One of the benefits of being a Soroptimist is having a massive family of sisters all over the world strengthened by Friendship Links between Clubs. SI St Albans and District has four Friendship Links – click on this page to … Continued
Club news
Visit to the New Maynard Gallery in Welwyn Garden City
On Wednesday 21 August four Members of the Club visited the New Maynard Gallery in Welwyn Garden City. President Katherine Clark is a Trustee of the gallery. Katherine showed Amanda Brown, Sarah Lichman and Jane Slatter the display space available … Continued
Success for St Albans in the Soroptimist Audrey Collins Under 14 Girls Cricket League
While England’s men were battling it out in the final of the Cricket World Cup in June, St Albans Soroptimists Helen Byrne and Barbara Saunders (pictured here either side of the team with Helen on the left and Barbara on … Continued
Twinning Four New Toilets at St Albans Cathedral – part of the revo-loo-tion
Three Members of Soroptimist International St Albans and District, the local branch of the global women’s organisation, were delighted to present Sub Dean Abi Thompson with four framed Toilet Twinning Certificates for the new toilets at St Albans Cathedral. Pictured … Continued
Student Volunteers Jenny and Sanaya Welcomed to Club Meeting
Jenny Scotland from Harpenden, one of our student volunteers, has now graduated from Bristol University. Jenny came to our Club Meeting to reported back on her ICYE Inter-Cultural Youth Exchange 2 month project in Bolivia last year. Before she went … Continued
Hot Soroptimist Womens Conference
On the hottest day of the year attendees of the Soroptimist International London Chilterns Region Conference had their thoughts provoked by two inspirational speakers Janet Fyle MBE Policy Adviser at the Royal College of Midwives www.rcm.org.uk/promoting/professional-practice/violence-women-girls/ and Ruby Raut CEO and … Continued
Harpenden Child Contact Centre and Dress a Girl Around the World
On Monday 24 June Brigid Brennan, Chair of the Harpenden Child Contact Centre HCCC www.harpendenchildcontactcentre.org.uk visited us to tell us about the services they provide. A Child Contact Centre is a safe, friendly and neutral place where children from separated … Continued
New Members and My Other Hat Evening
We had a really inspiring and enjoyable Club Meeting on Monday 10 June. Mary Moran was officially welcomed to the Club. Mary is a poet, she moved to St Albans from the US many years ago and her family were … Continued
Women’s Refuge supported at Wesley Coffee Shop
Pictured here are St Albans Soroptimist baristas Jean Eaton, Janet Audley-Charles and Joan WIlliams with John Powell, our Member Denise Powell’s husband, who completed the team on the 1 June. Joan Williams and Wesleys have both been nominated in the … Continued
Alisha Mirza, Inspirational ICS Volunteer, reports back from Tanzania
On Monday 13 May we were delighted to welcome Alisha Mirza back to the Club to report on her trip with ICS International Citizen Service www.volunteerics.org to Kamachumu in Tanzania. To see Alisha’s presentation, which includes lots of wonderful photographs … Continued
Club Marks 62nd Birthday at AGM
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 62nd year, and the start of the Club’s 63rd year. The event was a celebration of … Continued
Celebration of Soroptimist Support for Girls Cricket in Hertfordshire
The St Albans Soroptimists held a celebration on 8 April in support of girls’ cricket in Hertfordshire, The Club’s support for girls’ cricket is a legacy of their late Member Audrey Collins OBE who died in 2010. Audrey was an inspirational … Continued
Katie Waite Fundraising to attend the World Scout Jamboree in USA
The Club was delighted to welcome Katie Waite to their meeting. Katie is from Girlguiding Hertfordshire and runs a Girl Guide group in Radlett. She is fundraising to attend the World Scout Jamboree for 3 weeks in West Virginia USA 22 … Continued
Quizzically Successful Night
The Soroptimist annual quiz night was a great event as always! We raised close to £750 for the St Albans & Hertsmere and Welwyn Hatfield Women’s Refuges plus charities providing learning opportunities for women and girls. Well done to the … Continued
WINNER!! Soroptimist Club Wins St Albans Mayors Pride Award in the Voluntary Sector
Soroptimist International St Albans and District Club Members are proud to announce that the Club won the St Albans Mayor’s Pride Award 2019 in the Voluntary Sector category. The first picture is of the three finalists (Soroptimist Jane Slatter is … Continued
Networking at St Albans Girls School on International Womens Day
St Albans Soroptimists Kat Clark and Jane Slatter were delighted to attend the St Albans Girls’ School International Women’s Day Inspiring Women Careers Event for Year 8 and Year 12 Students. These girls all have a great future – we hope we helped to … Continued
Are Women Their Own Worst Enemy? Inspiring Womens Day Debate
Are women their own worst enemy? an International Women’s Day debate… The panel and audience discussed the question: Are Women their own worst enemy? the answer: yes and no – it’s complicated! St Albans Soroptimists and sponsors, *The Talent Keeper Specialists held … Continued
St Albans Pancake Race a Flipping Success
The St Albans Pancake Race in aid of HomeStart Herts was a great success! Seven Soroptimist volunteers (pictured here) helped with the registration on the day. To find out more about the event please see the website pancake.events Amanda Brown (Soroptimist group pic … Continued
Club Welcomes Two New Members
It is always a great Club evening when it is our pleasure to welcome new Members. The 11 Feb was twice as good because Pauline Swindells and Ann Beatty both joined the Club at the same time! Pictured here (l … Continued
Two Toilets Twinned at St Albans Museum and Gallery
Following Soroptimist International St Albans and District World Toilet Day event last year (please see the web page for more about it www.sigbi.org/st-albans/2018/toilet18/ ) we have been able to present St Albans Museum and Gallery with another Toilet Twinning certificate so now … Continued
Refuges, Life Talk, Blankets, Birthday – what a busy Club Open Evening!
On Monday 28 Jan we were thrilled to be able to make donations to the St Albans and Hertsmere and the Welwyn Hatfield women’s refuges. Sara and Liz from SAHWR are pictured to the right of President Linda with a cheque for £1000. Unfortunately … Continued
Soroptimists Provide Interview Practice at St Albans Girls School
Four Soroptimists volunteered this year to take part in St Albans Girls School (STAGS) “Big Interview day” for year 11 (GCSE year) students. Pictured here are Barbara Saunders and Amanda Brown. Debbie Tankard and Jane Slatter were also conducting parallel interviews. As part of … Continued
Women’s Refuges supported at Wesley Coffee Shop
Pictured here are St Albans Soroptimist baristas Janet-Audley-Charles, Judith Kenyon, Helen Byrne and Joan WIlliams. Coffee mornings at the Wesley Coffee Shop are a great way for us to swell the coffers for our Club’s charities – on 12 Jan we … Continued
100 pounds Easyfundraising Prize | Pants for SmallsForAll
In November our Club signed up for EasyFundraising please see the SIGBI website for more info www.sigbi.org/members/clubs/easyfundraising/ When the Club signed up were were entered into a prize draw and St Albans & District Soroptimists were the lucky winners of £100 … Continued
A Moving Human Rights Day Region Celebration
Members from Soroptimist Clubs in the London Chilterns Region and their guests attended a moving Human Rights Day event on Saturday 15th December. Five Members of SI St Albans and District attended – please see the photograph here with Janet … Continued
Christmas Gifts for Womens Refuges
Our Soroptimist elves have been busy again buying and wrapping up personal Christmas gifts for the women at the St Albans and Hertsmere and the Welwyn Hatfield Women’s Refuges. Santa’s got a right sackful here! We know the women are thrilled … Continued
Womens Refuges Benefit from Soroptimist Christmas Carols
We hope we gave the St Albans commuters a bit of Christmas cheer with our annual Soroptimist carol singing on Mon 3 Dec at St Albans City Station. We collected a much-needed £380 for the St Albans and Hertsmere Women’s Refuge and the Welwyn … Continued
Soroptimists Volunteer on Watling View School Christmas Stall
This year Watling View School for pupils with profound learning difficulties have had a Christmas Stall on Wednesdays for 5 weeks from 14 Nov to 12 Dec on St Albans Market 10am to 2pm. Students from the school made and … Continued
Toilet Twinning and World Toilet Day 2018
On Monday 12 Nov the Club held a lively and busy meeting to mark World Toilet Day with a bottle sale, speaker and presentation of a Twinned Toilet certificate to Caroline Eldred and Cllr Annie Brewster from the St Albans Museum … Continued
St Albans Soroptimists Support Herts Girls Cricket Tour to Sri Lanka
Soroptimist International St Albans and District have supported the Hertfordshire Girls Cricket Tour to Sri Lanka 25 Oct to 5 Nov 2018. Their coach Jonathan Cirkel sent us these images from the airport en-route to Colombo. The tour party comprises 15 … Continued
Soroptimist Denise Reports Back from the Liverpool Conference
This year our attendance at conference may have been small – but it was perfectly formed – see the pic of Denise Powell and the Club’s mascot Sally Bear in situ at the Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland (SIGBI) Conference … Continued
Democracy is a Woman, Soroptimist Warsaw Conference
The 100th Anniversary of Votes for Women in Poland was celebrated with a Soroptimist Conference in Warsaw entitled “Democracy is a Woman.” Barbara Saunders, SI St Albans and District Secretary, joined 88 sister Soroptimists from 12-14 October 2018 for the … Continued
October Region AGM and Conference – the Impact of Women
Four Members of SI St Albans and District joined an action packed Soroptimist International London Chilterns Region meeting in London – with the AGM, a #VotesForWomen presentation, a run through nominated “Women of Achievement” and a panel session on the United … Continued
Mental Health Challenges For Women – Event for World Mental Health Day 2018
On Monday 8 Oct we had a brilliant evening to mark World Mental Health Day and we now all understand so much more about the mental health challenges facing women. We looked into the many aspects of mental health including … Continued
Wildlife Trust and FoodSmiles – captured our environment themed evening
On Monday 24 Sep Soroptimist International St Albans and District Club held a Wildlife and Environment Themed Evening. Our Guest Speakers were Wendy Hartnell from Herts and Middlesex Wild Life Trust and Janet Bruce from FoodSmiles (pictured here are Janet on the left, Wendy … Continued
New Term, New Member Jude and ICS Volunteer Alisha
We had a lively meeting on Monday 10 Sep – it was the perfect opportunity for Club Members to catch up after the Summer break. The first thing we did was to welcome Jude Kenyon as a new Member of … Continued
Novel Bookstall Raises Funds for Refuges on Literacy Day
The Club marks International Literacy Day every year selling 2nd hand books on St Albans market. On Sat 8 Sep this year the event raised more than £230 providing much needed funds for the St Albans & Hertsmere Women’s Refuge and the Welwyn Hatfield Women’s Refuge … Continued
Knitting with Benefits
This year Club Members have been knitting squares to make blankets. We had “knit-ins” at Amanda’s which were very sociable and chatty occasions. Away from the “knit-ins” many of the knitters found the knitting to be therapeutic. One of our … Continued
Three Club Summer Outings – Theatre Plus Exhibitions in St Albans and Camden
The Club doesn’t meet formally in August but we had three summer outings which were both entertaining and interesting and provided a perfect opportunity for some Members to catch up with one another! The first enjoyable outing was on Sat … Continued
WINNER! Soroptimist St Albans Wins SME Hertfordshire Business Award
Great news! Our Club won the SME Hertfordshire Business Award in the “Not for Profit Business of the Year” category Please see the website for all the information – hertfordshireawards.co.uk The Club’s Membership Officer and local business woman Amanda Brown (pictured here) proudly … Continued
Girls Cricket – Harpenden U14 – Winners of Soroptimist Audrey Collins Trophy 2018
Harpenden Cricket Club U14 girls re-gain the Soroptimist International Audrey Collins Cricket Trophy The exciting finale to the 8th Soroptimist International Audrey Collins Girls’ Cricket League took place on a hot afternoon on Sunday 8th July 2018 at West Herts … Continued
Soroptimists Successful Partnership with Harpenden Lions for the Highland Gathering Raffle
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. Pictured here are Soroptimists … Continued
Domestic Abuse and Options for Victims – interactive evening
Mary McEvoy, Partner and Head of Divorce and Family Law and Notary Public at Neves Solicitors in Harpenden came to the Club in June and spoke about: – Development of the Law in the area of domestic violence – Current … Continued
New St Albans Museum includes Soroptimist Name
The new St Albans Museum and Gallery has opened! It is in the old Town Hall building right in the centre of the City. Soroptimist International St Albans and District made a donation of £250 towards the development of the … Continued
St Albans First Community Fair
St Albans Community Central organised the first Community Fair this week. Soroptimists were there with 45 small, local charities from our District. The event was held at The Alban Arena for organisations like ours to meet the public and offer opportunities … Continued
Refugee Tales – Modern Day Canterbury Tales
Felicity Dick a Trustee of Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group www.gdwg.org.uk spoke to the Club about the project Refugee Tales. The Refugee Tales Walk will be launched this year in St Albans on Friday, 6 July. It is like a Modern … Continued
Processions 2018 – march marking 100 Years of Votes for Women
On 10 June Members of Soroptimist International from all over the UK marched with PROCESSIONS, a mass artwork celebrating 100 years of women voting, in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and London. Members of SI St Albans and District marched in London in … Continued
Soroptimists Support Girls Cricket Festival
Boxmoor Wins the Girls’ Under 13’s Cricket Festival During a weekend of wall to wall sunshine, and the joy of a Royal Wedding, Barbara Saunders and Helen Byrne from St Albans and District Soroptimists (SISTAs) had the pleasure of presenting … Continued
Does Population Matter? – evening about population growth and the sustainability of the planet
On Monday 14 May a lively group listened and engaged interactively with Steve Bown’s talk “Does Population Matter?” on the consequences of human population growth to our planet. Steve Bown is a doctor and trustee of the charity, Population Matters – which … Continued
Club Celebrates 61st Birthday at AGM
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 61st year, and the start of the Club’s 62nd year with a celebration to end President … Continued