The next activity will be:
Regional Railway Day on Saturday 28 November.
This has now been confirmed, on Winchester market on Saturday 28 November. We don’t know the exact location of our stall yet, but likely to be at the bottom of the High Street near Sainsburys. The station is a ten minute walk away towards the Guildhall.
Market timings are 0900 to 1700.
It would be helpful to know how many members will be attending and at roughly what time. We don’t know if anyone is attending from the railway company, but the Winchester Mayor and Danny Chambers MP will be visiting the stand around 10.45 to 11.15.
SI Winchester will set up the stand so please advise Julie Blackwell of any items you wish to display. There are Trello Board posters which can be printed, and we have the safety cards to hand out and talk to people. Julie will also organise printing a few copies of the latest Railway Survey report, so there is something to show and talk about on the day.
Regional PAC report 2025.
Last year we published a report on all Programme Action across the region (summarised with the aid of AI). It is reproduced in the box below. The headlines were:
Executive Summary
Throughout 2025, clubs across the Southern England Region have continued to make a real difference in the lives of women and girls. Through a wide range of projects, events and partnerships, members have worked tirelessly to educate, support and advocate within their local communities.
Activities this year have included:
- Supporting education and leadership opportunities;
- Promoting health and wellbeing;
- Raising awareness of violence against women and girls;
- Encouraging environmental sustainability;
- Reaching out to and supporting local communities;
- Fundraising for local, national and international causes.
What stands out most is the enthusiasm, creativity and commitment shown by clubs across the region. By working together and building strong partnerships, clubs have extended their reach and increased their impact within their communities.
Looking Across the Region
There is much to celebrate from the past year. Clubs have continued to deliver a wide variety of Programme Action activities, often working alongside community organisations to maximise their impact. Awareness campaigns linked to Soroptimist priorities and international observances have helped shine a spotlight on issues affecting women and girls, while collaboration between clubs has continued to grow.
Like many voluntary organisations, clubs have also faced some challenges. Recruiting and retaining members remains an ongoing concern for some clubs, and finding enough volunteer capacity to support projects can be difficult. Maintaining visibility, both in local communities and across social media platforms, continues to require time and effort.
At the same time, these challenges present opportunities. There is great potential for even more collaboration across the region, sharing resources, ideas and successful project approaches. Making greater use of digital communication and social media can help raise awareness of clubs’ achievements, while improved impact measurement will help demonstrate the value of the work being carried out.
Conclusion
The work undertaken by clubs across the Southern England Region during 2025 reflects the dedication, compassion and resourcefulness of our members. Every project, partnership and fundraising activity contributes to improving the lives of women and girls and strengthening local communities. Together, clubs continue to demonstrate the positive difference that Soroptimists can make when they work with purpose, passion and commitment.
REGIONAL PROGRAMME ACTION REPORT 2025
Southern Region – Consolidated Report for All Clubs
Prepared by: Olein Webster & Bobbie White
Clubs included: Bournemouth, Woking, Salisbury, Epsom, Surrey Hills, Solent East, Weybridge, Poole Purbeck & District, Winchester & District
SECTION 1 — BRIEFING PACK SUMMARY
Regional Highlights
Nine clubs submitted Programme Action reports, showing strong engagement across all six SIGBI Charitable Objects.
Poverty Relief (Object 3) is the most universal area, with all clubs contributing.
Equality, VAWG, and Human Rights remain major themes, with strong participation in Orange the World, Who’s Seeing Red?, Walk for Freedom, and multiple refuge-support projects.
Education projects are well established, including long-running STEM initiatives and international sponsorships.
Internationalism is a defining strength, with projects supporting women and girls in Nepal, Kenya, Vietnam, Sierra Leone, Malawi, Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Gaza.
Community engagement is vibrant, including railway surveys, fairs, tea parties, Mothers’ Day gifts, and local sports partnerships.
Inter-club collaboration is increasing, notably between Weybridge & Woking and Surrey Hills & Weybridge.
Key Regional Statistics
- 9 clubs reporting;
- 100% active in Poverty Relief;
- 7 clubs active in Education;
- 7 clubs active in Health;
- 8 clubs active in Community Development;
- 7 clubs active in Equality & Diversity;
- 6 clubs active in Human Rights;
- Over 120 individual projects recorded;
- At least 10 countries supported internationally.
Summary Tables
1. Club Activity by Charitable Object
| Club | Obj 1 | Obj 2 | Obj 3 | Obj 4 | Obj 5 | Obj 6 |
| Bournemouth | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Woking | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | – | – |
| Salisbury | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Epsom | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Surrey Hills | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | – | – |
| Solent East | – | – | ✔️ | ✔️ | – | – |
| Weybridge | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Poole | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Winchester | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
2. Programme Action Structures
| Club | Structure |
| Bournemouth | 5 PA groups |
| Woking | Working Groups |
| Salisbury | Project groups |
| Epsom | Whole club + task groups |
| Surrey Hills | Mixed model |
| Solent East | Whole club |
| Weybridge | PAC team + small groups |
| Poole | Whole club + individuals + knitting group |
| Winchester | Whole club + sub-groups + individual leads |
3. PFR Reporting Overview
| Club | Completion | Notes |
| Bournemouth | Strong | Secretary + Lobbying Lead |
| Woking | Weak | “Poor record” |
| Salisbury | Moderate | “Not always promptly” |
| Epsom | Moderate | System barriers |
| Surrey Hills | Moderate | “A couple missing” |
| Solent East | Weak | No clear responsibility |
| Weybridge | Strong | PAO leads; trying to share |
| Poole | Moderate | Reports often delayed |
| Winchester | Moderate | “Not submitted for some projects” |
What This Means for the Region
The region has excellent breadth of Programme Action, with strong representation across all Charitable Objects.
Poverty Relief, VAWG, and Education are the region’s strongest shared themes.
Refuge support is a major unifying thread, with at least six clubs contributing.
Microfinance is growing, with Poole, Winchester, and Surrey Hills all active.
International education sponsorships highlight long-term commitment.
PFR reporting remains the region’s biggest operational challenge.
Small clubs show remarkable impact despite limited capacity.
Collaboration opportunities are increasing and could be formalised to reduce workload and increase visibility.
SECTION 2 — FULL REGIONAL REPORT
1. Introduction
This report summarises Programme Action activity across nine clubs in the Southern Region for 2025–26. It highlights trends, strengths, challenges, and opportunities for regional collaboration.
2. Participation by Charitable Object
Object 1 — Education
Seven clubs are active in education, with a mix of local and international projects:
Bournemouth’s STEM Challenge
Weybridge’s STEM Initiative
Poole’s sponsorships in Nepal and Kenya
Winchester’s Cambodia sponsorship
Surrey Hills’ mock interviews
Education remains a strong and growing area.
Object 2 — Health & Saving Lives
Seven clubs contribute to health-related projects:
Bournemouth’s Cervical Cancer Prevention
Epsom’s Trauma Teddies
Surrey Hills’ hospital toiletry packs
Poole’s Love Grace appeal
Winchester’s SolarAid
Health work often overlaps with VAWG and poverty relief.
Object 3 — Poverty Relief
All nine clubs are active here:
Solent East’s spare coin collection
Weybridge’s monthly foodbank donations
Poole’s LendwithCare loans and refuge support
Winchester’s hostel support
Bournemouth’s international convoys
This is the region’s strongest shared area.
Object 4 — Good Citizenship & Community Development
Eight clubs contribute:
Solent East’s Tea Party by the Sea
Surrey Hills’ Railway Survey
Winchester’s Women’s Rugby Club partnership
Weybridge’s Oatlands Village Fair
These projects strengthen local visibility and community relationships.
Object 5 — Equality & Diversity
Seven clubs are active:
Salisbury’s Orange the World
Epsom’s Supporting True Honour
Bournemouth’s Gender Apartheid petition
Poole’s refuge lending library
Winchester’s Women’s Rugby Club
Equality work is closely linked to VAWG and human rights.
Object 6 — Human Rights
Six clubs contribute:
Bournemouth’s Female Offenders project
Epsom’s support for SI Lviv
Weybridge’s Afghan advocacy
Poole’s solar lighting microfinance loan
Winchester’s Orange Campaign
Human rights work is often international and advocacy-focused.
3. Programme Action Structures
Clubs use a variety of structures:
Multi-group models (Bournemouth, Woking, Weybridge)
Mixed models (Surrey Hills, Epsom)
Whole-club models (Solent East, Poole, Winchester)
Large-club project groups (Salisbury)
Winchester notes that all members contribute in some way.
4. Programme Focus Reporting (PFR)
PFR reporting remains a challenge:
Strong: Bournemouth, Weybridge
Moderate: Salisbury, Epsom, Surrey Hills, Poole, Winchester
Weak: Woking, Solent East
Common issues include time constraints, unclear responsibility, and system limitations.
5. Regional Strengths
Strong commitment to VAWG, poverty relief, and education
Deep international engagement
Creative fundraising
High community involvement
Growing inter-club collaboration
Long-running, sustainable projects
6. Regional Gaps & Opportunities
Gaps
- Inconsistent PFR reporting
- Limited PR and social media capacity
- Reliance on a small number of active members
- Some clubs less active in Objects 5 & 6
Opportunities
- Shared regional toolkits
- Joint advocacy campaigns
- Regional VAWG coalition
- Shared STEM resources
- Mentoring for smaller clubs
- Regional calendar for coordination
7. Recommendations
- Establish a Regional PA Network
- Develop shared resources
- Encourage inter-club partnerships
- Provide training on PFRs, Canva, and advocacy
- Strengthen regional advocacy strategy
- Support smaller clubs through mentoring