July Meeting

The speaker at our July meeting was Alice Rose, Programming curator of Kiplin Hall, the local Jacobean historic house.  Alice described her role then went on to describe the history of the house and its families and current facilities and exhibitions for visitors.  She also outlined future plans for the Hall and grounds in a wide-ranging and fascinating talk. We will be visiting as a group in August.

We were delighted to welcome two new members at this meeting – Rachel Pavitt and Jane McLennan.  They were welcomed and presented with their badges by the President and their mentors, Chris Bowran and Sue Eastham.

President Babs reported back on her attendance at the Yorkshire Region meeting held in July at Askham Grange Prison. She was impressed by the speakers, and the experience of visiting the prison.  Christina Gabbitas spoke of her work writing educational stories, passing on knowledge to school children on drugs/knives using animated videos, comic strips and poems, and Dishi Attwood, SIGBI Director of Membership talked about how she engages potential new members by storytelling.  The next RCM will be in September, where the Programme Action awards will be voted on.

Programme Action updates

Programme Action officer Jenny has written to our MP, Rishi Sunak, urging action to implement the recommendations of the SIGBI Special Report on Domestic Abuse Courts, which highlights deficiencies in the operational procedures impacting on victims.  The report has also been forwarded to other local organisations asking them to support us in this campaign.

Plans were discussed for a new fundraiser project being planned for next year.  This will be a “coffee and cake” event at the Town Hall next Spring in association with Grumpy Mule coffee, promoting their “Cafe Feminino”  initiative which supports a Peruvian women’s coffee growing cooperative, and assists them and their children.  Sue Young, who is organising the event, learned about this through local Chocolate maker Mocha, who sell Grumpy Mule coffee, so we will provide an outlet for selling their chocolate at the event.

Plans are progressing with Spouse Force on our joint project.  We will be inviting 2 or 3 women from the Garrison to join our meetings for 3 months in the Autumn, to learn about volunteering, meetings and what Soroptimism is about.

Babs also confirmed that our £220 donation has gone to the Soroptimist International President’s Appeal, ‘Opening the Door to a Brighter Future‘.  This supports educational initiatives in Cambodia, Uganda and Georgia.

Progress on LendWithCare Micro-financing

All the 6 female entrepreneur’s projects to which we lent money in June were quickly fully funded, and the first repayments have arrived.  This was enough to enable us to make another loan, which has gone to a further female group in Zambia.

Orange Cafe

Several members met for coffee at Morro Lounge in Richmond.  This was the latest in our regular “Orange Cafe” sessions held on the 25th of each month from 10:30am.  This is aimed at promoting the United Nations Orange The World campaign to tackle violence against women throughout the world, and raise awareness of both this and Soroptimism.  A range of useful leaflets and bookmarks are available for visitors joining us.