What an interesting and enjoyable Club Meeting we had on 9 April! Orla Fawcett came to talk to the Club to tell us about her forthcoming trip to Nepal for a year starting September 2018 with the charity Project Trust … Continued
Club news
Club Celebrates Girls and Womens Cricket in Hertfordshire
A Celebration of Girls’ and Women’s Cricket in Hertfordshire and the Soroptimist Audrey Collins Legacy Project The St Albans and District Soroptimists held an inspirational evening to celebrate Girls’ Cricket in Hertfordshire and the impact of the Soroptimist Audrey Collins Legacy … Continued
Women and Men Voted Soroptimist Quiz Night a Winner
The Soroptimist Quiz had a theme this year around the 100th anniversary of women winning the right to vote. The Quiz Masters (pictured) really entered into the spirit by dressing in period costumes plus rosettes and sashes in the women’s … Continued
St Albans Soroptimists Mark International Womens Day
The Club marked International Women’s Day with three different and varied events this year – what a wonderful way to mark the 100th anniversary of women winning the right to vote! On 8 March, International Women’s Day, St Albans Soroptimists … Continued
Inspiring Club Open Evening – Home and Away
Members of Soroptimist International St Albans & District held an Open Evening to explain more about the work that Soroptimists do to make a difference to the lives of women and girls locally, nationally and internationally. We had Soroptimist speakers, … Continued
Club Welcomes 2 New Members, plus update about both Refugees and Refuges
Club Members were delighted to start the new year by welcoming 2 new Members Alison Jarvis and Helen Clothier. They are pictured here l to r with Amanda Brown, Membership Officer who introduced Alison who is standing next to her, … Continued
Soroptimists Provide Interview Practice at St Albans Girls School
Three Soroptimists volunteered this year to take part in St Albans Girls School (STAGS) “Big Interview day” for year 11 (GCSE year) students. Pictured here l to r are Barbara Saunders, Denise Powell and Jane Slatter. As part of the careers programme at St … Continued
Soroptimist Tree at St Saviours Christmas Tree Festival
Members of Soroptimist International St Albans and District decorated a beautiful Christmas tree which was on show at the St Saviour’s Christmas Tree Festival. 95 trees were decorated by local community groups and businesses and were displayed in the church until … Continued
Canine Star Brings Success for Carol Singers at St Albans City Station
This year’s annual Soroptimist Christmas carol singing at St Albans City Station was a great success raising £516.20 for the St Albans and Hertsmere Women’s Refuge and the Welwyn Hatfield Women’s Refuge – and it was great fun too! We were joined by Jules … Continued
Understanding Cyberstalking Will Make Women Safer – Fascinating Evening in St Albans
Staying Safe Online: the truth about Cyberstalking – an event for 16 Days of Activism to end gender based violence On Monday 27 Nov our Soroptimist women’s group, Violence Against Women Team hosted an event at the Maltings Theatre St Albans … Continued
New Members, Cambodia Volunteering, Refuge Gifts, Toilets, Coats and Bras!
Wow – what a busy Club Meeting we had on Mon 13 Nov! It was our last regular meeting before the New Year – and just about all our Members were there – making the evening really buzz with activity! … Continued
Step Up, Lead the Way – Brilliant Soroptimist Conference Cardiff October 2017
Over 1,200 women from around the world gathered at the magnificent Wales Millennium Centre on Cardiff Bay to listen to inspiring speakers and to share ideas and energise each other through networking and friendship. Olympian Katherine Grainger DBE, Britain’s most … Continued
You Can’t Put A Plaster On It – World Mental Health Day
“Mental Health:You Can’t Put a Plaster On it” On Monday 9 Oct Soroptimist Club Members and guests heard from local mental health service providers about support available to people in Hertfordshire. Barry Canterford, (pictured above right) Public Governor at the … Continued
Abbey Theatre Charity Night – Juliet and her Romeo raised £1000 for local women’s refuges!!
£1000 raised for local women’s refuges!! Soroptimist International St Albans and District Women’s Group proudly made this announcement following the Abbey Theatre Charity Night on 5 Oct. “Juliet and her Romeo” by Sean O’Connor and Tom Morris was performed by the … Continued
The Hidden Impact of Violence against Women
Soroptimist St Albans’ Violence against Women Team organised an informative speaker meeting on 25 Sep which focused on: The Hidden Impact of Violence against Women The event was well attended, interactive and very well received. Pictured here are (l to r) … Continued
Success Stories – Charity Bookstall for Literacy Day
The Club marks International Literacy Day every year selling 2nd hand books on St Albans market. The event raised more than £250 providing much needed funds for the St Albans & Hertsmere Women’s Refuge and the Welwyn Hatfield Women’s Refuge Our stall was busy all … Continued
Girl Guide Sophie back from her Nepalese Adventure
The Club was delighted to welcome Sophie Hicks back to give us a presentation brought alive with photos of her trip to Nepal in July and August with Girl Guiding Anglia and Projects Abroad where she was working with local … Continued
Growth Planning for Soroptimist Clubs
SIGBI Growth Plan Workshops – following the pilot last year Members of all Clubs in the Soroptimist London Chilterns Region have now participated in workshops organised by Soroptimist International Great Britain & Ireland and run by Affilius Group consultants. This year’s workshops were called … Continued
Fabulous Summer Garden Party
Club Members were delighted to accept fellow Member, Amanda Brown’s kind invitation to a Garden party over the August Bank Holiday weekend. Following a “pot luck” lunch (which was truly indulgent!), we had a relaxing afternoon in Amanda’s lovely garden, basking … Continued
Summer Outing to the Walled Garden at Luton Hoo
On 16 August Club Members enjoyed a “summer outing” to the Walled Garden” at Luton Hoo. The garden was designed by Capability Brown and established by the 3rd Earl of Bute in 1760. It fell into decline in 1980’s but is … Continued
Relaxing Italian Social Evening in Harpenden for Club Members
Our last meeting before we take a bit of a break for the summer was a lovely evening at Pasta Cibo – the family run Italian restaurant in Harpenden. This was a purely social event and there were 18 of … Continued
Dragons Apprentice Challenge Evening
Soroptimist International St Albans and District women’s group was delighted to welcome Emma Gamble from CVS (Centre for Voluntary Service) St Albans on Monday 10 July. Emma is pictured here in the centre with Jennie Redford (l) and Jane Slatter … Continued
Soroptimists Partner Harpenden Lions for the Highland Gathering
St Albans and District Soroptimists supported the Harpenden Lions at the annual Harpenden Highland Gathering selling the Prize Draw Charity Raffle tickets. This is a partnership arrangement where Soroptimists share the workload with Harpenden Lions to great effect. Charities benefiting from the … Continued
Action Needed to Improve the Health of the 51%: Women
Dr Edward Mullins (Ed) was a thought provoking speaker with some authority on the subject of women’s health at our meeting on 26 June. Ed is Senior Registrar in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital and Editor-in-Chief of the … Continued
Group Hug for New Member Saleema Davies
The Club was delighted to be able to welcome new Member Saleema Davies at their meeting in June. Saleema is pictured here in a group hug with Club Membership Officer Amanda Brown (left) and Club President Rita Andrews (right). Rita … Continued
Why Soroptimist? Membership Month 2017
At our May meeting about reducing our carbon footprint www.sigbi.org/st-albans/carbon/ Members donned their “Ask me why I’m a Soroptimist” T Shirts as part of the Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland (SIGBI) #WhySoroptimist ? campaign. (pictured her l to r are … Continued
How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint One Step at a Time
On 22 May Catherine Ross from Transition St Albans www.transitionstalbans.org talked to the Club about the impact of their successful district-wide initiative – “SuStAinable StAlbans Week” www.sustainablestalbans.org and highlighted their practical strategy to reduce our carbon footprint street by street. If you click on the link … Continued
International Citizen Hazel goes to Cambodia with VSO
On Monday 8 May Hazel Duffell visited our Club to tell us about the adventure that she will be embarking upon in June. Hazel will be volunteering for three months in partnership with the charity Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO). She … Continued
Club Twins Three Toilets
The Club has now twinned 3 toilets for Toilet Twinning www.toilettwinning.org following successful fundraising and donations starting last November on World Toilet Day www.sigbi.org/st-albans/2016/toiletday/ We started by having a bottle sale which raised £67.55 and then Members took away disposable recycled coffee cups to “spend … Continued
60 for 60 – what a diamond year!
The Club celebrated with events right through the year from April 2016 to April 2017. Events included our inspirational International Women’s Day live radio broadcast, fundraising for the Women’s Refuge from a quiz night, a market bookstall and carol singing … Continued
Soroptimists Get Hotter at Shopping!
Eight Club Members accepted an invitation to an evening at Hotter Shoes in St Albans. They learned all about these British shoes – had a great time trying on dozens of pairs of shoes, were given refreshments and goody bags … Continued
Long Service Awards – 25 for Rosemary and 50 for Joan!
The Club was delighted to be able to present long service awards to Joan Williams and Rosemary Cooper this year. Joan Williams has been a Member of the Club for 50 years! and was presented with her certificate at our … Continued
Dragon’s Apprentice Challenge Finale – Fundraising for Rennie Grove Hospice
Soroptimist Dragons Jennie Redford and Jane Slatter were delighted to attend the 2017 Dragons Apprentice Awards Evening at the University of Hertfordshire. Fellow Soroptimist Jean Eaton, also attended as an Ambassador for Rennie Grove Hospice.Team Elite from St Albans Girls’ School (STAGS) … Continued
AGM marks the end of a Diamond Year and the start of our 61st Year…
The AGM marks the end of a Diamond Year and the start of our 61st Year… Members of Soroptimist International St Albans and District enjoyed a lively Annual General Meeting in April. The AGM marked the end of the Club’s … Continued
Amsterdam Trip to the Flower Gardens
Ameeta Sabharwal of the St Albans and District Soroptimist Club organises a day-trip to the Keukenhof Gardens in Amsterdam every year. A group of Soroptimists and friends had a wonderful outing in April this year. The theme at the Gardens … Continued
Glittering Diamond Celebrations for St Albans Soroptimists
Glittering Weekend of Diamond Celebrations for our Club – Women Serving the St Albans Community Since 1957 The highlight of our weekend of celebrations was the glittering diamond gala dinner on Saturday night at Aldwickbury Park Golf Club in Harpenden. … Continued
Is it Still a Mans World? Yes but… Conclusion of the International Womens Day Debate
Is it Still a Man’s World? Yes but…… The women’s group Soroptimist International St Albans and District hosted a lively 2 hour long debate marking International Women’s Day and the Club’s 60th Anniversary on Tuesday 7 March at The Maltings Arts … Continued
Flipping Brilliant Pancake Day
The Pancake Race is a long-standing tradition in St Albans – a chance for adults to have as much fun as children do on Shrove Tuesday and raise valuable funds for local charities. This year Home-Start Hertfordshire took over the … Continued
Girl Guide Sophie Fundraising to work on Nepal Projects
The Club was delighted to welcome Sophie Hicks to their meeting. Sophie gave a presentation on her forthcoming trip to Nepal 27 July to 9 Aug with Girl Guiding Anglia and Projects Abroad where she will be working with local … Continued
Soroptimist Engages the Minds of Verulam School 6th Form
St Albans and District Soroptimist Jane Slatter gave a presentation to Verulam School 6th Formers about “Philanthropy” in the context of Soroptimists on 10 Feb for a programme called “Engaging Minds”. Jane was asked to speak as Director of Communications … Continued
Club Welcomes New Member Barbara Saunders
The Club was delighted to be able to welcome new Member Barbara Saunders at their meeting in January. Barbara is pictured here between Club President Denise Powell (left) and Club Membership Officer Helen Byrne (right) sharing the “hands of Soroptimist … Continued
Soroptimists Provide Interview Practice at St Albans Girls School
Five Soroptimists volunteered this year to take part in St Albans Girls School (STAGS) “Big Interview day” for year 11 (GCSE year) students. Pictured here l to r are Pamela Rochford, Jennie Redford, Denise Powell, Amanda Brown and Barbara Saunders. … Continued
Coffee for the Refuge at the Wesley Coffee Shop
Soroptimist Baristas at Wesley’s Church Coffee Shop High Street Harpenden Pictured here are St Albans Soroptimist baristas Joan WIlliams, Allyson Walker, Jean Eaton, Denise Powell and Janet Audley-Charles. Coffee mornings at the Wesley Coffee Shop are a great way for … Continued
Carol Singing Success at Harpenden Station for Womens Refuge
Soroptimist Carol Singing at Harpenden station – fundraised more than £500 for the St Albans and Hertsmere Women’s Refuge – and marked Human Rights Day. This year the group had to switch to Harpenden Station instead of St Albans at late notice … Continued
Dragons Apprentice Challenge Update
The Dragon’s Apprentice Challenge Team Elite from St Albans Girls’ School STAGS (the team the Club is Dragon to), have got their fundraising off to a great start for Rennie Grove Hospice raising nearly £250 already. They held a fashion show, and also sold amusingly packaged … Continued
Human Rights Day Celebration in Beaconsfield
Soroptimists from Clubs in the London Chilterns Region, including 8 Members of SI St Albans and District, gathered in Beaconsfield to mark Human Rights Day. Four candles were lit – one to remember those in the world who are denied their … Continued
Making a Splash at the Malta Conference
Three Members of SI St Albans and District were excited to be able to attend Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland’s Conference in Malta this year – Denise Powell, Hilary Ratcliffe and Jane “Pinky” Slatter. The Conference was truly inspirational … Continued
SuStAinable St Albans Evening – FoodCycle and Spice Drops
The St Albans Soroptimist Club had an inspirational evening as part of SuStAinable St Albans 2016. Group Members plus many guests explored sustainability with informative talks from FoodCycle and Spice Drops – this event was part of Sustainable St Albans Week 19-26 … Continued
World Toilet Day, 90th Birthday and Refuge Gifts – busy Club meeting!
It was a busy Club Meeting on Nov 7th – the Club Marked “World Toilet Day” by having a bottle sale which raised £67.55 for “Toilet Twinning” www.toilettwinning.org – in addition Members took away disposable recycled coffee cups and will “spend … Continued
Autumn Capability Brown walk around Ashridge
This year is 300 Years since the birth of Capability Brown, so the Club set our on the 2nd of these walks to take in the beauty of Autumn. Our last one was in August – see: www.sigbi.org/st-albans/2016/brocket/ Although the air was cold, … Continued