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Soroptimists Orange The World – 16 Days of Action in Herts to End Gender Based Violence

Published on: Published in: Club news

Soroptimist St Albans OTW CollageSt Albans & District Soroptimists Oranged the world (well Hertfordshire anyway!).

Building on our success last year when we ‘Oranged’ the beautiful St Albans Museum, (see photos and read more about it here) this year we set out to ‘Orange’ Hertfordshire as part of the United Nations Orange the World Campaign and the 16 days of activism to end gender based violence from 25 Nov to 16 Dec 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence.
The Club is very proud that the photo montage shown here won the Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland photo of the month competition for January 2022!

Please watch our video on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5g6Uhoy7PH8

We wrote to significant buildings, councillors, businesses and senior schools, seeking support…..and we got it!.
St Albans Soroptimists Orange The World at the MuseumThe Museum were once again delighted to support us and this year laid on a ‘lighting up’ tea in the Courtroom which enabled us to invite supporters and Club members to join us for a professional photo-shoot. St Albans Soroptimists Orange The World at the Museum 251121 We had some additional and unexpected support from 3 gentlemen who were hoping for a quiet cup of tea…..but who entered into the Oranging by donning orange masks once we had explained the 16 days to them.
SISTA OTW Male Recruits - Museum Orange
Herts County Council, through Deputy Council Leader Annie Brewster, gave us another photo opportunity, lighting up County Hall. Councillor Chris Lloyd showed his individual support by dressing in Orange and sending us a photo. Harpenden Town Council, showed their support by placing our poster on all the Town’s SISTA OTW Herts CC with peoplecouncil notice boards, mentioning the campaign in The Forum (the council newsletter that goes out to all homes in the town) and have pledged to do more next year.
SISTA OTW Herts CCSISTA OTW OTW Herts CCWe were also supported by local businesses, including Burton’s Biscuits and the Peahen pub and by Sir John Lawes School in Harpenden, who ran an Orange themed week across the whole school. Broadway Cinema in Letchworth turned orange.
SISTA OTW BurtonsSISTA OTW Broadway Cinema Letchworth
were able to use the campaign in some sessions with clients and children staying at SISTA OTW SAHWR Refugethe Refuge to explore why ending violence against women is so important.
SISTA OTW Sir John LawesSISTA OTW Sir John LawesSISTA OTW ParkrunSISTA OTW HertsCF Team
We have so many great photos that just some of them are shown here and we have put them all together into a video – just click on the link above. We were absolutely delighted at the level of support we managed to engender, and are already developing plans for OTW 2022 when we hope to get even more community involvement in our drive to Orange The World (or at least Hertfordshire).

We appeared in the Herts Advertiser at the start of the campaign  www.hertsad.co.uk/news/soroptomists-raising-awareness-of-gender-violence-8528766

 

Since the murders of Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa the need to take action has never been more important.

OTW16 days imageBetween 25 November – 10 December 2021, buildings all over Hertfordshire lit up Orange raising awareness of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence. It is a call to action and to raise awareness at a local, national, and international level about violence against women and girls.

In the two photos from the campaign launch and the  lights  “switch on” at St Albans Museum and Gallery on Thursday 25 Nov we are are wearing orange face masks and putting a hand up for “stop it now” to end gender-based violence. With us for the launch were Councillor Annie Brewster, deputy leader of Herts County Council, Barbara Saunders President of Soroptimist International St Albans and District, Farhat Zia Co-Founder of HAWA (Herts Asian Women’s Association). Councillors Tina Bhartwas and Mandy McNeil and Chris Roach Chair of the Herts Domestic Abuse Helpline. Most of the other attendees are members of the St Albans Soroptimist women’s group and HAWA.

Please click here to see the Information Pack we produced for the campaign:

If you need further information please contact sistalbans@hotmail.com

During the campaign we supported two local organisations in our district working to support victims of gender-based violence and domestic abuse:

Herts Domestic Abuse Helpline and  St Albans and Hertsmere Women’s Refuge

Herts Domestic Abuse HelplineSt Albans and Hertsmere Womens Refuge

 

 

Follow the campaign with the hashtag #OrangeTheWorldHerts

Actions were shared on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @sistalbans

Ending violence against women is everyone’s business!