Update from SI Harare
The last donation we made to SI Harare was used to set up a literacy project with the traditional birthing attendants who we have supported and helped in the past. The traditional birthing attendants can now read and write and we have heard that Canadian Soroptimists have donated funds to provide books for those taking part in the literacy project.
Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland Annual Conference – Cardiff
Several club members took the opportunity to attend this year’s Conference in Cardiff which took place at the imposing and impressive Millennium Centre. Well attended and well organised, the Conference afforded all the opportunity to hear inspiring external speakers as well as many Soroptimists from our Federation. Being part of such an event brings into sharp focus, the work that Soroptimists do in their clubs to fulfil the goals of and participate in the programme action which drives our activities. We took the opportunity to present two cups to be awarded to a school girl and boy for “Making a Difference” to Naina Shah from SI Chennai Downtown in India with whom we have close ties. We were also able to donate much needed funds to assist with provision of toilets and sanitation at a school in Chennai Downtown and Naina reports that the school were delighted to hear of this welcome financial boost.
We learnt of the important and effective results achieved by many other clubs, focusing on trafficked women, anti slavery awareness, working to combat violence against women in this country and worldwide. The continuing Mehru Garden Project and its success to date was reported on and Soroptimist support for this will be ongoing for another year. Two members of our club, Michele and Sharon will visit the project next spring to learn first hand of the project’s results.
Our own STEM Games – Celebrating our successful STEM Conference
To celebrate the conclusion of our Jobs for the Girls STEM Conference, club members gathered together and with our Conference partners from RAF Leeming took part in a fun evening of STEM games. In just an hour, we were guided by the tireless Sgt Kev Stannard to understand and apply the principles of bicycle gears and aeronautical engineering. Some weird and wonderful paper aeroplanes were devised and put through the launcher, let’s say that some flew better than others! Our President for this month and catalyst for the idea which sparked the whole venture, Judy Sheahan, thanked all of the team from RAF Leeming in particular Sgt Kev Stannard and Squadron Leader Jayne Lindley for their partnership and tremendous efforts in hosting the event at RAF Leeming.
It is testament to all the club members involved that RAF Leeming have recognised the value of the Conference to the wider community in Yorkshire and the North East and will be organising a similar event in the future. SI Richmond and Dales’ “collective hard work as put STEM to the forefront of a lot of schools in the region.”
Above photo: Our Steering Group members and Squadron Leader Jayne Lindley (far left) and RAF representatives with Sgt Kev Stannard (far right).
STEM Jobs for the Girls Conference at RAF Leeming
One of the most absorbing and indeed challenging events of our Jubilee celebratory year took place on 5th October at RAF Leeming. After nearly two years of planning, meetings, discussion, visits, phone calls and endless emails our Conference went ahead with nearly two hundred girl students attending with their teachers, as well as a Market Place with twenty seven standholders including sponsors present, STEM Ambassadors from corporate attendees as well the RAF, all of our national services both inside and outdoors, Soroptimists, fantastic speakers and workshop providers and several adult day delegates. The programme for the day was ambitious and full of interest for the girls not to mention logistically interesting for us the organisers to keep on track, but … what a day! One to remember and be proud of. Comments and appreciation from the students and schools have made all the efforts and hard work so worthwhile. Our thanks to RAF Leeming, our fantastic speakers, sponsors, workshop providers and corporate delegates have been expressed and we will celebrate the achievement as a Club with the ‘STEM Games’ courtesy of our RAF working partners at our next meeting. Well done and thanks to all our committed Steering Group and Soroptimist Team Members – Women inspiring action, transforming lives.
It was a very early start to our day but we had an honorary Soroptimist at the wheel, negotiating our way into the RAF base at Leeming.
Our newest cohort of students from Richmond School for our Sharing our Skills Programme took full advantage of the day and were a great help with the delegate bags at registration.
The Market Place was full of interactive, interesting and and informative stands with which the students, their teachers and other delegates could engage during the whole day.
Many enthusiastic messages of thanks were received from the schools and students, one of just many …
“Not only did students have the opportunity to listen to some inspiring speakers, they also took part in fun, but challenging workshops in areas such as crime scene forensics, robotics, computer game design and astronomy. Two of our students placed first in a competition to design the school of the future.”
September Club Meeting
Our meeting on 21st September was held at the Richmondshire Museum which was founded in 1974 by the Richmond and Dales Soroptimists and opened in 1978. From the early years when the fabric of the building in Ryders Wynd was in need of renovation and repair to today’s enhanced display area and interesting exhibits, the dedication of the team of volunteers now running the Museum was evident. Two of the founding members of the Museum are also dedicated members of our Club and our association with this valuable local resource and visitor attraction continues. An enjoyable bring and share supper was prepared by members and our Museum hosts gave us all an interesting insight to the history and current use of the Museum.
July Club Meeting
Great fun was had learning (very quickly) to play Croquet at Akebar where members of the Dales Croquet Club patiently put us through our paces. There were some impressive performances and the sunny evening outside was enjoyed by all members who attended. Thank you to Margaret for organising such an active and fun event.
SI Richmond and Dales ‘Making a Difference’ Cup
This year’s winner of the Soroptimist ‘Making a Difference’ cup at Wavell School, Catterick Garrison, was year 3 pupil Brooke Hayward. Following a homework project Brooke was inspired to raise money for the Marine Conservation Society by undertaking a triathlon! Not only did she manage to complete the event, but she also collected the magnificent sum of £350 for her chosen charity. Last year’s winner had kept the cup in beautiful condition and she joined President Margaret Clayson in presenting the award to Brooke in the presence of a very proud Mum. Brooke’s ambition is to become a marine biologist. We wish her well.
SI Richmond and Dales Patron appointed President of the Supreme Court
It is an honour to be able to congratulate and celebrate our Club Patron Baroness Hale of Richmond’s appointment as the next President of the Supreme Court, so becoming head of the UK’s highest court and Britain’s top judge. This is yet another first for Baroness Hale having been the first woman and first family judge to sit on the Supreme Court. She was the first woman law lord in the Supreme Court’s predecessor, the House of Lords appellate committee.
Lady Hale has been a champion of diversity in the judiciary throughout her career. On becoming the first female Law Lord in 2003, she created her new coat of arms bearing the motto “omnia feminae aequissimae”, meaning “women are equal to everything”. Something Soroptimists everywhere would surely endorse. Lady Hale says she plans to use her new role to “develop closer links with each part of the United Kingdom, for example by sitting outside London, and improving the ways in which we communicate our work to the public”. It is obviously fitting and a matter of pride that many of our own aims and those of Soroptimism internationally echo those of our Patron. We wish Lady Hale a continuation of her outstanding and remarkable work in a much deserved appointment.
Jubilee Weekend – SOROPTIMIST RICHMOND & DALES celebrate 60 years!
Our Friendship Supper started the Diamond Jubilee celebration weekend with an International flavour. Friends from SI clubs in Harare, Basel and Scotland, as well as Soroptimist friends from many local clubs, joined us as we enjoyed a lovely supper and musical entertainment by our very own folk singer Wendy Arrowsmith, accompanied by a specially formed singing group comprised of Richmond & Dales members.
Saturday was busy day with a coach trip through our beautiful Yorkshire Dales and lunch at Wensleydale Creamery in Hawes, and then in the evening a private film show and supper at Leyburn (The Old School House), a showing of South Pacific. Just about as old as the club!
Sunday was a celebration lunch in the wonderful new Cloisters at Tennants in Leyburn. 80 members and special guests were welcomed by President Shirley Thubron, and enjoyed an interesting talk by Maurice Bates on his experience of walking The Appalachian Way. The fire alarm and evacuation during lunch only added to the excitement!
A wonderful weekend enjoyed by friends old and new, and a busy, exciting year ahead for the club.
We were honoured and delighted to be joined by Soroptimist friends from around the world as well as the United Kingdom.
Flower Festival at St. Mary’s Parish Church Richmond
Some of our talented club members designed and entered our own Soroptimist display at the Church in June to celebrate groups and individuals in the community and Church coming together. Entries were much admired and our display was immediately recognisable by the vibrant colours, blue, white and yellow.
Press Launch for the Club’s STEM Conference at RAF Leeming
After months of meetings and hard work, our “STEM: Jobs for the Girls” Press Launch at RAF Leeming was deemed a great success.
Girls from five local schools threw themselves into the workshops and delighted their teachers by their obvious enthusiasm and competence to complete the challenging engineering problems. Team work was in full evidence and they worked very effectively together. Richmond school won the most points, their chair construction the strongest, so they were pronounced the winners. Local MP Rishi Sunak MP threw himself into the morning and was a great hit. He thought it was a fantastic event and congratulated our club team for what we have achieved so far and for our goal to inspire more girls to follow STEM learning. We were delighted that Air Vice Marshal Sue Gray attended enthusiastically and the RAF were also delighted with how much she enjoyed it all. Our funding and sponsorship guests all went away excited about their contribution to the October conference. All agreed, it couldn’t have been a better launch for the conference and a most impressive and successful start to the Club’s Jubilee Celebrations over the next few days.
Club Meeting 20th May, 2017
Mary Lovell OBE Club President for May during our Jubilee year was delighted to introduce Jane Bradshaw who is Chief Executive of St. Teresa’s Hospice, Darlington. Mary is a long serving and founder trustee of the Hospice herself as well as a dedicated Soroptimist.
Jane gave a most interesting and heartwarming insight into the hospice’s background as well as her life helping to develop the organisation in to the highly regarded and vital service it is today. She explained how the hospice is about life and giving people the help they need to live with their illness.
Money raised for the hospice is used to, pay those who provide the care at the hospice, maintain and develop the physical buildings, manage 400 volunteers (some in the hospice all through the day, some acting as ward hosts, drivers, counselors, and the visiting service). The hospice was started following the inspiration and determination of Darlington resident Yvonne Rowley brought attention to the need for people to be cared for with dignity. The charity was registered in 1987 and quickly developed to provide free care and support for everyone at the time of the greatest need. Jane was appointed St. Teresa’s first Head of Fund Raising and then took on the role of Chief Executive shortly afterwards. Following a major appeal, The Woodlands, a large house in grounds was purchased and the hospice facilities, staff and volunteers moved there in 1998. With 150 staff (not all at the hospice itself), the facilities have expanded over the years and now has a new in-patient unit, a family support team, complementary therapies, bereaved children support, volunteer visitor service, and a rapid response team on duty 24 hours per day. In addition to 33 per cent of contracts from the National Health Service, the main income is provided from the hospice shops, personal donations, a small number of corporations and special events. Jane was warmly thanked for attending and providing such an informative talk.
Club AGM, April 2017
Soroptimist Richmond & Dales held their AGM at Richmond Cricket Club on 20 April. President Sue Young and her team were thanked effusively for all their hard work in making this past year a huge success with interesting speakers, excellent social events and more seriously, £5000 raised for local and international charities. A highlight of the year was Baroness Hale of Richmond agreeing to be our Patron.
Members were delighted to welcome Katrina Templeton to the club, as our first member of the new year. We are all looking forward to a special year ahead, which will be the Club’s 60th Jubilee and many celebrations are planned. Invitations have gone out to our friendship groups in Zimbabwe, Switzerland, Scotland and Durham, and we look forward to welcoming them to Richmond.
No less than ten Presidents were introduced for the year! The Jubilee committee invited long standing members to be president for one month, and each was presented with a white Yorkshire rose. The programme will be varied and interesting, as each president puts her personal stamp on the month, and as usual, fun and social too!
Our Jubilee Presidents
Certificates of Appreciation
SI Richmond and Dales have decided to create Certificates of Appreciation to present to the many supporters of our Club in the wider community who engage and cooperate with our fundraising and Programme Action events. Several have been awarded recently to the willing knitters of baby clothes for Zimbabwe as well as to the very supportive staff at Holiday Inn Scotch Corner who have assisted in collecting mini shampoo and shower gel bottles. They were delighted to hear from President Sue Young that the toiletries were going to Kenya to go with the sanitary pads to encourage school attendance all month and that we had given donations to the food banks at Northallerton, Influence Church, Catholic Church in Newbiggin as well as sending a batch to the Beacon and asylum seekers in Cardiff.
Sue is pictured here with with Darren Hoare and Laura MacTaggart of the Holiday Inn.
Certificates were also awarded to the wonderfully skilful Quilters of “Three’s Company” who sewed the impressive quilt which was the first prize in our major 2016/17 raffle to raise money for Homestart Richmond and IDAS. Our thanks to Jane, Pat and Janet for their time, generosity and outstanding handiwork.
Our SI Richmond and Dales Garden
Our gardening team have created a colourful and vibrant spring display in the Friary Gardens, Richmond.
Club Meeting March 2017
The guest speaker at the March meeting was Chris Lloyd, Chief Feature Writer of the Darlington & Stockton Times/Northern Echo who gave a most entertaining and informative presentation on “Attacking the Devil and Sinking the Unsinkable” – “W.T. Stead and The Titanic”.
Chris interwove the events of W.T. Stead’s remarkable life which at one point did lead to the first Child Safeguarding Legislation. Born in 1849 and although starting his working life as a shipping clerk, he was at a very young age socially and politically aware. Desirous of having a career in journalism, with no experience, amazingly, he landed the job of editing the then new Northern Echo at the age of just 22. His ambition, to use his position to “attack the devil”, the “devil” being any cause of injustice, unfairness or perceived wrong doing. Then proceeded a colourful and illustrious life as an editor, exposing and pursuing many important national cases. While at The Pall Mall Gazette (forerunner of the Evening Standard) he uncovered the abuse and forced prostitution of young working class girls. This man of conviction had indeed become one of the greatest social reformers of his period and the actions he took to expose the widespread exploitation of young girls at this time lead to the age of consent being raised from 13 to 16 and the first Child Protection Act. Over time he had also developed a deep interest in Spiritualism which in 1912 brought him to be on the maiden voyage of the Titanic to America where he planned to talk on this great passion. He did not survive the sinking of this great vessel, a remarkable end to a remarkable life.
The evening saw the drawing of the prizewinners of our Raffle. Many months of ticket selling by Club members had resulted in raising approx. £1000 for President Sue’s charities, Homestart Richmond and IDAS. Chris kindly drew thirteen winning tickets, all winners have been contacted with the good news. Amandeep, the winner of first prize is shown on the right, she was delighted!
STEM Jobs for the Girls Networking Conference
and SI Richmond and The Dales Jubilee Year
The website is now live for our Girls Networking Conference on 5th October 2017 and our many other Club Jubilee Year celebrations will soon be underway. We are all looking forward to welcoming many existing Soroptimist friends, as well as new friends and working partners to our varied events during the months ahead
Visit our website to read all about the Conference:
www.STEMjobsforthegirls.co.uk
International Women’s Day
We celebrated International Women’s Day on 8 March, with afternoon tea in Richmond Town Hall and were privileged to listen to two inspiring guest speakers.
Esther Swaffield, is the Northern Executive with the International Justice Mission (IJM) whose talk not only reported on the very different and desperate lives of those in poverty and slavery in parts of the world but also emphasised hope, giving examples of some of the successes they had achieved as well. The IJM work hard around the world to eradicate slavery and Esther reported many harrowing stories of those who are enslaved in this, the 21st century. There are thought to be 46 million slaves at this time, but the number could be much higher.
IJM work in the worst areas of the world, their mission to rescue and free the men, women and children and give some restoration to their lives. Their aim is to prosecute the criminals who perpetrate this horrendous crime, and ensure the broken Justice system in these countries can be fixed. In the world their are over 4 billion people who live outside the protection of the law.
Esther is pictured with some of the items for sale in aid of
Our second speaker, Val Hills, from South West Wales, works for ‘Women4Resources’ in her area. This group have links with Liberia and also Kenya, where they help set up libraries and support the communities. Sadly these countries have been devastated by HIV, where in some villages as many as 80% of the children are orphans.
Val’s ethos is never say ‘We can’t’ – always say ‘How can we make this work?’
Both speakers, and the 50 guests were thanked by President Sue Young, and over £350 was raised for International causes; those attending enjoyed a much praised afternoon tea provided by club members.
Club Meeting February 2017
We were very pleased to welcome Zoe Beaty, a journalist on Style magazine to talk to us on a very harrowing subject, the mutilation of women in many countries of the world. We were also joined that evening by Margaret Clark, APD and Kathy Warwick, Communications Officer, Northern Region (Both from SI Middlesbrough)
The barbaric act (now known as Female Genital Mutilation – FGM) was not new to members, but Zoe gave us a more personal insight, describing the experience of her close friend Nimco, who had been taken home to Somalia age 7, to have this ritual ‘cutting’. It is often carried out by a woman of the village, using razor blades and no anaesthetic. The horror of this happening to a young girl is unbelievable, especially the problems she will face in the future, pain, infection, difficulties in child birth etc.
Zoe had persuaded Nimco to be interview for her magazine, in an attempt to make FGM less secretive. Nimco Ali is now an anti FGM campaigner. There are an estimated 3 million women and girls undergoing this practice each year. And change is happening! On her last visit to Mali, Zoe was told that two villages had voted to ban the practice. No more girls would be ‘cut’, an incredible step forward. The practice has been illegal in the U.K. since 1985, but sadly, there has not been a prosecution. We were urged to watch Call the Midwife on Sunday 26 February which will have a story line covering this topic and Nimco has been recruited as an advisor for the programme.
Zoe is pictured second from right along with President Sue Young and our guests at the meeting: Margaret Clark, APD, far right and Kathy Warwick, Communications Officer, Northern Region left (Both from SI Middlesbrough)
Special Delivery to Harare
Thanks to Club Member Chris Bowran who has been sponsored to complete ‘Dry January’, we were able to send a substantial donation to SI Harare by special delivery. Soroptimist Elspeth Robinson from SI Darlington (and also Soroptimist Nordic Walker along with several of our own Club members) mentioned when walking that she would be visiting Harare, it spurred Chris on to think of something that could be achieved quickly so that Elspeth could help deliver our donation in person. Miriam pictured with Elspeth recently was delighted and Chris is looking forward to the end of the month!
The funds donated are to be given to a home for the aged and destitute, SODA as well as to traditional birthing attendants who the Club have supported previously.
Club Meeting January 2017
We were delighted to welcome Reverend Lynn Thorius (Chaplain to the Bishop of Leeds) who introduced Canon Rachel Stowe. Rachel gave an informative and amusing talk on her lifetime battle to become one of the first women to be ordained in the Church of England. From her early days as a Deaconess in the 1960’s, and then working in a women’s refuge. She was encouraged to attend Theological College in the 1970’s – but even then, she never imagined that she would ever wear the ‘dog collar’. But finally, after many years and an Act of Parliament, in 1994, 32 women were ordained. It had been a difficult journey for the women in the Church, as they come up against prejudice and nastiness from all sides. However, once they had achieved their goal, they were determined to be kind to all those who had spoken against the ordination of women.
Rachel, now in her eighties, has settled in East Cowton – and is as busy as ever. Her story is one of fortitude and faith has paved the way for the women of faith today, who wish to become priests.
