On Sunday 25th June, probably the hottest day of the year so far, SI Sevenoaks went to the café at Coblands Garden Centre in Riverhead for an Orange the World event.  5 members, 5 prospective members and 3 past members gathered for a chat and a coffee or a cool drink, before going among the plants for our photo shoot.  Coblands staff had kindly displayed our poster and then took the photo for us;  we were also able to hand out a few leaflets, including to a young police officer who was very interested in the project as she and her colleagues are focusing on the problem of violence against women and girls.  Some of us then headed off to buy some lovely plants – all in all a successful afternoon! Sandie Higgs Programme Action Officer SI Sevenoaks

At SI Sevenoaks club meeting on 9th May Treasurer Margaret Nicholson presented Pat Downing with flowers in appreciation of her dedicated service as President during the past year. Pat handed the chain of office to Vice President Pauline Payne, who extended a warm welcome to newly-enrolled member Tina Fenner.

SI Sevenoaks celebrated Coronation Sunday by running a stall at the town’s fair. Programme Action Officer Sandie Higgs, helped by President Pauline Payne,  organised a colourful display.  The children’s lucky dip proved especially popular, raising a considerable sum for Pauline’s charities, CAMFED and Arts without Boundaries. Photos include club members Sandie, Shirley and President Pauline, Sevenoaks Town Crier and Graham

Violence Against Women and Girls Soroptimists  Orange the World on the 25th of each month raising awareness of issues.    25th April 2023 we raise the issue of ABUSE BY PERSONS IN POSITIONS OF TRUST for the  monthly campaign.  Visit our website and read our latest Blog by Pam Robertson  https://sigbi.org/ukpac/2023/04/24/abuse-by-persons-in-positions-of-trust/

We were delighted that Anna Perolls, CEO of Hospices of Hope came to our March club meeting to give a talk on Journey Of Hope. Anna followed in the footsteps of her father, Graham, (founder of Hospices of Hope)leading the organisation she said “I have supported and loved my entire life is both a privilege and an honour” “Everyone deserves to live and die with dignity and without pain”. Hospices of Hope is a UK and US based charity which improves the quality of life for children and adults with a terminal or life -limiting illness through their hospice care. To find out more about their amazing work and network in Bucharest, Moldova, Albania,Ukraine and Greece please go to their website https://www.hospicesofhope.co.uk/

A big thank you to club members Shirley and Margaret for organising a lovely Presidents Lunch for President Pat Downing MBE, SI Sevenoaks club members and guests. Club Treasurer Margaret presenting the orchids.    

SI Sevenoaks club members celebrated International Women’s Day at our March Meeting. UN Women all over the world acknowledge this important day annually. “The theme for International Women’s Day, 8 March 2023 (IWD 2023) is, “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality”. This theme is aligned with the priority theme for the 67th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW-67), “Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls”. Women make up only 22% of artificial intelligence globally. See full article https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/in-focus/2023/03/in-focus-international-womens-day By Penelope Robbins SI Sevenoaks Past President

Making It Happen Delighted SI Sevenoaks members received the news that Shirley Brigham’s nomination by her club to receive the coveted Sevenoaks District Council’s ‘Making It Happen’ Community Awards trophy in the Local Hero category was successful. Shirley accompanied by Isobel White and Isobel Groves attended the Award event at St. Nicholas Church, Sevenoaks on Wednesday 15 March to hear that she had won the trophy. The packed church was told that there had been a very strong field in the competition making it difficult to choose a winner. Shirley was nominated due to her fantastic support of the Trauma Teddies appeal knitting 350 bears, supporting Climate Change by gardening on her hands and knees weekly at the Vine and baking tray bakes for Sevenoaks Area Youth Trust. All activities at 87 years old! No wonder the presenter of the award, Dr. Hilary Jones, said

SI Sevenoaks President Patricia Downing MBE held her annual President’s luncheon at Nizels Golf and Country Club Hildenborough Kent.  Delighted that the Mayor of Sevenoaks Cllr Rachel Parry and SI South East England Regional President Lynne Chiswick and Regional President Elect Alison Driscoll were in attendance. SI Sevenoaks President Elect Pauline Payne and  Club members from SI Sevenoaks, SI Tunbridge Wells thoroughly enjoyed the event.

SI Sevenoaks held a very successful Quiz night on 18th February – the first one after a gap due to the pandemic.  SI Tunbridge Wells supported us, and an enjoyable time was had by all.  A very successful raffle was run by member Anne Bond and we raised over £1,000 for President Pat Downing’s 2 charities, Hospice in the Weald and CAMFED (Campaign for Female Education).  Herewith a picture of the winning team, I-Care.   The team goes round taking part in quizzes in our area and any funds or raffle prizes they win are used to raise funds to provide rehabilitative support to people in the Orpington area who are recovering from a stroke. I-Care have been supporting our quiz for many years, and they are very hard to beat!  They are pictured holding their bottles of fizz, with President Pat just in front of