{"id":5915,"date":"2021-05-09T15:28:02","date_gmt":"2021-05-09T14:28:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sigbi.org\/northern-england\/?p=5915"},"modified":"2021-05-09T15:28:02","modified_gmt":"2021-05-09T14:28:02","slug":"presidents-weekly-message-week-fifty-three","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sigbi.org\/northern-england\/2021\/05\/09\/presidents-weekly-message-week-fifty-three\/","title":{"rendered":"Presidents Weekly Message – Week Fifty Three"},"content":{"rendered":"

To all my sister Soroptimists in Northern England\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

This is the season of Club Annual General Meetings and I thank all of the club officers for their past year of service and wish all the new incoming post holders a happy experience in this our Centennial year.<\/span><\/p>\n

S.I. Stockton-on-Tees\u00a0 <\/strong>have sent me further news of their Centenary Project –\u00a0 RAINBOW ROOM\u00a0 .\u00a0 <\/strong>This was briefly presented at the last Regional Meeting but I thought you might like to read more about how it was organised and delivered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStockton Soroptimists met in January to discuss ideas for celebrating the Soroptimist Centenary.\u00a0 Late last year members had collected 100 sanitary items for the local Food Bank but that was just an extension of what they had been doing for some time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jane Leak had heard about a Sunderland Hospital having a \u2018Wobble Room\u2019 – a designated place where nursing staff could go to re-charge, rest and relax.\u00a0 Jane wondered if a Stockton Hospital may have something similar which we could support or donate to.<\/span><\/p>\n

Initial enquiries were made to University Hospital of North Tees and Hartlepool by Liz Wood,\u00a0 to identify the person responsible to contact.\u00a0 It became difficult for the Programme Action Officer, Caroline Allred, to establish contact and this was hardly surprising when we learned from the local MP that the number of COVID-19 cases had reached a very high number and how experienced members of staff were struggling not only with the numbers but also with the severity of the illness they were dealing with.<\/span><\/p>\n

Eventually contact was made and it was learned that the Hospital did indeed have such a room,\u00a0 initially thought to be called the Re-Charge Hub.\u00a0 We later discovered the room had been made possible by a grant from Captain Tom\u2019s Foundation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Following discussion it was agreed that members would provide a Treats\/Thank you box for the room.\u00a0 It would be filled with herbal teas, ground coffee bags, hot chocolate sachets, other drinks and some boxes of chocolates also.\u00a0 Because some of our members had been shielding during previous lockdowns,\u00a0 we already have a systematic plan where we established four drop off points in geographical areas of the Borough.\u00a0 From these posts a collection was made by Soroptimister Mike Allred, Caroline\u2019s husband.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The box had to be plastic because of infection control.\u00a0 (\u00a0 It had been envisaged that we would present a wooden box with a brass plaque giving club details ).\u00a0 So a plastic box was purchased,\u00a0 easier to keep clean and attached laminated sheets giving club details, plus some of our business cards.<\/span><\/p>\n

The presentation was arranged for Friday 26 February –\u00a0 unfortunately, Caroline was shielding again by this time, so President Sue Scott, accompanied by Margaret Wall and Joyce Chesney, to help carry the quantity of treats,\u00a0 met Vicki Spinks who gave a guided tour of the RAINBOW ROOM as it was now called.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Room is situated in the basement of the hospital and is actually two rooms and off each room is a shower room for staff who may have cycled in or wish to shower at the end of their shift.\u00a0 One room had comfortable chairs, and the other tables and chairs, both had kitchen facilities and at the time of the visit, several staff members were having lunch,\u00a0 it was evident that the room was being well used\u00a0 A notebook was left so that the users of the Rainbow Room could note requested items which members may donate and regular contact will be maintained to check when replenishments were necessary.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\"\"\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

It was also learned that hand cream,\u00a0 lip balm and shower gel in quantity would-be welcomed.\u00a0 Our commitment to the Rainbow Room is for six months initially and to review <\/span>regularly.\u00a0 Facebook and Twitter posts have publicised our actions and the press contacted. \u201c<\/span><\/p>\n

S.I. Durham <\/strong>have sent me the April edition of their Club Newsletter (\u00a0 thank you to Jane Katsambis for compiling and distributing this ).\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It is a lengthy and entertaining read so I hope that you will enjoy it as well\u00a0 (\u00a0 attached ).\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The first section is a lively contribution from Immediate Past President Joyce Chesney with an account of her year in office.\u00a0 The other section that I would ask you to read are the pages 11 to 12 which is on the SIGBI Ltd. Diamond Education Grant <\/strong>how it was established and what it does.\u00a0 Pages 14 and 15 recount stories from those women who had received grants from before the Pandemic changed our lives.\u00a0 As many of you already know,\u00a0 Federation President Johanna Raffan has made this Charity her Federation Appeal for this year with a plea for clubs to raise \u00a3100 for 100 years in order to increase the number of grants that can be made this year.\u00a0 Many women will have experienced unemployment and the need to change careers during the Pandemic.\u00a0 This is an opportunity to support them in their time of need.\u00a0\u00a0 There will be more about this in the next few weeks as I send out the invitations to the<\/span>\"\"\u00a0Regional Celebratory Event on 19 June\u00a0 2021 when the proceeds of a Regional Raffle will\u00a0 be divided between the Butterwick Hospice and the Diamond Education Grant.\u00a0 Please do support our regional efforts.<\/span><\/p>\n

A reminder that S.I.Newcastle upon Tyne\u00a0 <\/strong>members are holding an Open Recruitment evening on Tuesday 13 April from 7.0pm to about 9.0pm.\u00a0 <\/strong>There is a full programme of presentations from members about Soroptimism and its activities and opportunities.\u00a0 If you, or any of your friends or family, would like to join the meeting,\u00a0 then please do request a link from :\u00a0 newcastle.upontynesoroptimist@yahoo.com<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0 <\/strong>in order to join the meeting.<\/span><\/p>\n

This may be an opportunity for Membership and Communication Officers in Clubs to view the results of some excellent club preparation work that could be built on within other clubs.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 One section is about the members responses to \u2018Ask me why I am a Soroptimist\u2019\u00a0 and links with the next request in this Newsletter !<\/span><\/p>\n

S.I.G.B.I. Director of Membership –\u00a0 Chevonne Agana\u00a0 <\/strong>has put out an Appeal for very short videos from members to use on Social Media during May 2021 – Membership Month.<\/span><\/p>\n

Chevonne is proposing that one video should be submitted ( no longer than 3 mins ) and should be made up of one very senior member,\u00a0 a mid-range member and a very new member .\u00a0 The focus should be on answering the following questions :<\/span><\/p>\n