On Mon 15 May we kicked off the new Club year. With all the bank holidays in May our programme got messed up so this was the 3rd Monday, when we normally meet 2nd and/or 4th Mondays. It was just as well we were meeting on Zoom because, sadly, most of our Members were unable to attend and join in with what turned out to be a most enjoyable meeting. We will share the event here so that anyone who couldn’t be there, can get a taste of the evening.
Our guest speaker was Associate Soroptimist Member Caroline Tyrwhitt, who returned to us to talk about her trip to Uganda to celebrate the chartering of a new club, SI Wakiso. Caroline told us about it in February before she went https://sigbi.org/st-albans-and-district/2023/13feb/
Click here to see Caroline’s presentation from 15 May which is loaded with 
lots more wonderful photographs: Uganda Trip – Caroline Tyrwhitt
Caroline talked us through her photos and we were all transported to Africa! She was invited to the chartering of the new Club by a headteacher from Wakiso who she was delivering training for. She shared pictures and videos from her visit. 
The Club has a President and President-elect and held a party celebrating the chartering. They made Caroline and her husband very welcome including home hospitality.
Caroline had Afripads https://www.afripads.com/ delivered while she was there to support period poverty in the area. Afripads are washable reusable sanitary pads made in Uganda. They visited local women’s projects giving out packs of the pads. Caroline shared that there is still a big stigma around periods and women are encouraged to cover the pads when they are drying on the washing line.
The Soroptimists took Caroline to visit a craft project that makes and sells handmade items. They also visited a rural skills centre running courses for people who had needed to drop out of school. They are looking for sewing machines (with instruction booklets). She also visited a few local schools. Caroline explained that families have to pay to send their children to school. Teachers at one of the schools currently are unpaid and not all teachers are qualified.
Jane suggested Caroline put the project in touch with the Steve Sinnott Foundation 
who are an educational charity working in Africa which one of our Club Members, Ann Beatty is CEO.
Caroline shared pictures of the local areas showing the buildings and dirt roads. She was amazed at how people worked together and were so resilient. The Soroptimist members were all educated and in professions and keen to support the local schools because they know how valuable education is.
After the Soroptimist visit, Caroline and her husband went on a Ugandan safari that she can highly recommend. You will see from her Power Point Presentation how beautiful and lush Uganda is. They got to observe lions, elephants, leopards, giraffes, buffalo, impala, zebras, gorillas, chimps and warthogs wild in the safari park. The gorillas were the real stars for them. What an adventure!
Janet asked what the next steps are. Caroline is speaking with SI Libertas later in the week and she will speak to them about the possibility of forming a friendship link with SI Wakiso. Jane agreed to follow up with the Africa Federation (SIAF) regarding creating a stronger link so that the Club has the support from the Federation and other Clubs in Uganda in the mechanics of running a new Club. Diana suggested linking in with clubs in Kenya which have Facebook pages and are active (subsequent to the meeting Jane established that some Kenyan Soroptimists went to the official Charter on the new Club ahead of Caroline’s visit).
We reflected on the Coronation – the change from an Elizabethan era to a Carolean era, openly sharing members thoughts and feelings which was interesting for everyone. Jane led members in reflecting on the coronation and how Charles will be a different style of monarch and how he is already putting his personal stamp on the royal role – with the event itself being so much more inclusive than previous coronations. People talked about the historical elements of the event and most had really enjoyed the music. As a jewellery historian Beatriz was disappointed by the lack of jewels on show by the guests – they seemed to have played it “low-key”.
We balloted Members on the election of SIGBI President Elect, Gillie O’Rourke (who is currently Chair of SIGBI UKPAC). Details had been sent to Members prior to the meeting – the ballot in support or Gillie was unanimous.
We walked through the Club’s programme of events for the next couple of months and encouraged Members to join in with the planning process. There is lots going on in June so please click here to find out more and make sure you don’t miss anything https://sigbi.org/st-albans-and-district/club-programme/