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OPEN MEETING – MARCH 2023
In celebration of International Women’s Day 2023, SI Perth held an Open Meeting on 7th March and were honoured to have as our guest speaker Dr. Kirsten E.H. Jenkins, Lecturer in Energy, Environment and Society at Edinburgh University. Kirsten’s talk was entitled: The importance of tackling climate change in a fair and just way for all sectors of society.
The evening was enjoyed thoroughly by our members and a good number of invited guests, including three potential new members, who have now joined our organisation. Many heads of women’s charitable organisations, most of whom we work with as our charitable partners, attended the meeting and we received very favourable feedback on a pleasurable evening.
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PERTH COLLEGE LUNCH – 22nd March 2023
Some of our members enjoyed a delicious lunch at the Training and Hospitality Suite, University of the Highlands and Islands, Perth Campus. The young students were as delightful as the food.
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PHOTOGRAPHS AND INFORMATION ON OUR ACTIVITIES & PROGRAMME ACTION PROJECTS 2022/2023
At a SIGBI Federation Conference in Belfast in Oct.2022, our Peace Patch, (photograph and details in a separate article below) was handed over to Renata, President of SI San Fernando, and Sandra Dieffenthaller by Perth member, Pat Carruthers (centre of picture)
SI San Fernando recently received the Best Practice Award for Partnership, and the presentation of their project to Conference was made by Renata and Sandra
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Some members of S.I. Perth gathered on the morning of 27th Oct. 2022, to plant a commemorative Copper Beech tree in the grounds of Murray Royal Hospital. Anne Smart M.B.E. was a well respected and dedicated member of Soroptimist International of Perth for 58 years travelling the World to various Conferences and Conventions and was Matron of Murray Royal Hospital for 21 years. The ladies were joined by Anne’s niece and nephew.
(To enlarge any of the photographs, just click on them)
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One of our members, Gina, has opened her home to a Ukrainian family. At our Opening Lunch, Gina was presented with a cheque to help towards the cost of winter clothes for the boys.
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THE POWER OF BOOKS
At the Opening Lunch, members decided to financially support Book Aid International by helping them to send books to those who need them most, giving people the chance to start a new chapter in their lives.
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PATCHES OF PEACE
This year SI San Fernando celebrates the 60th anniversary of their charter. Their theme for the year is ‘Celebrating the Past; Pursuing a Peaceful Future for Women and Girls’. SI Perth were invited to join them in celebrating this milestone by contributing to their commemorative “Patches of Peace’ Patchwork Sheet which will be made of patches of fabric from clubs around the Federation. The picture above shows SI Perth member, Alison Harrison’s handiwork, a beautiful patch for our friends of SI San Fernando.
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INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE
INTERNATIONAL PEACE DAY, 21st SEPTEMBER, 2022
Members of Soroptimist International of Perth gathered today to recognise International Peace Day. The walk started with a little dance of Universal Peace, and then a walk across Queen’s Bridge, Perth followed by a minute’s silence at the Peace Pole in Rodney Gardens before returning to the High Street.
WATCH OUT FOR MORE PICTURES OF OUR ACTIVITIES AS THE YEAR 2022/2023 PROGRESSES
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PHOTOGRAPHS AND INFORMATION ON OUR ACTIVITIES & PROGRAMME ACTION PROJECTS 2021/2022
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SI Perth were delighted to support the Tayside Woodland Partnership, an environmental charity, with the planting of native trees at Spittalfield, contributing towards the reduction of CO2 from the atmosphere, increasing the habitat for wildlife and creating a community woodland and place of beauty for people to enjoy. Members contributed to the planting of 140 trees with funding left for a further 15 at a later date.
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Donations to Caroline for Perth Baby Bank, Buttons & Bows
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GENDER EQUALITY PERTH: (SAFETY MAPPING PROJECT)
On 1st March, a number of our members attended a morning workshop with illustrator Anna Kelso and artist Helen O’Brien to work on a Safety Mapping Project for Perth. The project was set up to explore and map the lived experience of women resident in Perth & Kinross with a special focus on their feelings of safety within the city. Members thoroughly enjoyed the experience and were delighted to have been able to take part in such an entertaining and insightful workshop.
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BROWNIE FASHION SHOW COMPETITION
THINKING DAY – 22nd FEB. 2022 – To celebrate this special Girlguiding Day, Soroptimists of Perth were asked to judge a competition being held by a group of 18 Brownies. The Brownies were asked to design a dress made completely from newspaper and to model their creations for us. The very worthy winners received prizes from the judges who were very impressed with the creative skills of the winning girls.
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FORGANDENNY SCHOOL POETRY COMPETITION
Perth Soroptimists teamed up with Forgandenny Primary School in participating in their literacy project. The pupils were asked to write a Scots poem. Margaret Smith presented book tokens to the winners and runners up in the three classes and a small gift was given to each child for their efforts.
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CHRISTMAS LUNCH
Our Christmas lunch was unfortunately cancelled because of Covid problems, and it wasn’t until 22nd February, 2022 that we were able to meet up to celebrate the Festive season. We met in the Royal George for a delicious lunch, much enjoyed by everyone. Our official Centenary Cake was cut by our oldest member, Nancy.
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DONATION TO PERTHSHIRE WOMEN’S AID
Following a very successful raffle and a number of donations, SI Perth raised the fabulous sum of £1300. This money has been given to local Charity, Perthshire Women’s Aid, for their Christmas Campaign, to buy gift vouchers for women and children under their care. The gift vouchers will be used to buy essential items and emergency goods.
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RECYCLING OPPORTUNITIES
In the weeks before Christmas, we were delighted to have handed in 2120 empty Blister Packs to Superdrug – this very successful project is continuing into the new year.
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SMALLS FOR ALL
COLLECTING LIGHTLY USED BRAS AND PANTS
Soroptimists of Perth will accept these from you and have them sent to Smalls for All)
If you’d like to donate underwear, here’s the brief
Simply buy a packet of pants and send them to us. They must be new and while we collect all sizes, those we need the most are for ladies size 8-14, children aged 3-15 or men size XS-L. And while we collect all colours, the ladies’ pants in greatest demand are black – in full brief, midi, mini or high leg (in the smaller sizes).
We also accept new or gently worn (laundered) bras which can be any size, including sports and nursing bras, but not cropped-top style or bikini tops. (By ‘gently worn’ we mean bras that are in good condition and still have good wear left in them.)
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TRAUMA TEDDIES
We are again knitting Trauma Teddies – 12 have been completed so far with many more to come.
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THE BRAVE BEAR TRUST
Our club has purchased 16 Books about a bear called Brave. These books are aimed at raising awareness in young children, in a very gentle way, the dangers of Human Trafficking. We distributed the books amongst local libraries, organisations and charities.
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16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM – PERTH & KINROSS
Members of Perth Soroptimists attended some of the events of the 16 Days of Activism Campaign, highlighting the major present day problems of Violence Against Women.
An excellent programme was created by the Violence Against Women Partnership in Perth & Kinross
One of our members, author Avril Duncan was invited to be a speaker at the closing event, a seminar on Human Trafficking, held on 6th Dec 2021, in Perth Concert Hall. Avril is in the middle picture above with fellow speakers, (from the left), Det. Superintendent Filippo Capaldi (Police Scotland), Training Officer Audrey Hand from TARA in Glasgow, Hazel Robertson, Violence Against Women Partnership, Soroptimist Avril, and Jenni Keenan, BEM, from local Charity PKAVS, working as Empowering Communities Team Manager.
Avril’s talk highlighted the global problem of Human Trafficking and how it affects young women and girls trafficked into the sex trade. She highlighted the stories of two young girls, caught up in this violent world. Avril is a Board Member of the Charity, The Free to Live Trust and has first hand experience of working with children affected by Human Trafficking. Soroptimists of Perth have supported this charity for many years.
The other two pictures show members of SI Perth alongside Jennifer McOmish, our 16 Days of Activism Liaison Officer with Perth & Kinross Council, wearing orange to highlight the event. Smeaton’s Bridge in Perth was lit in orange throughout the campaign.
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WORKING WITH WOMEN’S AID Dec. 2021
Some members of Soroptimists of Perth took part in the RECLAIM THE NIGHT March on 2nd Dec., when around 200 people took to the streets of Perth with banners, music and noise to raise awareness of the serious problems facing some women today. 
THE ABOVE IS JUST A SNAPSHOT OF THE WORK WE ACHIEVED IN
OUR SOROPTIMIST YEAR SEPT 2021 TO JUNE 2022
IF YOU’D LIKE TO JOIN US IN ANY OF OUR PROJECTS, PLEASE GET IN TOUCH. WE’D BE DELIGHTED TO HAVE YOUR HELP. YOU’LL GET DETAILS OF HOW TO FIND US ON OUR ‘CONTACT US‘ PAGE
DETAILS OF OUR YEAR SEPT. 2022 TO JUNE 2023 WILL BE COMING SOON ON OUR FRONT PAGE
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