Good Morning Sister Soroptimists
It would have been good to begin my first message of 2021 with some joyful news about recovery from the Pandemic; sadly, the situation this week is probably worse now than last March when I commenced sending these weekly messages! Nobody can be unaware of the seriousness of this latest Lockdown and the frightening daily infection rates which have topped 60,000.
To all of you I send my sincere wishes that 2021 will eventually turn out to be better, brighter and healthier than 2020 has been, although it certainly may not look this way now.
Do stay safe – we isolate now, so that when we gather again – nobody is missing!
CLUB NEWS
SI Penrith and District have more news about their Hedge Planting in December, which almost did not happen! Pat Newsham has sent a photograph and description of their partnership activity (see article to the right). We need our hedges and too many are being destroyed. Well done to Penrith ladies for overcoming the odds!
Which brings me neatly to news from SI Middlesbrough, whose Lockdown Project book – OVERCOMING THE ODDS – has been purchased in quantity by Middlesbrough Libraries. Also, in December 2020, the library service launched a virtual exhibition on Facebook and Twitter – Unfinished Business – and Middlesbrough Soroptimists were invited to take part. The exhibition is now concluded, but it was a chance to publicise Soroptimism and you can still access the video to see what it was all about – Middlesbrough Libraries – #Unfinished Business.
Cris Young, Secretary of SI Newcastle upon Tyne Club, has started a photo collage of Soroptimist activity – volunteering, raising funds or simply having fun! Her aim is to collect 100 photographs as part of their 100 year challenge to celebrate the SI Centenary. She asks every club if they would like to submit photographs of their activities for inclusion. Cris has already picked up photographs from these weekly messages but going forward into the New Year she would welcome your photographs. Please send to cris.y@virginmedia.com
Lockdown Sundays
It may seem strange, but I know it’s true,
What Marjorie and Patricia these Sundays choose to do.
They set out in all weathers,
And at the end of Abbey Meadows , they get together.
A warm rug to sit upon, flasks of coffee and tasty bites to share.
Car drivers and cyclists slow down and stare.
After a while passers by stop to chat,
Sharing lockdown stories of this and that.
How long this strange phenomenon will go on,
Depends on what happens in 2021.
A vaccine is promised, hip hip hooray.
And one thing I know, these meetings are here to stay.
Patricia Gatherum December 2020.
Partnership Activity
Soroptimist International Penrith and District applied to the Woodland Trust for 60 free hedging plants which were to be used in a joint project with Sockbridge & Tirril Community Led Footpath Scheme. We were granted the free plants with delivery in Nov 2020. The week before they were due the land owner changed their plans leaving us with no site for the plants.
Fortunately Ullswater Catchment Management, set up after the 2015 floods, came to our rescue. Danny Teasdale of Ullswater CM said “I was laying on old hedge with James Rebanks on his land at Matterdale and used your saplings to fill the gaps, they will make a wonderful thick bushy hedge when they start to grow again, all have been used so no wastage, thank you for passing them on”.
We had planned to take part in the planting day, put up a plaque and hold a community event to celebrate but none of this was possible due to the Covid 19 restrictions
Some of you may have read “The Shepherds Life” and other books written by James Rebanks,
REGIONAL NEWS
WORKSHOP – HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT
I hope that you have all been made aware of the opportunity to join an online Workshop organised by the Senior Education and Engagement Officer at the Houses of Parliament. This is for us to find out how Parliament works, how we can become more engaged with it and how we can try and influence policy makers at Westminster. This session will be on Saturday, 30 January 2021 from 10am. Please ask your Club Secretary to sign you up for this – it would be excellent if each club could have one or more representatives attending. Places are still available by emailing our Regional Secretary – Joan Heckels –
Do any of you remember a Regional Council Meeting as far back as March 2013? It was a celebration of the 65th anniversary of our Region of Northern England and Patricia Gatherum, then Regional President, had organised a celebration through the decades in Programme work and Fashion by each club. The final presentation was a look into the future and SI Tynedale demonstrated how we could be dressed. The photograph showing Jo Chexal [right] and Eleanor Glendinning, who is wearing full PPE, with Face Mask pinned on and ready for protection in dangerous air pollution! Well, they were very nearly right in their prediction, although now something very similar is in use for protection against infection and Covid-19!
Now that’s spooky!!
Patricia Gatherum [SI Newcastle upon Tyne] has composed and shared the Lockdown Sundays Poem which describes how she and her friend, Marjorie, meet weekly for coffee on a bench, maintaining social distancing. Although with the present restrictions, these meetings have had to be suspended!
The final photograph for today is a super montage of SOROPTI-PET – all 21 of them in Orange, put together for us by Barbara Brown of SI Darlington.
NUMBER 63 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
If you, or your club, hold Shares in Number 63, you may be already aware that the Annual General Meeting will be held virtually at 2.00pm on Saturday, 23 January 2021. Should you wish to attend, you must register between 9th and 16th January on the website – number63/shareholders – where you will find all of the information pertaining to the meeting – Agenda, Accounts, Board Elections, Proxy voting etc. Voting papers are to be returned by 22 January 2021. Please be aware that this meeting is only for Shareholders of Number 63.
Finally, some fabulous news and CONGRATULATIONS to our Immediate Past Regional President, Shirley Hallam, who announced her engagement to Peter Gould on New Year’s Day. I am sure that all members will join with me in sending Shirley and Peter our love and very best wishes for their future together.
Until next week, STAY SAFE, KEEP WELL
In Friendship,
Joyce
SINE
Joint President