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Refuge Values Club’s Fundraising

Refuge Values Club’s Fundraising

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The St Albans & District Soroptimists raised an amazing £1430 for the St Albans and Hertsmere Women’s Refuge in the club year 2012/13 – even though the Club supported 2 charities this year!  Sara and Liz, Managers at the Refuge, couldn’t believe their eyes when the cheque was presented to them by the Club (see picture). Sara and Liz gave an update on the Refuge – advising that the demand for services from the Refuge are at an all time high at a time when their funding has been cut.The women they care for are fragile and vulnerable – often with complex needs including mental health issues and drug and alcohol problems. They have 22 residential rooms for women and their children and their outreach work reaches 120/130 women a month. The Refuge has used some of the money raised by Soroptimists to help fund educational programmes for victims of domestic abuse. This

Top Female Engineer Wins Soroptimist Award

Top Female Engineer Wins Soroptimist Award

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On the 14th November ChenChen Wu (BEng Aerospace Engineering) was awarded the Soroptimist International St Albans and District: Peggy Hodges Prize for the highest performing female student completing the second year of a full time MEng/BEng Engineering degree at the University of Hertfordshire. Peggy Hodges was a highly acclaimed British engineer who was awarded an OBE for her services to engineering at a time when this was even rarer than it is today for a woman. Peggy was a member of Soroptimist International the global women’s organisation and she left a legacy to her Club, St Albans and District. One of the Soroptimist goals is to “improve the lives and status of women and girls through education, empowerment or enabling opportunities”. We created this award for these reasons and in honour of Peggy’s life. Pictured here, following the prize-giving event, from left to right are: Helen Byrne President Soroptimist International St Albans &

Rewarding Kenyan Jewellery Sales

Rewarding Kenyan Jewellery Sales

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Club Members have been busy selling close to £300 worth of the popular ethnic jewellery handmade by HIV+ve women in Meru Kenya. The Club had a sales stall at Redbourn Fair 3 Nov (pictured here), at the Abbey Theatre Coffee morning in St Albans 15 Nov and at Herts Council Offices on 19 Nov. The jewellery makes great Christmas presents and in addition the timing of the sales coincide with World Aids Day. For more information see www.sigbi.org/st-albans-and-district/our-international-project/  Also pictured here are some of the women with the jewellery they have made and their names with messages of thanks for our support.

Harpenden Under 13 Girls Cricket Champions

Harpenden Under 13 Girls Cricket Champions

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Harpenden Under 13s were crowned champions of the Soroptimist Audrey Collins Girls Hertfordshire Cricket League by beating last year’s winners, Hemel Hempstead, in the county final on Sunday 15 July. The triumphant Harpenden Girls U13s are pictured here with Team Captain Becca Mihill being presented with the shield, trophy and a cheque for £150 by Helen Byrne, President of Soroptimist International St Albans & District .  Becca said afterwards, “it was a brilliant performance from the whole team and fantastic to produce our best performance on the day it really mattered”   This competition was sponsored by the St Albans Soroptimists as a lasting legacy and tribute to past member Audrey Collins who died in 2010. Audrey was an inpirational Soroptimist – a pioneer of Women’s cricket and a trail blazer for women. She received an OBE for services to women’s cricket and was one of the first 10 female members admitted

Visit from Kenya – International Peace Initiative

Visit from Kenya – International Peace Initiative

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“International Peace Initiative” (IPI) is our international project, in Meru, Kenya. Dr Karumbu Ringera, the founder of  IPI met with Club Members on a recent visit. Karambu was able to update us on how the money raised by the Club is being spent to eduate and empower women and girls whose lives have been affected by HIV and AIDS. Karambu showed us pictures of the Amani children’s home  that she has built with help from outside organisations in the UK and USA. Amani means peace in Swahili, and the home is a peaceful place where there are currently 27 children living to carry on their studies. The transformation of the barren wasteland to the lush gardens and organic market garden is amazing. Karambu hopes to create a self-sufficent childrens’ home where produce is grown on site along with some farm animals. The St Albans Club is

Wow – £2930 for Women’s Refuge!

Wow – £2930 for Women’s Refuge!

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The St Albans & District Soroptimists raised a fabulous £2930 for the St Albans and Hertsmere Women’s Refuge in the club year 2011/12.  The Refuge has used the money to help fund educational programmes for both staff and victims of domestic abuse. This is the third year that the club has supported the Women’s Refuge as the club’s annual charity and the club has decided to support the Refuge again in 2012/13. Soroptimist Club President Judy said “funding is being cut from vital community services like the Women’s Refuge, so it is vital that we support them, particularly in this tough financial climate”. Liz, the manager of the Refuge said to the Soroptimist Club members “This money makes a big difference to us and it’s fantastic that you have decided to support us for another year.”  As well as fundraising, the club has provided tea, coffee and sugar for the Refuge, household items to help women

Jewellery to support women and girls in Kenya

Jewellery to support women and girls in Kenya

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Jewellery to support women and girls in Kenya St Albans Club members have sold hundreds of pounds worth of beautiful jewellery made by HIV+ve women in Kenya. Pictured above are Club Member Joyce Stubbs with Club President Judy Faraday parading their wares at the Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland Conference in Brighton www.sigbi.org/brighton2011 , and pictured below are Club Vice-President Helen Byrne with Club Member Dr Diana Kingham with the jewellery stall. Proceeds from the sale of the jewellery goes to www.ipeacei.org a charity supporting women and children affected by HIV/AIDS in Meru Kenya.   Club member Dr Diana Kingham met the founder and President of the charity Dr Karambu Ringera in Meru Kenya. Diana invited Karambu to speak to the club about her charity www.sigbi.org/st-albans-and-district/2011/peace-dr-karambu-ringera-speaks-to-club-members/  and following this the St Albans Soroptimists were moved to support the charity.

Top Female Engineers Win Soroptimist Award

Top Female Engineers Win Soroptimist Award

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On the 9th November Shweta Mehta (MEng in Aerospace Engineering) and Peng Zhao (BSc Hons in Multimedia Technology) were awarded the Soroptimist International St Albans and District: Peggy Hodges Prize for the highest performing female student completing the second year of a full time MEng/BEng Engineering degree at the University of Hertfordshire. Peggy Hodges was a highly acclaimed British engineer who was awarded an OBE for her services to engineering at a time when this was even rarer than it is today for a woman. Peggy was a member of Soroptimist International the global women’s organisation and she left a legacy to her Club, St Albans and District. One of the Soroptimist goals is to “improve the lives and status of women and girls through education, empowerment or enabling opportunities”. We created this award for these reasons and in honour of Peggy’s life. Pictured here, following the prize-giving

Grove House Thrilled to Receive £2500

Grove House Thrilled to Receive £2500

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St Albans & District Soroptimists have been supporting the Grove House day hospice in St Albans since 2003. With this year’s activities raising £2,500 that makes a grand total of £12,515 – what a fantastic achievement! Louise Miller from Grove House (pictured on the left) is clearly thrilled to receive the £2,500 from Soroptimist Club President Jean Eaton. Louise said “this is fantastic and will make a real difference to the lives of people being supported by Grove House. Thank you all so much”. Grove House day hospice provides free specialist care and support to people in St Albans, Harpenden and Dacorum whose lives are affected by cancer or another life-threatening illness www.grove-house.org.uk Club members, their friends, families and supporters of Grove House had loads of fun raising the money over year with events including a fashion show, a quiz night, carol singing at St Albans station, a “swap shop” and

Pink Walk for Breast Cancer Campaign

Pink Walk for Breast Cancer Campaign

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Soroptimists from all around the London area took a “Pink Walk in the Park” in Hyde Park on Sunday 30th September. The event raised awareness of Breast Cancer, and funds for the Breast Cancer Campaign. Participants, wearing a potpourri of pink attire circuited the Serpentine raising more money and awareness with every step. Pictured here are 5 of the pink participants from SI St Albans & District preparing for the walk at 63 Bayswater Rd (the London Soroptimist Residential Club and Hotel www.soropclub63.org.uk ) – left to right Hilary Ratcliffe, Indira Biswas-Benbow, Jill Ogley, Jane Slatter and Jean Eaton.

Tetanus Appeal Ted

Tetanus Appeal Ted

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The St Albans and District Club raised almost £300 for UNICEF UK’s Tetanus Appeal for Uganda. Sally Bear, Club members, friends and colleagues filled Smartie tubes with spare change and sent the money to UNICEF. Every Smartie tube filled helped to save 14 lives by protecting Ugandan mothers and babies from tetanus. Soroptimists in SIGBI raised a total of £22,870 for the appeal. Photo: Sally Bear holds a Smartie tube and syringe to show her support for the appeal. She is wearing a City of St Albans tabard and her Soroptimist logo and name pin. Note: Sally and her fellow ‘Fund for the Future’ bears were created by the former Mayor of St. Albans, John Peters to help fund the district’s voluntary sector.  

Women’s Safety Survey

Women’s Safety Survey

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  St Albans Soroptimists conducted a follow-up survey in to find out how safe women feel in and around the St Albans area since the survey 5 years earlier. The results have been published, and show that women do not feel any safer now, and have modified their behaviour to avoid putting themselves at risk. Pictured here is one of our members interviewing a female member of the public at St Albans station. Details can be obtained by contacting the club: sistalbans@hotmail.com