We have a number of projects running in the club and we encourage every member to get involved in at least one of them.
In January we held a project planning meeting to review our current projects and to discuss what new ones we might start.
Each item on the list of projects we are already committed to was reviewed. We concluded that the second half of the year in particular is already very busy – we shouldn’t take on any new project commitments then.
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.
The project team expect the main project activity to be complete by end of October, with Nov/Dec used for remaining evaluation activities. Potentially there will be one or more events during the year, including one in October. In addition to the research and interviewing activities currently underway, there is a potential map for a themed walk, involvement with schools and a writing competition in the summer. Around 12-13 club members are involved in the project so a significant commitment for the club as a whole.
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 has been cancelled because of school closures. Schools are being contacted to see if a careers event in the summer term would be helpful. Contacts for female professionals in STEM careers who might be interested in such an event are being sought.
Our annual quiz night in November enables us to continue to support our local Women’s Refuge – funds raised at our Zoom quiz in 2020 were split between the refuge and local charity EdUKaid. The 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.
Our next quiz is likely to be in October/November, either in person or remotely. There is a small team of members in place to run this.
We are again collecting pre-loved bras for distribution to women in Africa through Smalls for All. They tell us that wearing a bra gives a woman dignity and can protect her from rape and sexual assault. 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 once we are able to meet again!
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.
International Women’s Day (8 March) – a provisional booking has been made for a market stall on Saturday 6 March. This could be used for displaying information or for selling items made in Moldova. May not be possible if non-essential market stalls still not allowed. We discussed the possibility of getting a high profile speaker for a Zoom meeting instead – this could be advertised more widely.
Lobbying – trying to become more effective and pro-active at lobbying as a club. Introductory training session on 20 January by UK Parliament may help.
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.
