The monthly meeting covers all aspects of managing the club and it’s activities.
After a summary of the past month’s activities each committee member or group leader reports on the progress and plans for their individual area. The meeting also acts as a venue for updates from our supported charities, club occasions e.g. presentation of awards to winners of the children’s poster competition, talks by members, welcome of new members etc.
07/06/26 Tribute for Joyce Stocks.
Joyce died on the 7th May at the age of 94. She was a stalwart member of this Club for many years and we remember her with pride.
She was born on the 4th of February 1932 and grew up in Sheffield. Her father was a chemist and owned a pharmacy. When she reached secondary school, she attended High Storrs and there, she was in the same year as Brenda Jackson. They became friends and remained so for life.
She trained as a dentist and she worked for the school dental service in Sheffield.
Joyce joined this Soroptimist Club about 1970 (we do not have the exact date). It was she who introduced Brenda to Soroptimism and to this Club.
She was active in the Club and supported many activities and projects. She was not one to seek Office but was a reliable member and maybe will be best remembered for her great support to Brenda over many years and over Brenda’s many advancements. In this capacity she attended many Regional and Federation events and Conferences and acquired a great working knowledge of the leading lights of Soroptimism at the time. When Brenda was Federation President, her Conference in 1985 was held in Liverpool and Joyce played a key part in the behind the scenes organisation.
Joyce was involved in several community activities and in other organisations in Sheffield. She was able to follow an active life in the early years of her retirement.
In later years, mobility issues and failing eyesight greatly limited her activities and she was less able to attend meetings or join in activities. By the time of the Covid outbreak and lockdown in early 2020 she was registered blind and was essentially housebound and she resigned from our Club. So, she was a member for about 50 years and contributed much.
She had a gentle and dry sense of humour, much appreciated by the rest of us. We will remember her with respect, gratitude and honour.
Please join me to observe a minute’s silence in her memory
Sheila Duncan, June 2026
30/05/26 Regional President’s meeting held by Susie Westwood.
Susie Westwood hosted the President’s meeting on a sunny day with lunch in the garden of her rhubarb farm. Daphne had a great day as Si Sheffield’s representative.
19/05/26 President’s Message.
- It is an honour to be President of SI Sheffield again. I was President in 1992 -93 and again in 2015- 16 and briefly in 2017-8 when we had a shared Presidency. This will be the first time as far as I know that we have had a joint Presidency and I am honoured to share this with Gail.
- I am very grateful to Daphne who like Gail and I, was not thinking she would volunteer to be President last year– but volunteer she did and she has done a marvellous job.
- In our 99th year we will continue to have good meals together, listen to interesting speakers and work towards Soroptimist goals. Currently Gail and I do not as yet have a joint charity for the year but during 2026-7 we will of course continue to support Winn Gardens, the Refuges and Prior Bank. We will also continue with the monthly Orange cafes, usually held in Tesco. Where we can, we will make a difference to women and girls locally, nationally and internationally.
- The Executive has divided the year into thirds and has allocated each third to one of the Programme Action groups. It is envisaged that each group will lead for their 4 months, finding speakers for the social evenings and putting on fund raising and other events.
- So the new Presidential year starts with Group 2 ( Sustainable Environment and Health) who will be in charge from May to August.
- We are now a much smaller Club than when I was President in previous years. This is due to many factors but probably the greatest change has been in the way that the internet now dominates women’s lives at work and in social contexts, which Soroptimist International and indeed all of us need to embrace to make us relevant as Soroptimist women in the 21st century
- Never forget that Soroptimist International holds general consultative status with the UN and has 26 representatives full time at 7 UN centres worldwide, advocating for women’s and girls rights.
27/04/26 AGM, Much to celebrate
Transfer of Regalia.
President’s Regalia presented by Daphne to Gail; who will share the position with Sally.
Immediate Past President chain passed from Sue to Daphne .
President Elect regalia received by Hilary from Daphne
Sheila and Toni receive their 50 year Membership Certificates.
21/03/26 RCM at Barnsley Holiday Inn
SI Sheffield members took pleasure in attending the RCM at Barnsley Holiday Inn.
02/03/26 Club Meeting.
24/01/26 Spen Valley Charter Lunch
Delegates from 13 clubs attended SI Spen Valley Charter Lunch where they enjoyed delightful company and diecious food.
29/11/25 RCM Wetherby.
Daphne, Sue and Wendy enjoyed a pre-lunch drink when attending the RCM held at The Bridge Wetherby.
03/11/25 Winn Gardens’s facilities.
Joel’s talk enlivened the evening due to his dedication and energy He listed the activities and support groups available at Winn Gardens and plans to further expand the activities. He accepted a formal presentation of £500 donation.
07/07/25 Club meeting, presentation of Cheque to MINs.
Heather, Mums in Need Chair of Trustees, was delighted to receive £1646.00.
14/06/25 RCM and Friendship Day at Wentworth Woodhouse.
The sun shone, the rooms impressive, the gardens interesting, the delicious food served efficiently by friendly staff at the Yorkshire RCM held at Wentworth Woodhouse.
After coffee and registration the brief RCM comprised of reading of recirculated reports followed by a moving illustrated talk by poet Chaucer Cameron and Helen Dewbury about the dangers vulnerable women risk. Chaucer read a poem to video “In an ideal World I would not be murdered.”based on her experiences. The morning finished with an impassioned and inspirational talk by Sarah Mcloud, CEO of Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust relating the aims, difficulties, achievements and experiences met in the restoration.
After lunch, the 82 delegates where able to either take a guided tour of the gardens or to explore the house and amenities.
A good time was had by all, congratulations to the organisers.
29/04/25 President’s Message
It is a great honour to be President of SI Sheffield again. (I was lucky to be the President in 2016-17 and again in 2022-23 for 18 months).I am very grateful to Sue Godley who was President for 18 months from September 2023 to April 2025. She has done a great job and the club has had some wonderful times. We were nominated for and won the Yorkshire Programme Action Award. We were also nominated for the International Programme Action award and were one of only 9 clubs (only 4 in the UK) to be nominated. These nominations were for our work with Winn Gardens. Sue instigated the ‘Orange Cafes’ which usually take place on the 25th of every month to raise awareness and take action to end Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) by wearing orange.
During 2025-26 we will continue to support Winn Gardens and Mums In Need as well as working with the ‘Share Our Skills’ students at King Edward VII School in Sheffield.
One of the things I really enjoy about being a Soroptimist is meeting other people, having fun at meetings and social events, hearing interesting speakers at supper meetings and making a difference and improving the lives and futures of Women and Girls throughout the world.
For the readers who do not know what we do ……..
We campaign, we lobby, we implement, we support, and we care about the injustices that some Women the World over have to endure.
We have Representation, and Special Consultative Status, at the United Nations, so we are a Global Voice for Women and Girls, through Awareness, Advocacy and Action.
We strive for Human Rights for all, Equality, Development and Peace, International goodwill, understanding and friendship.
If you are a like-minded person, with a desire to help others, then please access our Club’s website;
28/04/25 AGM – Appointment of 2025 President
We were delighted to welcome Judith Clark – Joint Regional President of Si Yorkshire – to our AGM. The main event of the evening was the appointment of Daphne as President replacing Sue after her successful presidentship since September 2023. The event was celebrated with cake (thank you Daphne) and Prosecco.
29/03/25 97th Charter Lunch at Tapton
A memorable occasion thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended whether speakers, guests, visitors or members.
The speakers; Dr Kay Linnell OBE, a forensic accountant currently supporting victims of the post Office scandal and Mrs. Barbara Jeremiah JP, were interesting and informative. Thank you to Hilary for organising them.
Many thanks those who helped to make this such a successful event, particularly Chris N. for suburb overall management.
22/03/25 RCM at Holiday Inn, Barnsley.
Those of our members who attended the RCM at Barnsley were intrigued by the guest speaker’s description of the difficulties in introducing “Danielle’s Game” into the national curriculum due to it’s refusal by Offsted.
25/01/25 Inauguration of Si Spen Valley Charter
President Sue,, Daphne and Chris were delighted to be at the Inauguration of Si Spen Valley which was attended by President Ruth Healey and members from fifteen clubs.
