The club held a “Journeys through Literacy” event in celebration of the United Nations Literacy Day 8th September 2019 jointly with Sevenoaks Library in their gallery. https://www.un.org/en/events/literacyday/ The event could just have easily been called from ‘Global to Local’ as the 15 minute presentations covered ‘Literacy in a pre literate society’ working with an indigenous tribe in Brazil given by Margaret Alford and ‘Bloom where you are planted’  an English speaking programme delivered by Sevenoaks Welcomes Refugess to the Syrian refugees living in the Sevenoaks area. We were so pleased to welcome two refugees, a father and daughter who spoke of their experiences and feelings of coping in a new country. ’Success in a turnaround school’ by Sally Quirk Head Teacher St, John’s Primary School, Sevenoaks. This was a story of a failing school which now has a waiting list, and ‘Inclusive Learning that changes lives’

President Penny collected the new club roller banner from Marc of Kallkwik Sevenoaks. We are all excited and cannot wait to use the new banner at our next event in the Sevenoaks Library on 20th August. Thank you so much  Marc and Julie for arranging the production of the banner so efficiently, great service. We are very pleased with it!  https://www.kallkwik.co.uk/sevenoaks/roller-banners/  

Volunteer Garden Club Members were invited by the Sevenoaks Town Council Open Spaces and Leisure Committee to the attend King Henry’s Walk Garden Islington trip as a thank you for volunteering on a monthly basis at The Vine Sevenoaks sensory garden and herb garden.  This was a most informative trip and we all came back with lots of ideas for gardening in small spaces, creating a woodland area, trails and signage. “King Henry’s Walk Garden is an award-winning green space in the Mildmay ward of Islington, created by the local community, for the local community. The Friends of King Henry’s Walk Garden were honoured to receive a visit from HRH The Duchess of Cambridge on January 15th to see how the project brings people together through gardening and food growing.”  https://khwgarden.org.uk/about-the-garden/ Please do take a look at the photo album of our trip https://photos.app.goo.gl/rBe2EvaEP51qkMgU7  

Club members held their annual Summer lunch at The Chaser Shipbourne with a raffle in aid of Camfed and Arts without Boundaries.   We all had a most enjoyable time in a lovely courtyard setting – it was such a hot day Assistant Manager Liam very kindly drew across the canopy to provide us with shade.  The staff were most welcoming and accommodating and the chef did a sterling job to produce such delicious fresh food on a scorcher of a day!  Thank you to the Chaser for donating a raffle prize too.  http://www.thechaser.co.uk/  

SI Sevenoaks club members attended the SI South East Region June Meeting where they celebrated and acknowledged World Ocean Day by wearing blue. World Oceans Day takes place every 8 June. The concept was originally proposed in 1992 by Canada’s International Centre for Ocean Development and the Ocean Institute of Canada at the Earth Summit – UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Wikipedia .  Why Celebrate World Oceans Day? https://www.un.org/en/events/oceansday/ “We celebrate World Oceans Day to remind everyone of the major role the oceans have in everyday life. They are the lungs of our planet, providing most of the oxygen we breathe. The purpose of the Day is to inform the public of the impact of human actions on the ocean, develop a worldwide movement of citizens for the ocean, and mobilize and unite the world’s population on a project for

The club took part in the bi-annual Jacque Emery Award and we are delighted that our entry Chloe from Walthamstow Hall was the “winner of winners”.  The title of the essay was “To what extent have women worldwide achieved equality?”    21 schools entered and there were 177 essays judged.   Chloe and her family attended our SI South East Region Meeting on Saturday where Chloe very eloquently read out her essay.  

Club members are continuing to plant and maintain The Vine Sensory garden ahead of the South and South East in Bloom judging day on 5th July. It is looking very colourful with the theme of the competition for 2019 being red, white and blue and edible plants.  We have also just been given the herb garden area at The Vine to maintain – looking forward to planting edible herbs! We were delighted that the Mayor for Sevenoaks Cllr Nicholas Busvine OBE came to visit the garden yesterday, to see all our efforts and hard work.

President Penelope Robbins and Programme Action Officer Isobel Groves went up to Chelsea Flower Show to support and see the Camfed Garden. Camfed is the Presidents chosen International Charity for the year and the club has already been fundraising for bicycles for girls to ride to school and agricultural business starter packs. Penelope and Isobel were delighted to meet ladies from the CAMA alumnae network from Zimbabwe who shared their horticultural expertise and the designer of the garden Jilayne Rickards. The garden won Gold and Best in Show in the “Space to Grow Gardens” category which is amazing as it is the first time the designer had exhibited at Chelsea! https://camfed.org/latest-news/chelsea-garden-gold-medal/

Club members wore green at the club meeting in support of Mental Health Awareness week – Monday 13 to Sunday 19 May 2019. This also supports the Soroptimist International ‘Think on It’ campaign, which is focused on mental health. The theme for the week is “Body Image – how we see ourselves and how that makes us feel.  Body image issues can directly impact our mental health and affect all of us at any age.  President Penny Robbins gave details at the meeting of the Mental Health Foundation survey as below:- New online surveys were conducted by the Mental Health Foundation with YouGov in March 2019 of 4,505 UK adults 18+ and 1,118 GB teenagers (aged 13-19). The results highlighted that: One in five adults (20%) felt shame, just over one third (34%) felt down or low, and 19% felt disgusted because of their body image in

An evening with Band without Boundaries and friends What have the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to do with Band without Boundaries? Everything! As their aims and objects exactly match the goals of health and wellbeing, quality education, promoting peaceful and inclusive societies, providing justice for all, promoting non-discriminatory policies for sustainable development which is what our organisation Soroptimist International is pledged to do being affiliated to the United Nations Penny Robbins President of Soroptimist International Sevenoaks and I loved our evening on 17th April making and developing music, making friends in an atmosphere of total inclusivity where attendees spoke of their feelings of feeling safe to relax and be themselves. Penny has chosen to support Arts without Boundaries as her charity this year to highlight the importance of inclusivity of all members of our communities and fundraise for the charity. Sevenoaks Soroptimists look forward