{"id":6117,"date":"2021-10-24T23:27:01","date_gmt":"2021-10-24T22:27:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sigbi.org\/northern-england\/?p=6117"},"modified":"2021-10-24T23:27:01","modified_gmt":"2021-10-24T22:27:01","slug":"presidents-message-number-72","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sigbi.org\/northern-england\/2021\/10\/24\/presidents-message-number-72\/","title":{"rendered":"Presidents Message – Number 72"},"content":{"rendered":"

Good Morning sister Soroptimists<\/span><\/h3>\n

After such a week of wind and rain, I do hope that you are all dry and safe and have not <\/span>suffered any damage. <\/span>Suddenly all the clubs seem to be moving forward into face-to-face special meetings so I<\/span>
\nhave been busy these past two weeks with visits to S.I.Cockermouth; S.I. Sunderland; <\/span>S.I. Durham and S.I. Tynemouth, Whitley Bay & District. I also spent hours of screen time <\/span>watching the \u201cSoroptimist International 100 Celebrations\u201d last Saturday and Sunday.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"First news from <\/span>S.I. Stockton-on-Tees who gathered <\/span>together in the <\/span>garden of member <\/span>Sue Scott for their <\/span>first face-to-face <\/span>meeting. This <\/span>Garden Party was in <\/span>aid of Teesside <\/span>Hospice ( different <\/span>from Butterwick <\/span>Hospice Care ) and <\/span>just over \u00a3600 was <\/span>raised with only 18 <\/span>attendees including <\/span>two Soroptimister’s <\/span>and Kath Sainsbury <\/span>from <\/span>S.I. Middlesbrough. <\/span>The rain stayed away <\/span>and the event was <\/span>much enjoyed by all. <\/span>The photograph <\/span>shows Club <\/span>President Christine <\/span>Fryer drawing the <\/span>winning raffle tickets. <\/span><\/p>\n

Secondly to our celebrations with members of S.I. Cockermouth & District where their <\/span>40th Charter Anniversary was marked in great style. Rather than write a report, <\/span>President Claire has sent me a link which contains photographs and a video ( taken from a <\/span>drone by the key speaker Mr Richard Warren who is Chairman of the Lake District Search <\/span>and Mountain Rescue Association) which has captured the joy felt by all present. I<\/span>t certainly was an uplifting occasion.\u00a0View what happened:<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

After the main video of the Charter Celebrations, you may like to watch some further You <\/span>Tube video clips of the work of the Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team ( especially those of <\/span>you who are dog lovers !). <\/span>While we were at Cockermouth, I was able to take the opportunity to present face-to-face <\/span>the Regional Best Practice Certificates to some of the clubs who were represented there. <\/span>S.I. Middlesbrough received a certificate for their Lockdown project of the writing and <\/span>compiling the book \u201cOvercoming the Odds\u201d.\"\" Club President Geraldine Nuttall is in the <\/span>photograph above receiving the certificate. This is certainly on the \u2018recommended reading\u2019 <\/span>list and I understand that copes are still available from Pam Cooper at \u00a310 each plus P&P. <\/span>Next was a certificate for S.I. Stockton-on-Tees for their project on the support for the <\/span>Rainbow Rooms at North Tees and Hartlepool hospitals. These rooms had been equipped <\/span>by a grant from the Captain Tom Trust. This SINE Best Practice Award was in recognition <\/span>of their much needed support of NHS staff during the Pandemic. They provided supplies <\/span>of beverages, chocolates and biscuits together with toiletries, hand creams, lip balms and <\/span>shower gels. The photograph shows member Caroline Allred receiving the certificate. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"It was lovely to have representatives of S.I. Penrith and District present and they not only <\/span>received their Best Practice Award Certificate but also the \u201cReach for the Skies\u201d trophy <\/span>as the overall winner of this year\u2019s judging. The Penrith club is a small number of <\/span>enthusiastic members who have engaged in a wide variety of community projects such as <\/span>the tree planting in the Ullswater Catchment Area which is helping to alleviate the local <\/span>flooding risks; the very practical support given to the Eden Valley Women\u2019sRefuge in <\/span>many forms from new start bags to children\u2019s craft bags and the successful application for <\/span>a grant to buy white goods for women moving into their own safe homes; the make-over <\/span>of the Coronation Garden in central \"\"Penrith which had wonderful embellishments to <\/span>explain about Soroptimism – and many more projects. <\/span>The photograph shows members Pat Newsham (on the right ) and Moira Rogers (on the <\/span>left ) receiving their award. Congratulations on all their dedicated hard work.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

The last Regional Best Practice certificate presentation was to S.I. Tynemouth, Whitley <\/span>Bay and District for the way in which they organise their very inclusive and <\/span>comprehensive Programme Action projects. Every club member is part of one of the 5 \u2018P\u2019s <\/span>teams, each team produces a plan of activity which is presented to all club members for <\/span>approval and then takes the lead to organise and enact the Programme Action topic. I <\/span>appreciate that this award was not for a specific PA project but the way in which they go <\/span>about making PA the central core to their club is an example to us all. Every member is <\/span>involved and the resulting programme is very lively as you will have seen from some <\/span>previous reports in this Newsletter – AND they all have so much \"\"fun, friendship and <\/span>laughter along the way ! <\/span>The photograph shows Joint President Anne Gunning receiving the certificate . <\/span>While you are watching video\u2019s, you may like to see the edited versions of the S.I. <\/span>Northern England 100 years of Soroptimist International which were held on 19 June <\/span>2021 – on a virtual platform. <\/span><\/p>\n

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There are four parts : <\/span><\/p>\n