SI Sevenoaks put in a team to support Specsavers in Sevenoaks who held a quiz in aid of Guide Dogs UK.This is the same charity that SI Sevenoaks’ President Margaret Crabtree has chosen for the year, so we were keen to support them, particularly as Specsavers had sent a team to our quiz earlier in the year. We had a very enjoyable time, and successful too, as our team came out on top! The prize money of £80 has gone straight into our collection for Guide Dogs UK, so all good! Pictured in action are Leoni, Susan and Graham, guests, SI members Sandie Higgs, President Margaret Crabtree and Tina Fenner, and guest Harry completing the line-up. Quizmaster Ellie Bigwood is pictured with us on the stage for the presentation. Sandie Higgs PAO, SI Sevenoaks

SI Sevenoaks held another very successful Orange the World event at the Cornflower Café in the Coblands Garden Centre near Riverhead. 16 members, past members and friends met at the café to enjoy coffee, tea and some delicious cake and we had a lovely chat at the same time,there is not always time for that at our busy meetings! We were able to talk to other café users and hand out leaflets. We welcomed Maxine Quinton, who works for Sevenoaks District Council on health and safety matters in the area.  She provided us with items to hand out to protect people from having their drinks spiked.  This has been a very interesting topic for us with input from the last Region meeting and at our last Orange the World event. We are happy to report that one of our guests, Eleanor, is going to join

SI Sevenoaks held a Swap for Spring event at Sandie’s  together with a tombola and also served a light lunch to our guests. 37 people attended, including past members, some from a distance, members from our nearby clubs at Bromley and Tunbridge Wells and friends and neighbours from the Sevenoaks area. We were lucky to receive some beautiful dresses, tops and jackets, and are very grateful to members and friends who so kindly donated these.  We welcomed Irene and gorgeous Rhubarb, her puppy in training for Guide Dogs and as it was a sunny day we were able to sit in the garden. Our most senior guest was delightful May,98, who was very pleased with the new handbag she bought! We have been able to invite others to view the clothes subsequently, and to date the amount raised is £644.00 for President Margaret’s chosen charity,

SI Sevenoaks had a very happy and successful meeting on Tuesday 8th April, which started with a nice talk from SI SEE Region President Sue Edgar.  Sue came to our President’s lunch last month and after this visit we really feel that we know her and want to keep in touch.  The evening continued with our AGM confirming the team going forward under President Margaret Crabtree’s inspiring leadership with Kathy Jordan joining as co Programme Officer.  This was followed by the enrolment of four new members!  We are so thrilled to welcome them to our club.  Pictured are, from left: mentor Sandie Higgs with Lyn Snowden, Julie Walder, mentor Tracey Kemp, President Margaret Crabtree, Carole Morrisson, Kerry Locke and mentor Penny Robbins.  (Tracey is mentoring both Julie and Carole)  This was the first time we introduced mentors for our new members and we are sure

“Eleven members and guests enjoyed a lunch time drink and snacks when they met at Wetherspoons The Sennockian in Sevenoaks on Tuesday 25th March.  Some of the members had just completed a two hour gardening stint on Sevenoaks Vine so were glad of the chance to relax!  We are still doing our best to Orange the World, speaking to other pub users about the problems of Violence Against Women and Girls.  For this session Club Secretary Vicky Tibbits showed some leaflets about spiking together with gadgets to push into bottles to prevent tampering.  We had heard a very powerful talk from Dawn Dines at the March South East Region meeting and were keen to pass the information on to other members and guests”. Sandie Higgs Programme Officer, SI Sevenoaks

SI Sevenoaks President Margaret Crabtree welcomed 35 members and guests to her President’s lunch on Tuesday 18th March at the Nizels Golf Club near Sevenoaks.  Our special guests were Region President Sue Edgar, who gave us a delightful speech, and Cllr Libby Ancrum, Mayor of Sevenoaks, who proposed the toast to Soroptimist International of Sevenoaks.  We enjoyed a very good three course meal and very good company too!  Our first picture shows SI Sevenoaks President Margaret Crabtree, SISEE Region President Sue Edgar and Sevenoaks Town Mayor Cllr Libby Ancrum.  Among the company were two special guests, Orwell and Rhubarb, and our second picture shows Jo Skewes with Orwell, President Margaret Crabtree and Irene Collins with Rhubarb! Sandie Higgs PAO, SI Sevenoaks”

Five members of SI Sevenoaks attended the International Women’s Day Lunch in Sevenoaks on 7th March hosted by Sevenoaks Town Mayor Cllr Libby Ancrum. Guests from the community were invited to attend, each paying for themselves and a young person from the local area.  We had three inspiring speakers on the topics of women’s football, the introduction of PE instruction to girls and ways to tackle the menopause.  It was great to meet other local women and especially the students. Pictured just after the event are, from left, SI members Linda Larter (Sevenoaks Town Clerk), Wendy Metcalf  (Club Treasurer) Margaret Crabtree (Club President) Cllr Dr Merilyn Canet, Sandie Higgs (Club PA and Membership), together with Cllr Libby Ancrum, (Sevenoaks Town Mayor). Sandie Higgs PAO, SI Sevenoaks

Stephanie Harrison very kindly shared with me the article she wrote about our wonderful club member Shirley Brigham and our important Trauma Bear project for the mysevenoakscommunity.com  website. Well done to Shirley – an amazing effort for such a worthwhile cause. Penelope Robbins Past President & Regional Programme Officer SI Sevenoaks https://mysevenoakscommunity.com/a-stitch-of-hope-teddy-bears-for-traumatised-children/ A Stitch Of Hope: Teddy Bears For Traumatised Children We’ve uncovered another unsung hero from Sevenoaks, quietly and selflessly working to bring comfort and joy to those in need. As is so often the case with such remarkable individuals, they shy away from recognition, more focused on the good they can do than any desire for praise or glory… but we would like to acknowledge their good deeds by sharing with you all! At 89 years old, Shirley is a dedicated member of the Sevenoaks Soroptimists group and has spent the last four years hand-knitting ‘trauma

SI Sevenoaks enjoyed another friendly chat over a nice cup of coffee at our local M&S Café Revive on Tuesday 25th February as part of our ongoing campaign to Orange the World.  6 members and 2 guests came along and we were able to speak to other café users and explain about our efforts to draw attention to the problem of Violence Against Women and Girls.  Pictured from left to right are guest Carole, members Penny, Pat, Vicky, Wendy, Sandie, President Margaret and guest Juliette. Sandie Higgs Programme Officer SI Sevenoaks