Good Morning Soroptimist Sisters,
I am not sure why I wrote that very first message to you all in March last year? Mainly, I think, to apologise that our Regional Council Meeting had to be cancelled and to speculate what we were all going to do whilst we were locked down! I don’t know about you, but I was expecting that it would only last a few weeks and we would soon return to normal; how naive was I?
Who would have thought that one year on, we would still be locked down and with a UK death total of 126,000 – that is a shocking and dreadful statistic! This awful pandemic has affected so many and I know that there have been members in our Region who have been bereaved; my thoughts are, and have always been, with them.
So in those early days, and whilst clearing out the cupboard under the stairs, you may remember that I discovered 15 umbrellas which I photographed and shared with you! This elicited captions and comments and my messages continued with contributions from YOU, Clubs and Members, and I will be forever thankful for these. I soon realised that communication was key and that to survive we needed to learn and adapt in order to continue 
as a Soroptimist Region.
Do you remember my strap line – INCLUDE INVOLVE INSPIRE – EVERY MEMBER MATTERS?
I hope that we have included you, involved you and I have most certainly been inspired by your innovative and imaginative work in the name of Soroptimism.
Online meetings have become the norm – either Zoom, Skype, GoTo or Teams, all online platforms which have been used, and used not only for meetings with speakers, but for Coffee Mornings, Conferences, Charter celebrations and making contact with Soroptimists all over the World and with our Friendship Links. This surely is a positive advantage. Nothing beats meeting face to face, of course, and we are confident that we will be able to do that before very long!
Returning to the umbrellas – I received a surprise gift from Regional Secretary Joan Heckels and her sister Chris Tonkinson, both of SI Sunderland, who printed the umbrella photograph onto lovely cards which I have been able to use throughout the year, sending to members who needed some contact. A unique gift! Chris was also instrumental in designing the certificates for our Programme Action Awards – Reach for the Skies and also the certificate for our Soropti-Pet competition. These illustrated the wonderful Insignia which Bethan Hill-Gorst designed using the Presidential Chain and which heads up the fantastic SINE Website which Bethan has kept relevant
throughout the year. Take a look, there is so much to see – all of my weekly messages are there which give a comprehensive record of your activities throughout the year, photographs included.
Among the many lovely things that have happened this year was the delivery of this beautiful canvas, which is mounted on the wall above my desk. This unique Word Salad was a gift from Hilary Clavering and Joan Heckels and Denise Wilson, who designed it, and as well as featuring the names of our 12 clubs, it also has my strap line and inspirational words to which all Soroptimists aspire.
This was a gift which really took my breath
away because it is so personal and will be forever treasured.
What a team our Regional Officers are and with whom I have enjoyed very productive meetings throughout the year, with healthy debate and never a cross word! Thank you to every one of them.
It was Karen Alexander, our Programme Action Chair, who had the idea of a Northern Soul Dance Party to raise funds for the Nepal Project. It was such a successful event which attracted attention from across the UK and put SINE firmly on the map! It was also Karen who suggested that we have a Soropti-Pet competition – your pets dressed in orange for the 16 Days of Action VAGW – this generated 21 entries including cats, dogs, a rabbit, guinea pigs, donkeys, a hippo [not real] and a tortoise!
A national initiative came from Angela Richardson of SI Sunderland – Poems in a Pandemic – which culminated in an emotional online event when Care Home Staff read their winning poems, which had been chosen by a panel of judges which included SINE Soroptimists.
My thank you cards will be in the post in the coming days to all who have contributed to the running of the Region.
Massive appreciation to Pat Jefferson, who has faithfully and accurately recorded the proceedings of both Regional Council and Officer’s meetings. Pat has had many personal problems throughout the year and I am so grateful to her for continuing in spite of them.
Probably the busiest lady in the Region has been our indomitable Regional Secretary, Joan Heckels. I think it would be fair to say that hardly a day goes by without her working on some aspect of Regional business.
She has been a joy to work with and without her, I would have been totally lost! Thank you Joan!
There have been some Soroptimist sisters who have never failed to respond to my weekly messages. How encouraged I have been by your kind and supportive words which have been faithfully recorded in my book of memories.
I am so proud to belong to SI Stockton-on-Tees and the support of members has been invaluable. I am sad that the plans we had made in our small committee became impossible, the beautiful programmes which had been printed for Afternoon Tea at Whitworth Hall, were never sent. Another disappointment caused by the pandemic.
Stockton’s President, Sue Scott, surprised me a few days ago, with this beautiful planter with Queen Elizabeth Rose, [4] plus an album of photographs from my Weekly Messages and of the limited opportunity Stockton Members had to get together last summer. What a unique gift from my lovely members to celebrate my term of office, which, in a way, has also been unique and unexpected!
Nobody has been more supportive throughout than my best friend and Bubble Buddy, Margaret Wall, who has been my sounding board throughout. Endlessly patient, always available at the end of the telephone when I have been frustrated, I couldn’t have done it without you, Margaret!
It was at a Regional Meeting in Hexham Auction Mart, 2018, I think, when Margaret Alderson asked me if I would like this Past President’s Badge which belonged to her sister, the late
Kathleen Manning, an outstanding Soroptimist, whom I so admired. Margaret, thank you for this gift, it will be an honour and a privilege to wear.
So, week commencing 29 March, when we will be able to travel more than five miles from our homes, I will meet President Christine in Dalton Park Car park and hand over to her the Presidential Chain of Office as she leads us through the Centenary year. I am most grateful to her for allowing me to continue for these extra months but I will now be really happy to support her and wish her well as she ‘flies solo’!
This has been a time when so much has been asked of each and every one of you to carry on working and supporting and publicising, and to celebrate the reasons why we are Soroptimists.
Sending my thanks and very best wishes to each and every one of you.
My very last quote comes from Mother Theresa:
It’s not about how much you do, but how much love you put into what you do that counts!
In Friendship.
Joyce
Immediate Past President
SINE