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Presidents Message – Number 59

Good Morning to all my sister Soroptimists in Northern England :

After a week of showers and more persistent rain,  I hope that you are all drying out now and able to tackle more outdoor jobs this coming week.  We seem to be on a theme of ‘gardening’ with many clubs reporting environmental projects from tidying village and town flower beds to planting trees,   from supporting after-school gardening clubs to thinking about how to recycle all those plastic pots.

S.I. Penrith and District  have started on one of their Centenary projects with a major tidy-up of the Coronation Garden in Penrith.   The photograph shows the start of the work in progress and we are looking forward to seeing the finished result.   Pat Newsham reports that this is the first practical project that they have been able to be involved in for some time.  The six members ( working outdoors ) look very enthusiastic and energetic –  so keep going ladies,  I’m sure that the results will do you proud.

 

S.I.Darlington and District  have sent me a lovely photograph of  President Sophia from their friendship link club of S.I. Tororo in Uganda.

It’s not often that we can share the wedding photographs of a club President so I thought that you would enjoy the happiness that beams from their faces.  I am told that part of the local wedding tradition is that the Bride and Groom feed each other –  in this case – CAKE  !

Do any other clubs have news from their Friendship Link Clubs ?

 

#whoisshe  in May had an entry for Mrs Catherine Carmichael Sharp MBE  1917 – 1995 and it mentions in the text that she has a daughter, Rosemary. who is also a Soroptimist.

S.I. Tynemouth, Whitley Bay and District are proud to report that their member Rosemary Webb is the daughter mentioned and have persuaded her to write some reflections about her mother who sounds as if she was a fantastic role model.

After her war service and her marriage to a Canadian Air Force Flight Lieutenant, she went to live in Canada in 1947 but following the death of her husband in an accident,  she decided to return to the UK with her young daughter and two sons and settled back into her home town of Dunfermline in 1953. 

She led her life spending every spare moment helping others.  Following an invitation onto the Carnegie Dunfermline Trust –  one of four Trusts created to disburse millions of pounds left to the U.K. by the multimillionaire steel tycoon Andrew Carnegie,  himself born in Dunfermline  –  she eventually chaired three of the four trusts in Britain,  using her financial acumen founded in her university days.  Firstly, she chaired Carnegie Dunfermline Trust which funded many good works in the town,  from youth work to sports clubs to individual grants locally applied for.  She had a particular interest in the Carnegie Hero Fund Trust which recognises heroic acts in the U.K. where a hero either loses his/her life or is left disadvantaged by the deed – in both circumstances caring for dependants for life.  The Carnegie U.K. Trust makes grants to applicants meeting specific remits,  sometimes  restoration work of historic importance, and often in a pioneering project which in time will be taken over by a local authority.  Chairing this body meant meeting with many heads of influential bodies all over the U.K., local authorities and M.P.s.  She spent a huge amount of time reading reports and recommendations.  Carnegie’s work and benefit to us all is immense.  I am sure that we have all visited a Carnegie Library or learnt to swim in Carnegie Baths  –  this is all through the wonderful philanthropy of this special Dunfermline man.   If in Scotland do visit Pittencriff  Park in the town –  Andrew Carnegie longed to play there as a child as he climbed the wall of this private estate, so when he made his millions on the U.S. railways, he bought it and gifted to to the town for all the children to enjoy.

Catherine’s enormous understanding of people and empathy with their problems contributed to her wide-ranging, and it seemed never ending, list of voluntary contributions to her country.  Among so many other activities, she founded and chaired the Carnegie Festival of Music,  giving young music students a non term-time opportunity to perform in an orchestra for public concerts. 

In her many, many activities with the Carnegie Trusts she frequently met members of the royal family,  but she was equally at home talking to park keepers and caretakers of the many properties she visited.  Her sense of humour was immense  –  after a very unfortunate car accident, when she and her car actually came down a height from a car park on to a main road,  she anticipated and outwitted some teasing by men at her next committee meeting.  She wore her RAF wings brooch prominently displayed on her jacket…… sure enough to find that they had placed several cushions on her chair !

Catherine Sharp loved being a Soroptimist, duly hatted and gloved, and sat on the club committee which considered nominations for new members.  Yes  –  some were rejected in those days !   She enjoyed travel and visited the twin town in Norway and attended several Soroptimist conferences in the U.K. and abroad,  including USA and Hawaii.  I remember her loving her chain gang reunions.

She was awarded an M.B.E. by the Queen in 1985 at Holyrood for voluntary work in the community.   Some of her appointments were ‘firsts’ as a woman.   Best of all she was a great Mum and doting grandmother.  She played tennis and golf with us and encouraged us in all we did,  seeing the three of us through university and happily into good careers.  I used to think that she knitted for every baby in the town and she undoubtedly instilled in me my love of knitting, sewing, embroidery etc.   She was in return a dearly loved and highly respected lady by so many, ultimately being affectionally referred to as Mrs Dunfermline.  It was fitting that Andrew Carnegie’s great grandson attended her funeral.  “

Thank you so much for this personal tribute to your mother Rosemary.   It is wonderful to read of the personal background of a woman who lived so much in her public life.

Don’t forget that the next Regional Coffee Gathering is on Saturday 5th June at 10.30am  and please contact Margaret Ayton  (  margaretayton40@gmail.com )  if you wish to attend and she will send you the link.

Next weekend is the late May Bank Holiday –  is the summer about to start I ask ???

Keep well and look  after yourselves – 

in friendship

Christine Lumsdon –  your Regional President

christinemlumsdon@gmail.com