The St Albans Soroptimist women’s group and friends sang carols and festive songs this year at St Albans City Station on Mon 6 Dec for the first time since 2019. It was a great success raising £261 for the St Albans and Hertsmere Women’s Refuge A fabulous result considering COVID! We would like to thank everyone who made a donation, including the St Albans City supporters who were on 
their way to Borehamwood for the match (commiserations to them for the result 🙁). Thanks also to the station staff who joined in the singing and made us feel welcome.
We were joined by Jules and Rosie our Soropti-dogs – who we are sure attracted lots of extra attention and donations!
Recent funding cuts and increased demand mean that Refuges need additional funding now more than ever before.
This event is timed on the closest Monday to Human Rights Day when Soroptimists all around the world take action and is part of the “Orange the World Campaign” – 16 Days of Activism from 25 Nov to 10 Dec to end gender-based violence (hence the orange face masks).
One of the generous travellers put £20 in the bucket and said “thanks for all that you do” – amazing!
For more about our campaign to Orange the World for the 16 Days of Activism and how you can join in click here www.sigbi.org/st-albans/orange21
Afterwards we retired to the White Hart Tap hostelry in St Albans for a well-earned supper and warm up! In the pub Club Members signed Christmas cards to send to our Soroptimist Friendship Link Clubs in Chico California USA, Osaka in Japan, Warsaw in Poland, Muenster in Germany and Victoria on Mahe in The Seychelles. Members also made donations of £51.40, in lieu of sending one another Christmas cards, to the Soroptimist International President’s biennial appeal “Opening Doors to a Brighter Future” www.soroptimistinternational.org/openingdoors
Away from the carols our Soroptimist elves have been busy again buying and wrapping up personal Christmas gifts for the women at the St Albans and Hertsmere Women’s Refuge. See pics below.
Santa’s got a right sackful here! We know the women are thrilled at Christmas to know that we’re thinking about them and we hope it brings them a little bit of Christmas cheer and hope for a happy new year! The Club has also bought a stash of tea, coffee etc for the women’s refuge (see the photo). Liz Perry one of the Refuge managers says “there is no 
situation in the Refuge that can’t be improved by a sit down with a cup of tea”.
All of these goodies have now been packed up and delivered in plenty of time for Christmas.