International Women’s Day 2022 in Sevenoaks SI Sevenoaks President Pat Downing and Isobel Groves Programme Action Officer joined a hundred attenders at the Mayor of Sevenoaks Merilyn Canet’s International Women’s Day lunch at the Bat and Ball Centre. It was a joyous occasion planned carefully and hosted by the Mayor and Linda Larter, town clerk who is a Sevenoaks Soroptimist. The aim of the lunch was to invite sixth form pupils from local schools and young women starting out on their careers together with professional and business women in the hope that by thoughtful mixing at lunch the opportunity of mentoring was offered.  The event was enhanced by having three speakers from different walks of life: Jennifer Godfrey spoke about her book The Suffragettes of Kent, Councillor Suzanne Clerk spoke about Women and their Impact on the High Street, and Juliette Cheveley spoke about her

International Women’s Day at SI Sevenoaks Members and guests of SI Sevenoaks met and mingled at their club meeting to celebrate International Women’s Day. A powerful talk was given to the club by Gillian Bishop, solicitor on Gender Bias in Family Law?  Gillian’s greatest achievement was setting up her Family Law firm in London in 1995 specialising in divorce. Her law firm’s aim is to keep the family unit as amiably cohesive as possible always looking for a holistic approach to divorce.  Gilly’s talk ended with a lively question and answer session. Following the reading of the Soroptimist Vision, Mission and Values at the beginning of the business meeting members and guests remained standing in remembrance of the atrocities in Ukraine followed by President Pat Downing lighting a candle in remembrance of the Women of Ukraine. Isobel Groves,  Programme Action Officer

Soroptimist International Launched the 100 year Trauma Bear challenge. These Teddies are given to the Police, women’s refuges and schools to comfort children who have been subjected to abuse or have suffered other trauma such as bereavement. The knitters in the Sevenoaks club took on this challenge with vigour making over 300 bears. Through this initiative the club has forged close partnership links with Kent Police and also with other Soroptimist clubs throughout the South and South East region. February club meeting - Detective Inspector Richard Pringle Child Protection Team West Division, Kent Police spoke about his work in child abuse and child protection and how the trauma bears play an important role in helping relax children who have to be interviewed in distressing circumstances following abuse. Richard was presented with more bears and his own monogrammed de stressor muff knitted in police colours for his

Following the attendance of the Sevenoaks Climate Change Network meeting club members were invited to attend a walk and talk given by Richard Arnold, Director at Tree Craft Ltd and a member of The Ancient Tree Forum at NT Knole Park. The talk was aimed to educate club members and other like minded groups on the walk including Sevenoaks District Council – “to look at ancient, old and valuable trees and discuss some of the issues with their management, their long-term sustainability and their significance culturally, historically and for biodiversity, both individually and in the context of the wider landscape”. It was an opportunity for us all to chat informally as a group to develop ideas to achieve a common goal for the protection of these trees and adding solidarity to the need for Climate Change (UN SDG 13) and better understanding of Life on Land (UN

Following our November club meeting where the focus was on The Suffragettes and acknowledging the UN Day Elimination of Violence Against Women.   Jenny Godfrey had given the club members an excellent talk on Suffragettes in Kent sharing their stories. Club members then visited The Stag Sevenoaks where Hope The Lego Suffragette was being displayed ( see details below)  and took “Selfies”.  A montage was created and North Kent College Design student Amy Allison very kindly designed the border in Suffragette colours with rosettes. Press Release Hope Lego Statue PRESS RELEASE Sevenoaks Town Council invited Hope the Suffragette made from Lego to visit Sevenoaks from 24th November – 15th December 2021 In 2018 Sevenoaks Town Council placed a request with the House of Commons for Hope, the Suffragette made from Lego to visit Sevenoaks to commemorate the centenary of women receiving the vote.  Unfortunately, due to

Our last batch of Trauma Teddies [or so we thought!] DC James Hookway the Police member of the East Sussex MASH [Multi Agency Working and Information Sharing Project] safeguarding team collected the last batch of  70 Teddies [or so we thought] from Sevenoaks on 8th December and was greeted by Isobel Groves and Shirley Brigham, members of the Sevenoaks club and Maureen Clarke, a  friend of Sevenoaks Soroptimists who kindly joined in the knitting Teddies project  with gusto. James covers Hastings, Eastbourne and Brighton. Through his work he is able to distribute the Teddies to Social Workers working in Children’s Services in those towns. In his words ‘we can’t have too many Teddies’ please make more!!’ Shirley and Maureen together with Linda Larter, another club member, have knitted 190 bears and now, at the request of the police, with more to come. The bears went

Knitting Christmas Stars for residents in Care Homes in Sevenoaks Knitting or making Christmas stars of hope for every resident in two care homes in Sevenoaks is the initiative of a Church of England Vicar who is now able to visit two care homes, Emily Jackson and Rockdale on a regular basis. Due to the pandemic and lockdowns it had not been possible to see residents on a regular basis. The resumption of this service encourages hope.Giving the residents a Christmas star is a symbol and a reminder of it. Club member Shirley Brigham has knitted 12 stars to add to the star collection and the Soroptimist contribution has been greatly appreciated. President Pat Downing adds that ‘this initiative is close to the hearts of Sevenoaks Soroptimists as the club holds their monthly club meetings at Rockdale which was started by a Sevenoaks Soroptimist Beatrice

The Suffragettes were chosen as our November club meeting focus as we are acknowledging the UN Day Elimination of Violence Against Women. Thank you to Jenny Godfrey who gave club members an excellent talk on Suffragettes in Kent sharing their stories. Suffragettes played a pivotal role in assuring that women’s voices were heard & suffered violence achieving it. So wholly appropriate that the meeting was dedicated to all women who have suffered any form of violence and have died from acts of violence.

SI Sevenoaks Garden Project 2018 to date Supporting Sevenoaks Town Council in South and South East England In Bloom competition and RHS Community Awards Competition   [ formerly Britain In Bloom] UN sustainability development goals:   Goal 3 good health and wellbeing.  Goal four quality education.  Goal 11 sustainable cities and communities.  Goal 13 climate action. Goal17. partnerships to achieve  the goal.  In May 2018 a club member saw a note on a Sevenoaks Vine Park gate seeking support from gardening volunteers for Sevenoaks Town Council’s entries in the In Bloom competitions. Eight club members responded with enthusiasm.  These members, whose total age is 586 years, remain totally committed to the gardening and willing to continue as long as they can. The town council is delighted with this response.  Open Spaces manager Nicholas Cave suggested the restoration of the sensory bed. This bed is now a real

Mission accomplished! SI Sevenoaks did it Target of 100 Trauma Bears achieved! Since the launch of the UKPAC Centenary Trauma Bear challenge knitters in Sevenoaks have been permanently attached to their knitting needles producing Teddies to the extent that the local haberdasher’s shop has run out of stuffing! The shop owner asked the question “is everyone knitting Teddies in Sevenoaks? “ Fortunately supplies are still available online! To date SI Sevenoaks has made 101 bears. Two members, Shirley Brigham has made 55, Linda Larter has made 6 and a friend of SI Sevenoaks, Maureen Clark has made 40. The bears have been given to the West Kent Police Safeguarding Team who are already using them commenting how helpful they are as a de stressor for the children. Bears have been given to the Probation Service, Maidstone for use in Women’s Refuges Word about the Trauma