderful initiative.
You now only have two weeks left to register for the SIGBI Virtual Conference, closing date 16 October 2020. See Friday’s SIGBI News Briefing for all the details. Those who have registered will receive an email on 23/10/2020 with details of how to log in and other important information.
As it was National Poetry Day on Thursday, I share with you a short poem by Jane Inman [SI Cockernouth] which she submitted to the Radio Cumbria Breakfast programme, the first line had to be – ‘I stood beside the garden gate’ and listeners were challenged to write 3 more lines.
Jane’s poem was read out by the presenter:
I STOOD BESIDE THE GARDEN GATE
I REALLY WANTED TO GO OUT
BUT THE POWERS THAT BE HAD SAID TO ME
NO! YOU MUST SELF ISOLATE.
Until next week, stay safe and keep well.
In Friendship,
Joyce
PRESIDENT
SINE