Teddies get around! Soroptimist International  of Great Britain and Ireland [SIGBI] celebrated 100 years of service in 2021 launching challenges  to members which included knitting 100 Teddy Bears for traumatised children. SI Sevenoaks  club responded with great fervour. Teddies were distributed to Kent and Sussex Police who used the bears as comforters when interviewing traumatised children. Women’s refuges, Refugee organisations and the Alzheimer’s society also welcomed the bears as a comforting aid. For two years they have been donated to the Charles Dickens Primary School, Southwark which serves two housing estates in a deprived area. Teachers had noted  that the last two intakes of children were very behind with their literacy skills due to  covid and lock down. Each child was given their own bear and encouraged to have conversations with them  also playing with them with other children improving literacy skills and self confidence.

“SI Sevenoaks celebrated the 25th of the month with an Orange the World event at Gail’s Café in the centre of Sevenoaks.  It was a busy market day so we were pleased to have so many people around us.  We were able to hand out leaflets and have some discussion with fellow café users to raise awareness of Violence Against Women and Girls and Domestic Abuse.  Nine members and 4 guests, including one past member and 3 hopefully new members are shown in our photo!” Sandie Higgs Programme Officer SI Sevenoaks

SI Sevenoaks held a new members coffee morning at Sandie’s on Saturday 18th January, with a chance for members to bring friends along to meet us.  We also held a tombola with prizes from the post Christmas deluge of gifts!  Two interested ladies came and seven members welcomed them.  The star of the show was Rhubarb, pictured with guest Irene Collins!  Rhubarb is a trainee guide dog puppy and she is gorgeous!  SI Sevenoaks’ President Margaret Crabtree has chosen Guide Dogs as her main charity for the year and we raised £75 for this very worthwhile cause! SI Sevenoaks wish a very Happy and Healthy 2025 to everyone. Sandie Higgs Programme Action Officer

Acknowledging Ask for Angela As part of an ongoing programme of  raising awareness of the current Sixteen Days of Activism for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls SI Sevenoaks members  met for  coffee at The Sennockian Pub, Sevenoaks  owned by Wetherspoons to acknowledge and thank the pub chain  for its involvement in the Ask for Angela scheme. The bar staff were fully aware of the scheme and advised they participated in ongoing training.  Our local senior Police contact DI Richard Pringle very kindly referred Kelly Webb, Sevenoaks District Health and Communities Manager to our club.  We were delighted Kelly was able to  join us all at the coffee morning to give an insight into her work in preventing crime with heavy emphasis on domestic abuse and planning strategies for the health, wellbeing and safety of the local community.  Link:- askforangela.co.uk Isobel Groves Past Programme Action

Members of SI Sevenoaks setting off to join their friends from SI Bromley on a Silent March up Bromley High Street on Monday 25th November 2024 – the UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and the first day of the SIGBI 16 Days of Activism.  Pictured are club members Vicky, Sandie, Jenny, guest Karen, Anne, Penny and Tracey.  We joined forces with SI Bromley outside the Richmal Crompton Wetherspoons at Bromley South and marched up and down the High Street.  It was great that prospective new member Kerry was also able to meet up and march with us!  It was a nice sunny morning and we did attract some attention!  SI Bromley had kindly arranged an Orange Café visit to The Hub, Greener & Cleaner, in The Glades, where we were treated to delicious carrot and coriander soup (keeping the orange

Three members of SI Sevenoaks joined past member Ann Hines to help serve a special cream tea to the Monday Afternooners, a monthly club for disabled adults in the Bromley area.  We have been doing this for more than 10 years and were delighted to discover that it was the Club’s 25th Anniversary!  Ann made a superb iced celebration cake and scones with jam and cream, and Margaret, Kathy and Sandie supplied cakes, savouries and sandwiches which we took along to Bromley UR Church Centre.  We were joined by 20 members, helpers and representatives from Bromley Mencap.  Lots of balloons, party poppers and fizz were provided, plus a challenging quiz!  It was great to see how much the club members enjoyed the event, and we did too! Sandie Higgs, PAO

We held another Orange the World event this afternoon at Bojangles Coffee House, Dunton Green. SI Sevenoaks held another successful Orange the World event with tea, coffee and cakes at the very smart Bojangles Coffee House at Dunton Green, just north of Sevenoaks.  Eight members and one guest had a lively chat and we were able to hand out a leaflet or two! Sandie Higgs PAO SI Sevenoaks  

The gardening team of SI Sevenoaks, headed by Mary Hogarth, were delighted to receive certificates from the Sevenoaks Town Council.  The town won three gold medals, including for Sevenoaks Vine, where our team has looked after the sensory garden for over 7 years.  In addition to the certificates, we have been given vouchers for a lunch out together at The Anchor in Sevenoaks – an unexpected reward for all our hard work! Sandie Higgs Programme Action Officer

SI Sevenoaks welcomed outgoing South East Region President Alison Driscoll to their club meeting on 8th October.  Alison gave us a really good talk about the ABCD charity for which she has raised an amazing amount during her year.  We were delighted to have her at this meeting as it was our changeover from President Pauline Payne, who has run the club magnificently for 18 months, to our new President Margaret Crabtree, who has so kindly agreed to take over after a relatively short time as a member of the club!  Huge thanks to Pauline and congratulations and good wishes to Margaret from all the SI Sevenoaks members!  Pictured are Pauline, Margaret and Alison. Sandie Higgs PAO, SI Sevenoaks

“SI Sevenoaks Club were delighted to hear that Sevenoaks Vine, an area of pretty garden which members had been tending for 7 years, had been awarded a gold medal in the South and South East in Bloom Competition, and in addition has won an award for best park in the area!  A team of 10 volunteers, led by Mary Hogarth, and comprising Shirley Brigham, Anne Bond, Vicky Tibbits, Tracey Kemp, Penny Robbins, Wendy Metcalf, Kathy Jordan, Sandie Higgs and former member Isobel Groves (who put forward the project in 2018 and had liaised with Sevenoaks Town Council over the years) worked hard all summer to keep the area pristine and colourful for visitors to enjoy. Our photo shows Mary at the Town Council offices with the awards!” Sandie Higgs Programme Action Officer SI Sevenoaks