President Heather Shulver, together with 4 members of the club, joined Soroptimists from all over the world at the Soroptimist International Conference in the amazing and exciting city of Istanbul. Full details of the conference can be found on the SIGBI website.

In June, President Heather with 4 members and 2 husbands visited one of the club’s longest-established friendship links, SI Caserta in Italy. The Italian Club were celebrating their 50th anniversary and had organised a weekend of activities, including visits to old town of Casertavecchia, the Royal Palace, a Roman amphitheatre and S. Leucio, an 18th century industrial village famous for silk production. The highlight of the visit was a Gala Dinner, where we celebrated this milestone birthday with President Loredana and members of SI Caserta.

President Heather, together with seven other members of the club and accompanied by four husbands, attended the Joint Irish Conference in Belfast. The Regional President for Northern Ireland is a member of our friendship link club, SI Lisburn and District and the members of SI Southport and SI Lisburn  had the opportunity of renewing friendships. SIGBI President Jenny Vince and International President Ann Garvie also attended and the conference delegates enjoyed some inspirational speakers, including SI President Ann, Jim Gamble, Child Protection expert and Mary Clare Deane, Chief Exec of the Grand Opera House. On Sunday morning at a ceremony of rededication and thanksgiving, President Heather was delighted to be asked to light a candle symbolising friendship between clubs while Sylvia Martin, the President of the Lisburn Club spoke the accompanying words. This was a wonderful weekend of fun and friendship!  

Membership Officer Gill Ribis has been very busy! We were delighted to induct some new members into the club over the last few months. During 2014, Jean Spooner and Mary McDonagh joined the Club and Paulene Regan re-joined after a short absence. At the start of 2015, we were delighted to welcome Mary Allen, Diane Hudson and Su Williams. And as we started out new Soroptimist year, Rose Bamber, Eydna Fox and Angela Proctor were inducted by President Joss Glanvill at her last club meeting as President.

On Sunday 26 April, members, guests and friends of Soroptimist International Southport gathered at Formby Hall Golf Resort and Spa for the Annual Change of Insignia Luncheon.  President Jocelyn Glanvill handed over the presidential chain to incoming President Heather Shulver. President Heather’s theme for the year is ‘Service’.

Southport members held a Charity Auction for members and friends in their Club Room in February. The two Auctioneers dressed up as Winnie and Agnes from Mrs. Brown’s Boys.Entrance was free and wine and nibbles were served.The gavel came down on over 150 items and £780 was raised for local charities. It was an evening of true friendship and fun.        

Waterside Lodge, on the banks of the Marine Lake, was transformed into a 1910s venue to hold a World War I Commemoration Evening. A small committee, armed with artistic and organisational talents – and a little help from their friends and family – arranged a splendid evening of good food and excellent entertainment and the 82 guests joined in the spirit of the period, some arriving as nurses, soldiers and suffragettes. ‘Miscellany’ provided the entertainment with a programme of war-time songs and poems and kept the audience enthralled by their performance. The evening raised over £1500 for local charities, Our President Elect, Heather Shulver, sold knitted poppies during the evening and at subsequent club meetings and we sent £61 to the British Legion gained from the sale.    

Southport members took up the challenge to work with Mary’s Meals and last year the club provided backpacks. This year Mary’s Meals were asking supporters to celebrate the importance of porridge on World Porridge Day on 10 October.  Southport Club made contact with a local primary school and arranged to serve porridge to the whole school on that day. The school used assemblies and class work to explain to the children that Mary’s Meals is a global movement that sets up school feeding projects in some of the world’s poorest communities, where hunger and poverty prevent children from gaining an education. All the children paid 50 pence for a bowl of porridge with various toppings and a total of £150 was raised and sent to the charity. (All photographs published with kind permission from the school.)

On Sunday 27th April, SI Southport held the Annual Change of Insignia lunch. Outgoing President Sandra Brookfield handed the chain of office to the 2014-2015 President, Jocelyn Glanvill.