Soroptimists from all over the South Lancashire Region attended the Federation Conference in Edinburgh.
This was the 90th annual conference of Soroptimist International, Great Britain & Ireland (SIGBI). It was held in the Assembly Rooms – elegant surroundings complete with chandeliers and cupolas
The conference programme encompassed ‘Educate – Empower – Enable’. There was a lively mix of speakers, panel sessions, updates and, of course, the Best Practice Awards for club projects.
On the first day Soroptimist Sriya Kulupana (SI Bootle and District) was one of the participants in the ‘Let’s Talk About Mentoring’ panel discussion. Sriya drew on her experiences as a mentor with The Girls’ Network (TGN). Working on a one-to-one basis, TGN sessions aim to build each girl’s confidence, focus on school and personal goals, and develop strategies to withstand pressures to conform.
Mentoring practice is an important element in the welcome that clubs give to new Soroptimists as they settle in. The skills and experience of longstanding members are invaluable.
Key conference speaker on day two was Floella Benjamin – Baroness Benjamin of Beckenham. In a stunning hour-long presentation she spoke about her struggles to get to where she is today. Respected as a champion of children, Baroness Floella encourages girls to be resilient, to speak out and to be true to themselves.
A feature of this year’s SIGBI conference was the poster displays. Each region was able to showcase Programme Action projects carried out by its clubs. South Lancashire’s colourful stand featured 3D enhancements such as pink tuk-tuks, red hearts, orange rosettes – and a few bras.
Red Lancashire roses were out in force at the Change of Insignia session. Region President Pam Wright (SI St Helens) passed on the chain of office to Sandy Taylor of SI Crosby.
Soroptimist conferences are great opportunities to listen and learn, to debate and discover, to enjoy good company. The focus is on service through friendship – worldwide. So here’s to SIGBI Birmingham in 2025!