SI Gosport, Fareham and District celebrated International Women’s Day with a coffee morning. Local women’s organisations were invited to come and display information about their activities. Townswomen’s Guild, Inner Wheel, WRNS and Solent Stitchers were among those who took up the challenge. There was also information about SI Poole’s Purple Teardrop campaign and the Soroptimist International Project, Meru Women’s Garden Project as well as a display about the SI club’s activities. The Fareham MP, Suella Fernandes and two Soroptimists, Wendie Douglas and Rosalinda Hardiman talked about their experiences as women in the workplace. Suella had worked for ten years to become an MP and finally achieved her goal at the General Election in May 2015. When elected she was the 385th ever woman MP. Wendie talked about her work as a police officer and of the increasing numbers of women in the Force. She noted

To mark World Literacy Day on September 8 club members were asked to offer any unwanted books for sale to other members at £1 each. The sale raised £32 that will help school children in areas of deprivation. Save

Six club members, Wendie Douglas, Kathleen Durning, Pam Grosvenor, Kay Mainwaring, Ann Pibworth and Margaret Smith, marked International Women’s Day (March 8) by attending a Reclaim the Night event organised by Sian Brooke, a student at Portsmouth University. The occasion was billed as Portsmouth’s biggest and loudest grassroots protest against street harassment, victim-blaming, and all forms of sexual violence and abuse. It kicked off with some fun – volunteers painted people’s faces in the colours of women’s rights and feminism. Survivors of sexual abuse gave moving first hand accounts of their assaults, there was also some poetry, an exceptional reading from a young man who spoke of men taking responsibility for their actions, and presentations by two Portsmouth organisations that gave an insight into working with individuals who have suffered sexual and domestic violence. They were Aurora New Dawn, offering support for survivors, and Portsmouth

International Women’s day is now celebrated around the world to raise awareness of women’s successes and to stress how much more needs to be done to ensure that women and girls everywhere are given equal treatment in all aspects of life. “Four of us did the four miles back to Fareham,” said walk leader Pam Grosvenor. “It was a good walk and the rain held off. We had coffee and assorted cakes and buns at the Salt Cafė half way.” The walkers were sponsored by club members who weren’t able to join them and so far £50 has been raised. This will be donated to the Pretoria Project that provides underwear and sanitary protection for girls in South Africa enabling them to continuing going to school. Save

              On Sunday,  October 12, the club hosted a Friendship Lunch at the Wheel House, Hill Head, overlooking the Solent.  Twenty two people attended including six Soroptimists from Chichester Club and four from Southampton . As always, there was a delicious spread for lunch and Gosport and Fareham Club members provided their signature array of fabulous puddings. The lunch is a welcome social event giving an opportunity for catching up with friends, reminiscing and generally putting the world to rights!  A most enjoyable afternoon. Save