We have a number of projects running in the club and we encourage every member to get involved in at least one of them. Which one would you like to join? Time commitment varies according to project and events. Please speak to the project leader to find out more.
On International Women’s Day in March 2020 we launched Her Salisbury Story , a Heritage Fund supported project which aims to bring Salisbury’s heritage alive through the celebration of the lives of Salisbury’s women past and present.
Most of the project took place during various Covid lockdowns so research had to be online rather than in libraries or museums. Over 50 women’s profiles have been uploaded to the website. We developed a walking tour which was published as ‘Her Salisbury Footprint‘. The winners of the writing competition were announced at our celebration event in October 2021. Around 12-13 club members were involved in the project, so it was a significant commitment for the club as a whole.
We are now in the promotion phase: giving talks to local groups, offering guided walking tours and attending events like the Chalke Valley History Festival in June; see the report here.
On 16 March 2020 the final judging and award ceremony of the Salisbury Soroptimist STEM Challenge took place at the South Wilts University Technical College, Wilton Road, Salisbury.
The annual competition for 2021 was cancelled because of school closures.
This year the disrupted school year once again made the challenge difficult. However the team from Godolphin School were able to complete the challenge and submit their project. An award event was held to congratulate the team and distribute certificates and the trophy.
We also helped organise a careers event for local schools to enable girls to speak to women in STEM professions.
It you would be willing to take part in such future events, please email sarumsoropts@gmail.com
Our annual quiz night in November enables us to continue to support our local Women’s Refuge and local charity EdUKaid. This charity has set up a girls’ club in Tanzania as part of the Heshima Project menstrual health programme with the aim of educating and empowering girls to improve their life chances.
Project Leader: Eleanor Evans
We are again collecting pre-loved bras for distribution to women in Africa through Afreebra. They tell us that wearing a bra gives a woman dignity. We will sort, fold and pack the bras we collect for transportation to the charity at a fun ‘Bras and Bubbly’ event in the summer.
See our success here.
Project Leader: Penny Joyce
Joint project with SI Chisinau, Moldova – following on from our initial meeting with their club members, as part of our friendship link we agreed that the project focus will be the needs of the elderly. Jane proposed the potential of collecting items such as sticks and zimmer frames which are being discarded in the UK and shipping to Moldova.
After the outbreak of war in Ukraine and the subsequent exodus of refugees, we had a Zoom meeting with our fellow soroptimists. They told us about their efforts to transport vulnerable refugees across the country and support families who were hosting refugees. Members contributed and we added some club funds and were able to send them £3000 to help out.
Each year we decorate a tree for the festival in St Thomas’ Church.
Lobbying – trying to become more effective and pro-active at lobbying as a club.
Letter writing – we felt that writing letters generally, was something that was easy for members to do from home. SI Surrey Hills talked about their project writing letters to cancer sufferers via the “From me to you” charity – www.frommetoyouletters.co.uk . This is not a pen pal scheme and the charity finds recipients for the letters. Bernie had asked if there was a way we could support women in prison. After the meeting, Teresa found the details of a charity which works in this area – www.cleanbreak.org.uk/news.write-2-connect
Twiddlemuffs/masks – whilst we are no longer making any projects, if any members are interested in knitting or crocheting twiddlemuffs or sewing masks, please let Eleanor know. We will be able to either donate them to good homes, or sell them to raise funds.
Following the murder of Sarah Everard we decided to look at women’s safety in and around Salisbury. We held a one-day conference which brought together numerous local organisations with a shared interest in a safer Salisbury. The conference was well attended and set out steps for taking the initiative forward.
Since then we have conducted night audits of the central city to see where it seems too dark (often because street lights are not working – these have been reported) and what can be done to improve the feel of the streets.
A School Forum took place to talk to both girls and boys about acceptable behaviour, consent and keeping safe when out at night – see here.
Our next event will be at the Guildhall on 1st October – join us!
Project Leader:
