All clubs of the region took part in the Orange the World 16 Days of Activism from 25 Nov to 10 Dec 2023. SI Bournemouth held an Art Exhibition, with more than 300 members of the public visiting and voting for their top three choices. All entries were worthy of hearty congratulations for their creativity, thoughtfulness, and insight, but the final top 3 were announced. SI Weybridge met up for a ‘Walk & Talk’ Café Crawl along the Thames towpath between Walton & Weybridge, with sisters from SI Woking and SI Surrey Hills.
Since Christmas their have been festive greetings from SI Winchester to their Friendship Links, and SI Solent East celebrated with a, now traditional, Epiphany Dinner.
Speakers visiting clubs have included Helen Stevens, who is the CEO of STARS Dorset (Sexual Trauma and Recovery Services) to SI Poole & Purbeck, and two lovely ladies from the Winchester Hospice, Donna Coombs, Clinical Matron, and Alison Warren, who gave a splendid presentation on the Hospice to members of SI Winchester. SI Woking were delighted to welcome Sian to their February Meeting, and she gave them a compelling and informative talk about the amazing work of Surrey Care Trust – supporting young people and adults in local communities to build their confidence and skills to create better chances for life, learning, and work.
In response to SIGBI President Ruth’s challenge to do 90 ‘somethings’ to celebrate the Federation’s anniversary, SI Solent East laid out 90x 5p coins that they had collected for the Barbara Watts Volunteering in Pretoria project. This was part of £30 forwarded to the project, along with £210 raised by SI Woking from a small raffle at their Christmas Dinner and adding donations instead of exchanging Christmas cards.
Clubs have been preparing for International Women’s Day (IWD) on 8 March, taking photos with members making the ‘love-heart’ sign for #InspireInclusion. SI Salisbury had a photo shoot with the Mayor of Salisbury and Deputy Mayor, and at a club meeting of SI Poole & Purbeck, as well as hearing the talk from photographer Jayne Bond and seeing her beautiful pictures, they posed for an International Women’s Day photo.
