March Zoom Meeting
March Club Meeting ‘Visitors’
SI Richmond & Dales met for it’s March meeting via Zoom on Thursday 16th. Presidents Faye and Jane started the meeting by sending welcoming our ‘visitors’ – Linda Davis, Yorkshire Regional President and Janette Black & Stella Reynolds from our Friendship Link Club Easter Ross. It was lovely to see them, even if it was virtual. Linda Davis spoke about her experience of her Presidency during lockdown. She is keeping in touch with Zoom, which – though not ideal – is better than no contact. She hopes that we will be able to have come kind of face-to-face activity during the summer. A ‘proper’ Regional Council Meeting in July is a possibility, and Linda told us to wait and see for details of an event, as soon as confirmation is available. September RCM has been booked at the Holiday Inn. Sadly, infection rates in West Yorkshire remain high, so many fingers are crossed.
Janette & Stella reported that Easter Ross have been unable to have their own meetings via Zoom, but they have kept in touch with each other, and joined meetings with other clubs. Members have been active collecting bottle tops and knitting, phoning friends and collecting for the foodbank. As a sparsely populated rural area, they have been fortunate to have had a long period of relative freedom between the first and current lockdowns, when they were in the bottom tier of Scottish Covid regulations. They don’t yet know if there will be more tier regulations when the current lockdown ends shortly.
Talk about Cyber Crime
Our Speaker this month was one of our members, Babs Hunt, who is an IT Manager, and volunteers with the North Yorkshire Police Cyber Crime Unit. Babs presented an excellent talk explaining the different types of cybercrime from email scams to unsolicited phone calls and fake online romances. She explained how to spot the scammers, and what to do to protect ourselves. An interesting and very useful presentation. We all need to keep alert.
Baby Bundles and Books
Faye & Jane recently delivered our donation to the local Food Bank, Storehouse, of ‘baby bundles’
– special packs of goods for mothers and babies – as a contribution to
International Women’s Day.
As the schools have now re-opened, member Jan has delivered to the local primary schools 3 signed copies of the children’s book about our Patron, Lady Hale, former President of the Supreme Court. As soon as regulations allow it, Jan will go into the schools to read this to the pupils.
February Zoom Meeting
SI Richmond and Dales met for its monthly Zoom Meeting on 21st February. We were joined by Andy Wilson of Yorkshire Cancer Research who gave us a fascinating talk on the origins, history and current work in Cancer Research. Yorkshire Cancer Research began with a campaign to promote improved cancer surgery techniques in the 19th Century, and in the 20th century pioneered two ground-breaking drugs, the profits from which continue to support their current work. Their focus is now on improving cancer care in Yorkshire, with more pioneering work in developing and running mobile diagnostic, testing and advice services across a range of common cancers, as well as clinical research. For example, there is an exceptionally high incidence of lung cancer in parts of Yorkshire. Old industrial urban areas of deprivation are sadly associated with higher incidence of smoking – and hence high lung cancer deaths. YCR has developed a unique mobile CT scanner and advice service linked to a pro-active programme. Invitations are sent to residents in at risk areas to come for tests and/or advice when the mobile service is in their area. This mobile diagnostic programme is being adopted nationally by the NHS, so hopefully this will help to bring down the incidence of what is still the UK’s biggest killer.
Newsletter
Two of our members, Chris Bowran and Wendy Arrowsmith were congratulated on the first edition of our new club email SIRD Newsletter which they produced earlier in the month, combining contributions received from other members. This aims to share some of the non-business interactions and conversations which would normally be part of our meetings, particularly for those who are not able to join us on Zoom. More items are wanted for the March edition!
Update on Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson
Sue Young was able to confirm that the long-awaited evening with Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson is now planned for 24th March 2022. This is a further postponement due to the Covid-19 crisis of the event originally planned for March last year, and then for this year. Dame Tanni is keen to ensure that she does get to speak to us, and we are all looking forward to hearing her. Ticket holders will be asked if they are happy to wait, or refunds will be arranged.
SI International Centenary – Tree Planting
Sue Young announced that she and Judith Clarke have now agreed tree planting schemes as follows:
Yorkshire Landscape Trust will plant 3 semi-mature lime trees at their Westfields site in the Autumn using £200 donated by SI R&D to mark the SIGBI Centenary and Richmond 950th Anniversary
A tree will also be planted in The Memory Garden at the Jonas Centre in honour of “Soroptimists Past, Present and Future”, accompanied by a bench with a plaque.
Members were also asked to submit their personal suggestions for a collection of our own “100 Inspiring and Influential Women”, as part of the Club’s activity associated with Soroptimists International Centenary.
Communication Change
Sue Eastham has announced that she will be standing down as Communication Officer at the end of this Club year after several years in the post. Sue has been assiduous in submitting interesting pieces for the local press, Yorkshire Region newsletter and Soroptimist News. Joint Presidents Jane and Faye thanked Sue for her work, and congratulated her on her remarkable success rate in getting things published.
January Meeting via Zoom
Just the Job Talk
At our recent January Meeting via Zoom, we were pleased to welcome representatives of Just The Job, the local charity helping educationally challenged people into work in horticulture.
They shared pictures of their work via Zoom, and talked about the plans they are hoping to progress for new purpose built environmentally friendly premises, ‘The Big Green Build’, on land close to their current centre of operations in a unit on the Gallowfields Industrial Estate. They have been given land on a long lease at a peppercorn rent by the Zetland Estate for their innovative new timber-built premises.
Richmond 950
Just beyond this is the area set aside for the planting of a new community woodland. Just The Job will be planting The Rufus Wood (as it will be known) as part of Richmond 950. This project celebrates 950 years since the founding of Richmond under Earl Alan Rufus, who began construction of Richmond Castle in 1071. The new wood will be a resource for the community for the future, with space for group activities as well as paths for walking. Events are planned throughout the year as part of the 950 project. Although the Covid-19 crisis has hampered both Just The Job and the 950 project, we wish them well with their activities.
Our PA Officer, Sharon Hansen-Cooper, who is also our President Elect announced that she will be continuing our support of Just The Job as her Presidential Charity for 2021-22.
Fellow Soroptimists
We were joined at the meeting by two members of SI Northallerton, Anne Whitewick and Hilary Dodds, and one from SI Scarborough – a former member of SI Richmond & Dales, Angela Edwards. It was good to be able to speak to them, and share our experience of trying to keep going during the Covid crises. Angela also spoke to us about what she has learned about the “higher realms” of SIGBI in her role as Federation Consultative Councillor for Yorkshire Region. This gave us a useful insider view of how the Federation Council operates. We discussed the proposal to extend the SIGBI President’s role for 2 years, and voted almost unanimously to support this idea, to give greater continuity at the top.
Greetings were exchanged over Christmas with our Friendship Link clubs. SI Durham sent a copy of one of the Newsletters they have been producing during the pandemic, to help keep in touch with members whilst we are unable to meet in person. Chris Bowran volunteered to collate contributions from SI Richmond and Dales members so that we can also produce a club newsletter. This will help us share some of the more light-hearted aspects of being a Soroptimist in addition to our business minutes, in particular for those who are unable to join us via Zoom each month.
Zimbabwe News
We also received an update from the Chikupo School in Zimbabwe, to whom we have donated money via SI Harare. We are delighted to hear that they have solved their water supply problems, and now have clean water available at the school site. Member Sandy Baxter reported that she has been able to earn £50 from beating at local shoots to donate to SI Harare for their work. This is less than she has been able to earn than previous years, as shoots have been stopped due to the pandemic.
Collecting Stamps for Charity
Jenny Cathcart reminded members to pass on to her the used postage stamps we have been collecting. 
As the Great North Air Ambulance service is no longer collecting stamps for processing, it was agreed that we will instead pass our stamps via our member Shirley Harrisson to the Mercy Ships charity. We have previously supported this faith-based international development charity, which deploys hospital ships to some of the poorest countries in the world, delivering vital, free healthcare. Jenny agreed to take stamps collected by SI Scarborough as well – when Angela is able to pass them on.
Re-cycling “non-recyclables”
Member Jan has distributed to the membership a list of items for recycling. These are all items of plastic which the local government recycling scheme cannot handle, and which therefore end up being burned in incinerators. The list includes confectionary wrappers, cheese wrappers, cat food pouches, crisp/snack packets and pumps from bottled cleaning products. Jan’s daughter is a member of group which collects these items for specialist recycling. Members have agreed to save the items they use, and Jan has generously offered to call on members to collect the spoils when sufficient has been accumulated.
Academic Success
News arrived a few days ago from Richmond School, telling us that one of the students on our Sharing Our Skills project has just been awarded a scholarship at Manchester University for the continuation of her studies in French & Arabic. We have sent our congratulations to her for this achievement. Although we are unable to progress the SOS project currently, we hope to be able to pick it up again at some point in the future.
HAPPY CHRISTMAS!
SI Richmond & Dales held their December “Zoom Get-Together” this week, in place of our usual Christmas dinner. We raised a glass and gave a round of applause for the presentation of long service awards to a number of our members: 2 for 20 years, 1 for 25 years, 1 for 30 years, and 2 for 35 years. Congratulations to all, and thank you for your exemplary service to Soroptimism. We shared cards received from our Swiss Friendship link, and one of our charities, and enjoyed a quiz presented by our joint presidents, Faye Doorbar and Jane Priestley. Fittingly, the winner of the quiz was one of our longest long service award winners. For anyone who wishes to try it, here is the Quiz (the answers are below). Faye and Jane have also shared the e-Christmas card which we are sending to our Regional and Friendship clubs. We hope all our readers have a Happy Christmas despite the difficult circumstances, and the prospect of a better time in 2021.
SI Richmond & Dales Christmas Quiz
1) Where was Soroptimism founded?
2) In what year? Was it a) 1902 b) 1921 c) 1937
3) Who is SIR&D’s longest serving member?
4) When was our Club chartered? Was it a) 1940 b) 1957 c) 1960
5) What’s the Club’s connection with the Richmondshire Museum?
6) What’s the name of the London Hotel part owned by SIGBI?
7) Where’s the 2021 Conference going to be (if it’s permitted) Is it:
a) Bristol b) Aberystwyth or c) Llandudno?
8) Give three words beginning with E that encompass the Soroptimist Vision
9) Name our Friendship Links?
10) Apart from Great Britain and Ireland, what other areas of the world are a part of SIGBI?
11) What does the word Soroptimism mean?
12) Who is our Club’s fameous Patron?
13) Who was the first British woman in space?
14) In 1918 some women in Britain were allowed the vote but not all. How old did you have to be to vote?
Was it a) 18 b) 21 c) 30
15) Marie Curie was the first woman to receive a Nobel Prize in 1903. What for? Was it:
a) Chemistry b) Physics c) Biology
16) In 2013 Brenda Chapman became the first woman to win an Oscar for Best Animated Feature.
Was it for: a) Frozen b) Brave c) Tangled
17) In 1955, Rosa Parks became famous for refusing to give up her seat on the bus to a white passenger. In which city in Alabama did this happen?
Was it: a) Montgomery b) Mobile c) Birmingham
18) Which American state is named after an English-born queen?
19) Who was India`s first, and to date only, female prime minister?
20) Which sovereign state was the first to give women the right to vote and, for a bonus point, in which year?
21) Which 18th century feminist has recently had a statue unveiled to her in Newington Green, London?
22) Who said “I married beneath me. All women do. Was it:
a) Princess Margaret b) Joan Rivers c) Lady Nancy Astor?
ANSWERS (1 point per question, except Nos 8 & 20)
- USA
- b) 1921
- Shirley Thubron
- b) 1957
- Founded in 1974 by the Richmond and Dales Soroptimists and opened in 1978.
- Number 63
- Landudno
- Educate Empower Enable (3 points)
- Easter Ross, Durham, Basle, Harare
- Caribbean, Asia, Malta
- SOROR OPTIMA ‘BEST FOR WOMEN’
- Baroness Hale
- Helen Sharman 1981
- c. 30
- Physics (She won it for chemistry in 1911)
- b. Brave
- (a) Montgomery
- Virginia
- Indira Ghandi
- New Zealand 1893 (Women property owners could vote in the Isle of Man from 1881, but this is a Crown Dependency not an independent country) (2 points)
- Mary Wollstonecraft
- c. Lady Nancy Astor
IDAS Launches Website for UN Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women & Girls
IDAS is the largest specialist charity in Yorkshire supporting people affected by domestic abuse and sexual violence, and is supported by Soroptimist Clubs in the Yorkshire Region. We are publicising the IDAS website as part of our awareness raising for the SIGBI 16 Days of Activism against Gender based Violence taking place between 25 November and 10 December. Over the next 16 days, this special IDAS website will focus on 16 different types of abuse that are experienced by women and girls across the UK. It tell the stories of survivors, many of whom have been supported by IDAS, shining a light on the different types of abuse and violence.
SI Richmond & Dales November Meeting
SI Richmond & Dales held it’s November monthly meeting via Zoom.
Orange for Activism: Members wore orange for a virtual photo opportunity. This was to highlight the SIGBI 16 Days of Activism against Gender based Violence taking place between 25 November and 10 December. The theme for 2020 is “Orange the World: Fund, Respond, Prevent, Collect!”. We have copies of a poster which will be going up in libraries around the area, and in the Town Hall to raise awareness.
Tree Planting: The trees which we ordered for the SI Centenary tree-planting project have arrived. More than 200 small saplings have been planted out at the Just the Job site. They will being grown on for planting in the new woodland being created in Richmond in 2021 for “Richmond 950”. The club is combining the SI Centenary celebration with the town’s celebrations of 950 years since the founding of the Castle and Town by the Normans. We are also planting fruit trees at the Jonas Centre site in their Memory Garden, and donating a bench with a plaque commemorating our link with them.
Hilary Ibbotson: We have donated £35 to the British Heart Foundation, in memory of our recently deceased member, Hilary Ibbotson. The donation reflects Hilary’s 35 years of service to SI Richmond & Dales. The joint presidents and a few other members were able to attend Hilary’s funeral. As numbers were strictly limited by Covid, other members formed a line outside the church.
Remembrance Day: President Faye laid a wreath on our behalf at the War Memorial for Remembrance Day. Sadly, due to the crisis, there was no commemorative service, march past and wreath laying ceremony this year.
SIGBI Conference: Five members took part in the SIGBI Virtual Belfast Conference this month. Despite some initial technical problems, this went well, with keynote speakers Jane Garvie and Lady Hale particularly impressive. Well done SI Belfast! Our PA lead, Sharon Hanson-Cooper, recommended that we continue the online presence alongside the face-to-face conference in future years. This would enable more members to participate, those who may not be able to travel, or to afford the full conference. A “blended” conference, perhaps?
Club Review: This month our annual Club Review was held, discussing positives and negatives of the last year. Happily, there were more positives than negatives! We concluded that we were doing the best we could in the current circumstances. Menwhile, President Elect Sharon is planning her programme on the basis of a “mixed” environment next year.
Christmas Shoeboxes: We have been invited to donate Christmas Shoeboxes filled with non-perishable “goodies”. This is an Age UK initiative to provide presents for those in need of a treat for the restricted festive season. Donations are being collected by the local Greengrocer “Neeps & Tatties”.
SIGBI Patron’s Working Party
One of our members, Sue Young, has been part of a SIGBI Patron’s Working Party this year. Sue was responsible for approaching Lady Hale to be our Club Patron, so was invited to help the SIGBI group looking at how to best invite patrons to our organisation. The working party recently concluded it’s research, and Sue has received a lovely “thank you” present and note from the SIGBI President, Isobel Smith. The message reads:
“I hope you enjoy these chocolates. It is a small token to recognised and thank you for the huge part you have played in moving our organisation forard. Thank you all you have – and are – contributing. It is so values and appreciated.
Best wishes and Thank you.
Isobel Smith
SIGBI President 2019-20”
Sudden Death of Valued Member Hilary Ibbotson
S I Richmond and Dales are very sad to announce that long serving (35years) member Hilary Ibbotson died suddenly on October 16th. Hilary served as Secretary more than once, Minute Secretary, Programme Action Convenor, member of the Finance Committee and Regional Council Representative. She was club president in 1993 to 1994.
Hilary had a warm, cheerful, personality. Always optimistic, which stood her in good stead during lock-down when she was shielded. She was chatty, friendly, welcoming
and encouraging to new members. A very tall lady, certainly the tallest member of our club and probably among Yorkshire members, she was recently heard bemoaning the fact that “Long Tall Sally “ had gone out of business.
Hilary was a past Mayor of Richmond. She served on the town council for many years, a great community servant. She helped to set up the local Talking Newspaper and read for them up to now. Hilary was Secretary to Richmond School Trust, she sang in a choir, went to a keep fit class and went to the local church. She also worked for one of the estate agents in Richmond, using her charm and powers of persuasion on prospective buyers. In earlier years, Hilary worked in the Foreign Office, a woman in a man’s world, giving her many interesting stories from travels around the world.
Hilary will be sadly missed and long remembered by her many friends and two sons, Richard and Christopher, to whom the club sends love and sympathy. The club members of S I Richmond and Dales will remember her as a good and faithful member. May she rest in Peace.
Open Garden Afternoon
On 30th August, SI Richmond & Dales provided refreshments for the Open Garden Afternoon hosted by Marcia and Dennis McLuckie at their beautiful walled garden in Richmond. This event was in aid of one of our Presidents’ charities, Just The Job. The amount raised from our sales of refreshments and the raffle of two food hampers was a fabulous £401.10. A big thank you to our cake bakers and helpers on the day and those who donated to the raffle hampers. It was busy but enjoyable and great to be out doing things in the community again. The entry money to the garden was about £2000, with just over 200 visitors coming to explore this lovely English country garden. Steve Biggs also sold plants from Just the Job plant nursery.
The Curtilage – Richmond Market Place
On Saturday 15 August, members of SI Richmond & Dales spent the morning on The Curtilage in Richmond on Saturday morning to raise awareness of one of the charities they are supporting this year, Just the Job Environmental Enterprise as well as the work of Soroptimists generally. The Curtilage is an area of the historic Richmond Market Place. Originally the Norman Castle bailey, it was granted to the town for a market place in the 13th century. The Curtilage is an area on which the Town Council permits non-profit organisations to set out their information stalls beside the Saturday Market.
Just the Job is an inventive local charity and social enterprise supporting adults with a wide range of abilities in practical, work orientated therapeutic activities. Steve Biggs, their General Manager, set up a Pole Lathe from their workshop which team workers use as therapy and also to produce items for sale such as Dibbers for planting seeds and Spurtles for stirring porridge and Mallets, all using green wood.
The Market Place in Richmond is always busy on a Saturday for market day. Despite the overcast skies, many members of the public stopped to observe the pole lathe in action and find out more about Just the Job’s “Big Green Build”, which will be undertaken in the near future, as well as to ask about the work of Soroptimists in Richmond, nationally and internationally.
One interested person, a local folk poet, stopped to find out more and by the end of the morning had returned with a poem for the Soroptimists, which really captures our ethos (see below). Our very own ‘poet in residence’ for the morning!
To the staff on the Richmond & Dales Soroptimist stall
Women helping women
Out of sorrow, out of pain
Helping women who were silenced
To gain self-respect again
Women helping women
Giving guidance, giving love,
Showing solidarity
‘Gainst the blackened skies above
Women helping women
Helping with a helping hand
To grow crops, to have clean water
At home and in distance lands
To help women out of poverty
Women out of grief,
A friendly face and helping
Comes as some relief
Rantin’ Richie
2020
Donation of Baby Clothes
Past President Sue Young was recently gifted several boxes worth of baby clothes: cardigans, hats etc. She has arranged for them to be sent to an aid organisation, Conseil Spirituel, who have an ongoing appeal in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Hats from Recycled Materials
A group of members met together to photograph their efforts in making hats from recycled materials – an initiative from our Yorkshire Regional President as part of her “Not written off” project. Photographs have been sent to Region to be included in a press campaign to mark Yorkshire Day. We were particularly impressed with Jan’s Yorkshire hat, complete with Yorkshire Pudding!
Headbands for Hospital Face Masks
In addition to Face Masks, our Member Sandy Baxter is now also making Headbands for the nurses at Darlington Memorial Hospital. They are finding the constant wearing of face masks is making the backs of their ears very sore, so are attaching the elastic loops to headbands to hold their face masks in place. Sandy has so far produced 15, and asked club members to assist by providing more buttons and stretch fabric to enable her to keep going.
Letters from Zimbabwe and Chancellor Rishi Sunak MP
We have received letters of thanks in response to our latest donation to our sister club in Harare, Zimbabwe, and also from our Rishi Sunak MP, our local MP and Chancellor of the Exchequer. The President of Harare club said:
Dear SI Richmond and Dales,
Thank you very much for your unwavering support. We are truly honoured and humbled by the generous support you have given to Chikupo and the other projects we support.
We will most certainly distribute the allocated funds to Chikupo as requested and we will distribute the remaining funds between the TBAs and SODA.
I take this opportunity to thank SI Richmond and Dales for your kind support.
In friendship
Tsitsi Machingauta
TBAs are the Zimbabwean Traditional Birthing Attendants, the local women to assist at child delivery, as there are no qualified midwives. We and Harare Club have contributed to their training and provided supplies to help them in their work. SODA is a home for destitute elderly people which is supported by the Harare club, providing a home for those without family to care for them.
Chancellor Sunak wrote to member Sandy Baxter, who has been raising money for Zimbabwe from her bees’ honey and from Face Mask making. He says –
I was most impressed to learn recently of your fund raising activities on behalf of the Soroptimist charities in Zimbabwe with funds generated through your enthusiasm for beekeeping and the making of face masks.
It is very laudable that you and fellow members of Soroptimist International Richmond and Dales have kept in mind the plight of others, particularly children, in the rest of the world when we are pre-occupied with major issues linked to the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK.
Congratulations on your efforts. Please pass on my thanks to club members who also contributed to the fundraising.
Kind regards,
Rishi Sunak
Member of Parliament
Richmond (Yorks)
Facemasks for Sale
Soroptimist Richmond & Dales member, and expert beekeeper, Sandy Baxter has been delighted that her bees have defied ‘lockdown’ and continued to produce their wonderful honey! For every jar sold Sandy donated £1 to Soroptimist charities in Zimbabwe, and she has produced dozens of face masks for Zimbabwe too.
Sandy is continuing to make facemasks for sale in aid of our other projects. They are available for £5.00 each. Please contact sirichmondanddales@yahoo.com to order yours! Sandy’s masks are two layered, and she recommends the following disposable liner made from a paper tissue to be used with them.
June Meeting via Zoom
Members got together online using Zoom for our June Meeting. Much of the discussion was about things we hope to be able to do when the coronavirus limitations are eased enough to allow fundraising events. Our planned July Coffee morning is moving to February 2021, and our March event with Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson is now rescheduled to March or April 2021. We are also preparing ideas for our Sharing our Skills project with Richmond School, which will start in January.
Next year we aim to provide trees from the Woodland Trust for planting by Just the Job, one of this year’s President’s charities. Tree planting links both the Centenary of Soroptimist International Great Britain & Ireland, and Richmond 950 – a celebration of 950 years since the building of the Castle and founding of the town. A new woodland is being planted to commemorate this.
We agreed to donate £100 to Family Help – the women’s refuge in Darlington, which is struggling during the current crisis. It faces both an increase in demand for help to sufferers of domestic abuse and a hug reduction in income due to lockdown limited their fundraising.
Soroptimist Richmond & Dales member, and expert beekeeper, Sandy Baxter has been delighted that her bees have defied ‘lockdown’ and continued to produce their wonderful honey! For every jar sold Sandy is very kindly donating £1 to Soroptimist charities in Zimbabwe, and she has also produced dozens of face masks for people to purchase.
Soroptimist Richmond & Dales have now added to the £250 donated by the ‘Sharing our Skills’ students from Richmond School, to the money raised from the honey donations, and generosity of club members. This will now be sent by Western Union as US Dollars to Soroptimist Harare, in Zimbabwe, who are having a dreadful time – as reported last month. The dollars will then be used to help the various charities in and around Harare. The most urgent is the contribution to work on a borehole at Chikupo School – to enable the children to have clean water.
President Faye and Jane send their thanks to the wonderful members of Richmond & Dales, especially in these difficult times.
Yorkshire RCM viz Zoom
Our Regional Representative Sandy Baxter took part in the first Yorkshire RCM via Zoom on Saturday. Here is picture of the meeting in session – what would we do without technology!
Food Bank Donation
Our new joint presidents, Faye and Jane are pictured here about to deliver a Food Bank donation to our local Food Bank, Storehouse ( http://www.influencechurch.co.uk/storehouse/).
We have supported the Richmond Food Bank Period Poverty programme for some time, supplying sanitary products for women and girls in need. With the Coronavirus crisis bringing increased demand on the Food Bank, we decided we need to support them in a more varied way. Soroptimist member Chris Bowran put a request out to members to donate food and other household items, and to leave them on the bench by her front door. The club was overwhelmed by the amazing support of members. Presidents Faye Doorbar & Jane Priestley loaded the car to deliver a huge offering to the Food Bank, which was gratefully received.
Zoom Meeting in May
We held our first Zoom meeting in May. It was great to be able to see each other again after so many weeks apart, even if it was only on screens. Most of our members were able to take part. This gave us a chance to review our Programme Action plans for the year. We hope to be able to do some fund raising activities in the coming months. Advocacy is easier on-line and we discussed plans being made for
- the SIGBI Project Empowering Girls in Nepal https://sigbi.org/what-we-do/our-projects/girlsinnepal/
- SI President’s appeal Road to Equality https://www.soroptimistinternational.org/action/road-to-equality/
- proposed Yorkshire Regional projects
We continue to gather donations from members to help both Storehouse Foodbank http://www.influencechurch.co.uk/storehouse/ and our sister club in Harare, Zimbabwe. This is the sad reality there:
- The five week lockdown, to stem the spread of Coronavirus, has had a disastrous impact, and dealt a final blow to any precarious livelihood. ‘No one can remember the last time a tap worked’ – people are having to buy water, and very often queue for 12 hours at a bore hole.
- ‘When you are starving and the stomachs of your children are grumbling so loudly, who can worry about having a face mask or keeping at a social distance?’
- ‘How can you wash your hands, when there isn’t even enough water to drink’
- Half the population of 15 million lack adequate food and water, and inflation is almost 700 per cent. The Health System, once Africa’s finest is now wrecked.
March/April 2020 and Lockdown
Our meetings for March, April and May had to be cancelled due to the Coronavirus emergency lockdown, as was a planned fund-raising Coffee Morning. As April’s meeting would have been the AGM we held this online. All the paperwork was distributed by email. We hope that we can carry out a proper “handover” to our new President’s soon. In the meantime, the club members have agreed a £100 donation to the local food bank http://www.influencechurch.co.uk/storehouse/ to help during the current emergency. Members are also making personal donations in cash and goods.
We have also sent out £500 accumulated to the end of March from last year’s fundraising to our sister club in Harare, Zimbabwe. Conditions there are dire due to drought, corruption and now a lockdown, so our sister members have many calls on their help. News from our contact is so bad that members are also making personal donations to send out in June.