{"id":734,"date":"2026-10-19T13:35:32","date_gmt":"2026-10-19T13:35:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sigbi.org\/northern-england\/?page_id=734"},"modified":"2026-10-21T10:18:49","modified_gmt":"2026-10-21T10:18:49","slug":"regional-organisation-information","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sigbi.org\/northern-england\/regional-organisation-information\/","title":{"rendered":"Regional Organisation Information"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t<section class=\"accordion-outer    section\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    <header class=\"section-header container\">\n\t\t\t        <div class=\"section-header-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"section-header-title\">About us<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    <\/header>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"accordion\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"accordion-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"accordion-button accordion-trigger\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion-panel-Regional-Officers\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRegional Officers <svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"icon\"><use xlink:href=\"https:\/\/sigbi.org\/wp-content\/themes\/honeycom3\/assets\/svg\/icons.svg#arrow-right\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"accordion-panel\" aria-labelledby=\"accordion-button-Regional-Officers\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"accordion-description content\"><p>REGIONAL\u00a0OFFICERS<\/p>\n<p>President:\u00a0 Shirley Hallam &#8211; Gould [SI Tynemouth, Whitley Bay and District]<\/p>\n<p>President- Elect:\u00a0Dorothy Thompson &#8211; [SI Darlington]<\/p>\n<p>Vice President:<\/p>\n<p>Immediate Past President:<\/p>\n<p>Martha Dewis\u00a0 [SI Cockermouth &amp; District]\u00a0 \u00a0and \u00a0 Joyce Chesney [SI Stockton-On-Tees]<\/p>\n<p>Secretary: Claire Rawlinson\u00a0 [SI Cockermouth &amp; District] Venue Secretary:\u00a0 Doreen Bertram [SI Cockermouth &amp; District]<\/p>\n<p>Treasurer: Christine Cottingham [SI Newcastle Upon Tyne]<\/p>\n<p>Programme Action Chair:\u00a0 With Club Programme Action Offices working together lead by Christine Tomkins &#8211; [SI Newcastle Upon Tyne]<\/p>\n<p>Membership: and\u00a0Organisation &amp; Development: Caroline Allred &#8211; [SI Stockton on Tees]<\/p>\n<p>Regional Dispute Resolution Procedural Liaison Officer and Region Safeguarding Officer: Joan Heckels [SI Sunderland]<\/p>\n<p>Website Administrator : Bethan Hill-Gorst [SI Cockermouth and District]<\/p>\n<p>Communications Officer: Host Clubs to take photographs of regional functions to send for Facebook and Website.<\/p>\n<p>Benevolent Fund Representative: Dorothy Seth [SI South Shields]<\/p>\n<p>Federation Consultative Councillor: Joyce Chesney [SI Stockton-On-Tees]<\/p>\n<p>Minuting Secretary: Volunteer per meeting.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-hmh-focal=\"54.21 43.22\" style=\"object-position:54.21% 43.22%;--hmh-focal-x:54.21%;--hmh-focal-y:43.22%\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-735 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/sigbi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/176\/2026\/10\/Regional-Officers-2026-300x175.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"175\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sigbi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/176\/2026\/10\/Regional-Officers-2026-300x175.png 300w, https:\/\/sigbi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/176\/2026\/10\/Regional-Officers-2026-768x448.png 768w, https:\/\/sigbi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/176\/2026\/10\/Regional-Officers-2026-600x350.png 600w, https:\/\/sigbi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/176\/2026\/10\/Regional-Officers-2026-400x234.png 400w, https:\/\/sigbi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/176\/2026\/10\/Regional-Officers-2026.png 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><em>Some of the team.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"accordion-button accordion-trigger\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion-panel-Meetings\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMeetings <svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"icon\"><use xlink:href=\"https:\/\/sigbi.org\/wp-content\/themes\/honeycom3\/assets\/svg\/icons.svg#arrow-right\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"accordion-panel\" aria-labelledby=\"accordion-button-Meetings\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"accordion-description content\"><p>Sunday 20 September 2026 \u2013 45th Charter Lunch SI Cockermouth<br \/>\nSunday 11 October 2026 \u2013 International Day of the Girl Child<br \/>\nSaturday 17 October 2026 \u2013 International Day of the Eradication of Poverty<br \/>\nThursday 29 October 2026 \u2013 Open Federation Management Board Meeting<br \/>\nFriday 30 October 2026 \u2013 Sunday 1 November SIGBI Conference, Cardiff<br \/>\nSaturday 7 November 2026 &#8211; Regional Council Meeting<br \/>\nSaturday 14 November 2026 \u2013 89th Charter Lunch SI Newcastle Upon Tyne<br \/>\nWednesday 25 November 2026 \u2013 International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against<br \/>\nWomen\/White Ribbon Day<br \/>\nWednesday 25 November 2026 \u2013 Thursday 10 December 2026 \u2013 UN 16 Days of Action<br \/>\nThursday 10 December 2026 \u2013 Human Rights Day<br \/>\n2027 Diary Hold Dates:<\/p>\n<p>March 2027 \u2013\u00a0 Regional Council Meeting<\/p>\n<p>Saturday 13 November 2027 90th Charter Lunch SI Newcastle Upon Tyne<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"accordion-button accordion-trigger\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion-panel-Safeguarding---SINE-and-Soroptimism\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSafeguarding &#8211; SINE and Soroptimism <svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"icon\"><use xlink:href=\"https:\/\/sigbi.org\/wp-content\/themes\/honeycom3\/assets\/svg\/icons.svg#arrow-right\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"accordion-panel\" aria-labelledby=\"accordion-button-Safeguarding---SINE-and-Soroptimism\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"accordion-description content\"><p>Links to documents on SIGBI hub to be added shortly.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">ANY CONCERNS at Club or of other member\/s. Please contact the Regional Safeguarding Officer.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"accordion-button accordion-trigger\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion-panel-Caring-for-Our-Own---Benevolent-Fund\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCaring for Our Own &#8211; Benevolent Fund <svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"icon\"><use xlink:href=\"https:\/\/sigbi.org\/wp-content\/themes\/honeycom3\/assets\/svg\/icons.svg#arrow-right\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"accordion-panel\" aria-labelledby=\"accordion-button-Caring-for-Our-Own---Benevolent-Fund\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"accordion-description content\"><h5><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-10 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/sigbi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/176\/2026\/07\/logo.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"55\" height=\"98\" \/>Caring for Our Own<\/h5>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Essential Information for Members<\/p>\n<p>A relief fund for the assistance of Soroptimists who have fallen into financial difficulty either through ill health, misfortune or advancing years, and need financial assistance.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Please contact our Regional Trustee (see officers list), if this may be of help to you as a member.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>SSIGBI Benevolent Fund: Established 1942 and continues to be available to members. (Reg Charity 211840)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"accordion-button accordion-trigger\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion-panel-Little-Of-Our-History\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLittle Of Our History <svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"icon\"><use xlink:href=\"https:\/\/sigbi.org\/wp-content\/themes\/honeycom3\/assets\/svg\/icons.svg#arrow-right\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"accordion-panel\" aria-labelledby=\"accordion-button-Little-Of-Our-History\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"accordion-description content\"><p>THE HISTORY &amp; DEVELOPMENT OF SOROPTIMISM IN NORTHERN ENGLAND<\/p>\n<p>2021 will be commemorated as the Centenary of the birth of Soroptimism in Oakland, California, U.S.A. in 1921.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The first clubs in Europe were chartered in 1924 in London and in Paris.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Clubs in the U.K. grew with Manchester and Liverpool in 1926;\u00a0 Glasgow and Edinburgh in 1927;\u00a0 Birmingham in 1928 and Aberdeen in 1929.\u00a0\u00a0 By 1928 there were enough clubs in the two continents to form two Federations &#8211;\u00a0 America and Europe.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A link between them was established by the creation of the \u2018Soroptimist International Association\u2019\u00a0 in 1928.\u00a0\u00a0 In 1934,\u00a0 the Annual Conference of the British National Union was held in London where it was proposed to form a separate Federation of Great Britain and Ireland.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0In 1936, after a years trial,\u00a0 it was agreed to establish nine Divisional Unions encompassing the then forty-four British Clubs.<\/p>\n<p>The earliest clubs in the north were members of the North East Divisional Union ,\u00a0 founded in 1936 and stretching North from Yorkshire.\u00a0 Meetings were held in Leeds.<\/p>\n<p>During these early times several new clubs were chartered.\u00a0 S.I.Newcastle upon Tyne was the first in 1937 and was closely followed by S.I.Sunderland in 1938.\u00a0\u00a0 The war years slowed down progress but\u00a0 S.I.Carlisle was chartered in 1941;\u00a0 S.I.Middlesborough\u00a0 in 1945 closely followed by S.I.Durham; S.I.Hartlepool snd S.I.Tynemouth in 1947.<\/p>\n<p>In 1948,\u00a0 the new Divisional Union of Northern England was formed while the original North East Divisional Union took the new title of Yorkshire Divisional Union.\u00a0 The formation of new clubs progressed rapidly with S.I.Darlington and District\u00a0 and S.I.South Shields and District both being chartered in 1948.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 1949 saw S.I.Morpeth and District being chartered.\u00a0 As we entered the 1950\u2019s,\u00a0 S.I.Gateshead was chartered with some members transferring from S.I.Newcastle upon Tyne in 1950 and then S.I.Whitley Bay in 1953;\u00a0 S.I.Stockton &#8211; on &#8211; Tees in 1958 and S.I.Ashington &amp; Newbiggin in 1959.\u00a0\u00a0 The 1960\u2019s saw further progress with S.I.Penrith &amp; District and also S.I. Bedlington &amp; Blyth being chartered in 1960.\u00a0 In 1967 S.I.Hexham was formed followed by S.I.Berwick &amp; District in 1968 and a few months later by S.I.Alnwick in 1969.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In 1973 S.I.Whitehaven &amp; District was chartered.\u00a0 Progress then started to slow down and S.I.Cockermouth &amp; District was chartered in 1981.<\/p>\n<p>In 1990 the Region known as the Divisional Union of Northern England changed its title and became S.I. Region of Northern England \u00a0as it is still called today.\u00a0 In 1991 our newest club,\u00a0 S.I.Tynedale, was chartered\u00a0\u00a0 and in 2003 it was agreed that S.I.Tynemouth and S.I.Whitley Bay &amp; District would merge to form a new club of S.I. Tynemouth, Whitley Bay &amp; District.\u00a0 Over the years since 1937,\u00a0 a total of nine clubs have closed with one new club emerging as a new S.I.Tynedale in the Tyne Valley and two further clubs merging to form one.\u00a0 Twelve clubs remain and many members have made the welcome decision to transfer from clubs facing closure into neighbouring clubs.<\/p>\n<p>In the wider world,\u00a0 Soroptimist International continues to liaise and link the four Federations together and an International Convention is held every four years.\u00a0 The Federations are those of S.I. of The Americas;\u00a0 S.I. of Europe; S.I. of Great British and Ireland;\u00a0 S.I. of the South West Pacific.\u00a0\u00a0 Plans are well advanced to charter the fifth Federation of Africa in 2021.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":47,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"page-themes":[],"topic":[],"class_list":["post-734","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sigbi.org\/northern-england\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/734","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sigbi.org\/northern-england\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sigbi.org\/northern-england\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sigbi.org\/northern-england\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/47"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sigbi.org\/northern-england\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=734"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/sigbi.org\/northern-england\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/734\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":781,"href":"https:\/\/sigbi.org\/northern-england\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/734\/revisions\/781"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sigbi.org\/northern-england\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=734"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"page-themes","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sigbi.org\/northern-england\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/page-themes?post=734"},{"taxonomy":"topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sigbi.org\/northern-england\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topic?post=734"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}