Come along and find out more about us Dobbie’s Garden Centre, Braehead – 10.30, Friday 29 November 2024    

Following recent appeals from both Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire Foodbanks who were running low on supplies due to the increasing demand being made on them, members donated a selection of goods.  These were taken to East Renfrewshire  and a financial donation was made to Renfrewshire  

The 25th of each month is “Orange” day for Soroptimists worldwide when they raise awareness and take action to end Violence Against Women and Girls.

In December 2021, in partnership with the Friends of Barshaw, the Club planted a white rowan tree in the Peace Garden at Barshaw Park in Paisley, to mark the centenary of Soroptimist International. Six months later it is flourishing and hopefully will go on to provide food for the birds White rowan tree planted to mark the centenary of Soroptimist International

Club member Jenifer and her friend Maureen, a member of Soroptimist International of Kirkcaldy (formerly a member of Dundee) completed the Kiltwalk on a beautiful day at the end of April to raise funds for the Scottish based charity Mary's Meals  https://www.marysmeals.org/ The funds raised were match funded by 50% from  the  Hunter Foundation, raising the amount raised to just over £1600, enough to feed over 100 children for a year. Jenifer and Maureen with their medals

After COP 26 in Glasgow, the club bought 12 copies of Greta Thunberg's book " Nobody is too small to make a difference" and offered these to the Education Department at Renfrewshire Council. They were happy to receive the books and arranged for them to be distributed to all 12 secondary schools in Renfrewshire where they will be given to the libraries. The books were all inscribed with the name of the school and with best wishes from SI Paisley.

Saturday 5 June was World Environment Day. Members of the Club were out in their local areas picking up litter.  Sadly a very easy thing to do - no shortage of plastic bottles, cans, packaging of various sorts and face masks to name only a few items.  

Items such as  toiletries,  nighties and pyjamas were provided for patients at the Dialysis Unit in Glasgow’s Queen Eizabeth Hospital following the suggestion of one of our members. Earlier in the year we heard about the work of the Unit, and then Elaine, who attends the Unit herself, told us about patients who are sometimes admitted at short notice and without basic items.

The members of Soroptimist International of Paisley were taken completely by surprise to receive a certificate and covering letter from Provost Lorraine Cameron, Renfrewshire Council acknowledging and thanking us for our support for the local community during the past months. As a Club we had agreed for this year to focus most of the work we could carry out locally, and thanks to the generosity of members and friends, we have been able to support the local Foodbank, the STAR project (which supports families in need) and Rekz Community Fridge  through deliveries of food items and funds.  In addition we provided filled backpacks to Renfrewshire Women's Aid for the children they were supporting to use when they returned to school after the lockdown. The recognition is really appreciated by members and gave us a huge boost in these challenging times