Good Morning Soroptimist Sisters
This week has seen an outpouring of grief for Sarah Everard, who was kidnapped and murdered in London. Sarah studied at Durham University and originated from York, so may be known to some of our members or their families. Christine Cottingham’s granddaughter, Amy, who lives in Clapham, attended an event on Clapham Common on Saturday Afternoon – this is what she wrote:
‘An emotional and overwhelming event to be part of. Struggling to find the words to explain how myself and many other women are feeling. Angry, scared and incredibly sad. Rest in peace Sarah Everard’.
Christine added – ‘We, the older generation of women, and also as Soroptimists must support the younger generation of women, to try to show men that being threatening and misogynistic is not how they should behave towards women. I believe that how their parents bring them up to value and respect women is the way forward’. Thank you, Christine, for allowing me to share this with our sisters at an emotional time!
Today is the beginning of the Commission on the Status of Women 2021 – the 65th session will take place in hybrid format with mostly virtual meetings. Over 100 Soroptimists from SIGBI have registered to attend. From today – introduction day from NGO CSW New York, – 2 – 3 blogs from SIGBI attendees will be added to the list of blogs on the sigbi.org website. Follow the links.
Catching up with the celebrations of International Women’s Day last Monday, the very night SI Durham held their Club meeting. Thanks to Sue, their Secretary, for sending me the screenshot 
and also telling me how they celebrated. Nine members spoke of personally chosen women who had inspired and influenced them in their lives making it a really interesting evening. The women who were featured ranged from family members and friends, to present day women in influential positions and historically recognised women.
Also celebrating International Women’s Day in a very different way, was Jane Inman, former Regional President and a member of SI Cockermouth. Many of you may not realise that Jane has left Cockermouth and will be moving into her new home in Kings Lynn, Norfolk, next week. Jane celebrated International Women’s Day by taking part in an amazing virtual dance class with over 600 women from around the world, dancing together to all the old favourites, like ‘It’s raining men’ and ‘Sisters are doing it for themselves’. Jane said – ‘I 
may be between homes but I could still celebrate and this was awesome!’ You will be happy to know that Jane will remain a Linked Member of Cockermouth until she is settled, when she will transfer to a club locally. She hopes to join a Regional event at some point to say her goodbyes.
I was impressed to see all of the posts from SINE Clubs about International Women’s Day on Facebook and Twitter. Tremendous efforts were made to promote both the day and Soroptimism.
I also made mention last week of World Book Day and, in response, I received this delightful photograph from Jenny Matthews, SI Stockton-on-Tees It is of her granddaughter, Lily, who dressed up for World Book Day as the Kind Witch from ROOM ON THE BROOM by Julia Donaldson. For this, Lily won a prize, – appropriately, the prize was a book!
That’s the thing about books….. they let you travel without moving your feet!
Barbara Brown of SI Darlington sent news of their Club meeting this week, which she said was exciting, as they were joined by Sophia of SI Tororo in Uganda. Elspeth Robinson was updating members on the work of her charity the Kumi Community Foundation in Uganda and Sophia was able to help with the commentary. They were also joined by two visitors and five members of SI Richmond and the Dales.
Barbara has been busy also, trimming used postage stamps to be sent to the RNIB.
This is something many clubs have done for years to raise money for different charities, SI Stockton-on-Tees send stamps to the Leprosy Mission.
SI Middlesbrough has yet another accolade about their book ‘Overcoming the Odds’; this time a review in the Darlington and Stockton Times
I am sure that there are still copies of the book available to purchase from Pam Cooper cooperpageo21@aol.com
Jane Katsambis has been busy again and produced another excellent SI Durham Newsletter Durham Newsletter
Full of good things, with extremely excellent photographs, it is well worth reading.
This will be my penultimate weekly message. So if you have any Club news to share from this week, will you please send to Christine Lumsdon at christinemlumsdon@gmail.com
After next week’s message, my 50th, Christine who will be your President, will take over this task as I step down as Joint Regional President at the RC Meeting next Saturday. My final message will be full of thanks, highlights and my memories from the 17 months from October 2019 until now.
How far you have come is less important than how far you can go!
Until next week, Stay Safe and Keep Well
In Friendship,
Joyce
Joint Regional President
SINE