We were pleased with the response we received from the public passing though Salisbury’s Cheese Market to the UK wide survey carried out in early October to establish people’s knowledge of human trafficking and modern day slavery.   24% of those who took part in the survey said they didn’t know how widespread trafficking and modern day slavery was in the Salisbury area. Some 32% of those questioned said that they thought it was widespread or fairly widespread locally. Several people who took part in the survey recalled Salisbury Journal reports of police raids on the Firsdown car wash and the Chilmark bunker, where trafficking and slavery were suspected. Most people said that they did not know how to recognise whether someone had been trafficked or was being kept against their will, with 74% of respondents saying they would not recognise these signs, which include

Salisbury members spent an enjoyable day networking with the Eve Appeal and other local cancer charities including Wessex Cancer Trust at the Fisherton Street Surgery. Specialist cancer nurses and public health specialists were on hand to chat to women about cancer concerns. The Salisbury Soroptimists provided free cakes and delivered what was left at the end of the day to Salisbury Women’s Refuge. We did some great networking, met some lovely potential members for the new club and had a great fun day!    

  At the August meeting of the Salisbury Satellite Group three members were welcomed in to the club. All three of them have already been working on projects to support women and girls in the local community.     We are now close to our target 12 members to form the new club, exciting times ahead!

At an enjoyable dinner meeting in the Chapter House Hotel, three new members were inducted into the group on Monday 8 May 2017. Members of sponsoring Club SI Winchester came to join the celebrations as well as Regional President Ruth Healey, pictured at the top of the table centre right of this photo: Guest speaker was Mary Paisey, bottom left of the photo above. Mary was a member of the original SI Salisbury, a past Regional President and is Chairman of the Trust of Salisbury Women’s Refuge, a charity which Salisbury Satellite group is already supporting. Several  potential new members also joined the dinner and we look forward to catching up with everyone again in the near future!

Salisbury Soroptimists gave Santa and his elves a helping hand in Christmas week when they put together a box of goodies for Salisbury Women’s Refuge. The women, who are working to set up a new Soroptimist Club in Salisbury, have been supporting the refuge since they started their work together. They decided to collect and donate gifts the ladies in the refuge might like to receive and put together a gift box which included wrapping paper, gift labels, tape and child-friendly scissors so the youngsters in the refuge can each give their  Mum a gift this Christmas.  It was all delivered in time for Christmas with a few yummy goodies to go with it for residents and staff. ‘The Women’s Refuge in Salisbury is very dear to our hearts,’ said Salisbury Soroptimist member Holly, ‘and we are pleased to support the residents and staff whenever

We were pleased that our first project and first press release got a half page feature in this week’s Salisbury Journal. We hope other women in Salisbury will read it and join us to get involved!  Refuge Manager Sue tells us there’s lots more decorating work to do……  

  The film provides a look at the events leading up to the Taliban’s attack on Pakistani schoolgirl, Malala Yousafzai, for speaking out on girls’ education followed by the aftermath, including her speech to the United Nations. We believe that every girl deserves an education and Malala’s campaign is very close to our hearts. Members of the growing new Soroptimist Satellite group for Salisbury are supporting the screening of the film at Salisbury Arts Centre at 7.30pm on Wednesday 4 May with a recruitment stand. Come and see the film and find out more about the new Soroptimist club. Tickets are £8 each and are available from the box office on 01722  321744 or on line here