President Aileen’s Messages:
On this page President Aileen’s Messages are described. Follow President Aileen on her journey through her Two Years in Office:
4 03 2023 International Women’s Day Event, Scottish Parliament:
A fabulous day!
25 11 2022 First day of the 16 Days of Activism:
Taking action to prevent Violence Against Women and Girls.
SI SS R President Aileen and SI Falkirk members are seen tying orange ribbons on lamp posts in Falkirk.
13 11 2022 Remembrance Sunday:
Marching under the UN Flag in George Square, Glasgow, today.
President Aileen, accompanied by Soroptimists from other Clubs, attended the annual Remembrance Event in George Square, Glasgow, today. Dr Gari Donn, Executive Director UN House, Scotland, UN House Interns and Bob Paterson, Guard Commander of UNA, Glasgow. The UN Flag was carried by a UN Intern.
5 11 2022 SI SS R Council Meeting today by Zoom from 2.00pm!
Host Club: SI Dunfermline
President Aileen welcomed members to the meeting.
Much thought was given to the way forward from the AGM 2023.
Speaker:
Speaker was Deni Smith
Theme:
‘Finding hope in abundance when the future is in flux.’
Deni works, primarily, with care experienced young people, giving them a gateway to self-expression and healthy coping mechanisms for dealing with their difficult experiences.
3 09 2022 SI SS R Meeting and AGM today!
Venue: Centre for Executive Education, Glasgow Caledonian University
Host Club: SI Edinburgh
Speaker Focus: SDG 16 – Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies.
President Aileen presided over a very busy, well attended meeting today.
Speaker Subjects:
We had 4 speakers whose subjects ranged from Nuclear Weapons, considering the disproportionate impact on women and girls. The W7 championing women’s issues to support the G7 debates. The focus for organisations such as Engender under the banner of Women, Peace and Security. Finally, an update on the unique work being done in Scotland to tackle Misogyny, following a review by Baroness Helena Kennedy Q.C.
For more information click on SI SSR Speaker meeting words for Region FB.
12 June 2022 SI Paisley 75th Anniversary Civic Lunch.
SI SS R President Aileen attended SI Paisley’s 75th Anniversary Civic Lunch today.
Civic Reception:
Renfrewshire Council gave a Civic Reception to mark 75 years of service.
Attendance:
70 members and guests, including representatives from Clubs across Scotland South, attended. Also present were representatives from some of the organisations SI Paisley has supported over the last few years.
Photo detail:
L to R Depute Provost Renfrewshire Council Cathy McEwen, SI SS R President Aileen, SI Paisley member Jenifer McFarlane, SIGBI President Cathy Cottridge, SI Harrogate President Val Hills.
Cutting the Cake:
The oldest member Margaret Neil, and youngest member Marissa Roxburgh, cutting the cake.
To learn more about SI Paisley click here.
28 May 2022 SI SS R Council Meeting
SI SS R President Aileen presided over a well attended SI SS R Council Meeting today, the first face to face meeting in more than 2 years. Lovely to see everyone in person again.
New Venue:
The Centre for Executive Education, Glasgow Caledonian University, (GCU), Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow G4 0BA.
Theme:
Advocacy and SDG 17 Partnerships
Volunteers’ Week 1 – 7 June 2022
7 of the 8 Clubs were represented. SI Kirkintilloch not represented.
Representatives of each Club received a Thank you Certificate for volunteering, signed and presented by SI SS R President Aileen.
Speakers:
Pat Black, SI Edinburgh, SI Representative to Women 7 (W7). To find out more click here Pat had just returned from W7 Summit in Berlin. Result W7 Communique; to find out more click here.
Agnes Tolmie, Chair of the Scottish Women’s Convention (SWC). To find out more about SWC click here. Soroptimists were urged to join the conversation re the development of the Scottish Misogyny Bill. To find out more click here.
Christina McKelvie MSP, Minister for Equalities and Older People for the Scottish Government. Christina gave an overview of Cross Party working. She reminded members of the F.M.’s National Advisory Council on Women and Girls, which will be involved in post pandemic panning for Scotland. To find out more click here.
The Scottish Women’s Health Plan was highlighted, the first in Europe, if not in the world. To find out more click here.
On Display:
4 Stitches for Survival Panels; Programme Action Reports on Display Boards.
15 05 2922 SI Dunfermline Annual Lunch today.
SI SS R President Aileen attended SI Dunfermline Annual Lunch today.
23 03 2022 Last meeting of SI West Lothian
SI SS R President Aileen attended last meeting of SI West Lothian today to thank the members for their many years of service.
19 03 2022 SI SS R Council Meeting today:
SI SS R President Aileen welcomed members to a well attended meeting today. 40 members from 9 Scotland South Clubs were joined by 5 members from Scotland North and 5 from SI South Kolkata Club, India, (Friendship Link Club of SI Dundee).
Members were asked to pause for a few moments to consider recent events in Eastern Europe.
Speaker was Miriam Adcock, Communication Consultant, Zero Waste, Scotland.
19 02 2022 SI SN Region Meeting today:
SI SN had arranged for three SI Representatives at the UN to speak before the start of the meeting as follows:
Berthe De Vos-Nevin Geneva, where 2/3 of all activities of the UN take place.
Evelyne Para UNESCO, Paris
Christine Peer-Valenta Vienna
SI SS R President Aileen and several SI SS R members attended as guests of SI SN R.
7 12 2021 SI Centenary Event at Scottish Parliament from 6.00pm -8.00pm today!
SI SS R President Aileen was among the first to arrive. Storm Barra caused havoc on the day, especially in the Aberdeen area.
MSP’s were debating on the theme of Violence Against Women. So many MSP’s wished to speak that the debate ran late.
MSP Host Rona Mackay
The evening was kindly hosted by Rona Mackay MSP, Strathkelvin and Bearsden, who welcomed guests to the event.
Speakers
Video from Cabinet Secretary, Social Justice, Housing and Local Government, Shona Robison. SI SS Federation Councillor Margaret Mowat, SI Glasgow City introduced SI President Elect, Maureen Maguire and SIGBI President Elect Cathy Cottridge. SI SN Federation Councillor Maureen Collison introduced the SI Kirkintilloch Presentation.
Project Work
Posters displaying Club work, Tree Planting and Stitches for Survival were around the room. A slide loop showed examples of Club work.
Photo below:
Photo below shows some of the Project Work on display. Each of the maple leaves carries a message from those who attended.
There was much to discuss. Appreciation was shown for all the work being done.
To learn more about our Project Work click here; for the Scottish Parliament click here. To see more photos taken at this event, received 14 12 2021, click here.
SI SS R President Aileen
21 11 2021 SI SS R President Aileen’s first Newsletter
SI SS R President Aileen’s first Newsletter was received today. To read it click here.
6 11 2021 SI SS R Council Meeting
SI SS R President Aileen presided over her first SI SS R Council Meeting today. 49 members attended. Speaker was SI President Elect Maureen Maguire, SI Portadown, Northern Ireland.
Theme:
Maureen’s theme is “Opening Doors to a Bright Future”.
Objectives:
Maureen’s Objectives:
- Provide access to education in all its forms for disadvantaged and marginalised women and girls.
- Provide education to women and girls in a safe, friendly and stimulating environment where there is equality of opportunity and support for all.
- Development of mentoring programmes that encourage confidence, self – esteem and the participation of women and girls in society and in decision making.
- Increase access to information, educational resources, and services, to empower women and girls to make informed life-choices.
Projects will be established in all 5 Federations. The launch project will be in Cambodia, SI South-West Pacific.
We look forward to following the progress of the plans outlined.
To follow Maureen on her journey through her term of office from January 2022 click here. For SI Portadown click here.
30 10 2021 Start of SI SS R President Aileen’s term of office today.
SI SS R President Aileen started her term of office as SI SS R President following the Change of Insignia Ceremony at SIGBI 87th Virtual Conference, Llandudno, earlier today. Aileen is a member of SI Falkirk.
To learn more about SI Falkirk click here.