On September 24th (2021) Club President Sue was delighted to attend the National Memorial Arboretum (NMA) for the unveiling of a sculpture marking the Centenary of Soroptimist International.  SIGBI has had a plot at the NMA since 2002.   At Club level and at the beginning of our Mixed Zoom/in person September meeting President Sue lit 4 candles to mark the Centenary and local, national and international aspects of SI work.

Spring 2022 saw members of SI Stockport return to Guernsey for the Friendship Link weekend.  The tree planted as a symbol of that friendship grows apace and is now surrounded by beautiful flowers. Friendship with SI Guernsey and island as a whole continue to thrive despite of pandemic problems. The tree planted in 2011 by the then President’s of SI Guernsey and Stockport continues to thrive and was re-visited recently by SI Stockport member Marilyn Westbrook who had been Club President at the time of the tree planting.  Thrive is the word – see below!   The tree was planted in 2011 to mark the then 70th anniversary of the evacuation of children from Guernesy to Stockport in 1941.

Pmale Brown had been busy again with those amazing craft skills and the web-ed continues to admire them and be envious; having the craft skills of a gnat.  This time Pamela has been making ‘twiddle muffs’ for some of the resident’s at Abney Court Care Home in Cheadle, Stockport. Pamela Brown has created the most fab items through lockdown that include gift bags to be sold by and raise funds for St Ann’s Hospice.  In addition, Pamela has made ‘twiddle muff’s’ for local dementia patients who find them relaxing and can reduce agitation.

We were really pleased that Julia Hewer, Director of Stockport Signpost for Carers was able to join us at our October 2024 Charter Lunch.  We are currently engaged with Signpost in promoting our projects, to include the Bra Bank and the the Toilet Twinning project. Easter 2021 saw the Club give the children at Signpost for Stockport Carers 25 Easter themed bags with crayons, for an Easter colouring-in treat.  The local community had this year donated the ever popular Easter Eggs.  Great example of co-operation!

Some of SI Stockport’s members have been hard at work with the knitting needles and crochet hooks, contributing to the annual Age UK fundraiser , involving crazy ‘hat’s for smoothie bottles.  These are so fab and fun! (wish I could knit/crochet – ed.)

Stockport’s SI Club has just answered a saucy request from Wellspring, to provide mayonnaise and brown sauce to go with the meals that Wellspring provide for the homeless in Stockport.  And here is an artistic arrangement of same. SI Stockport responded to a website request from Wellspring by donating funds to purchase household items as shown below.  Wellspring still serves hot food from ‘door to table’ as clients cannot enter the premises and a SIS member has been domating pot based foods like noodles, porridge and soups for people who do not have a microwave but do have access to a kettle. The homeless and/or deprived in Stockport continue to receive support from Wellspring, regardless of pandemics, tiers, lockdowns or the weather.  Our member Pamela has been busy knitting warm clothing items for distribution via Wellspring as well as seasonal objects – like Xmas Puds,

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues Stockport & District Soroptimists felt it important to acknowledge in some way the massive contribution care home staff are making at this difficult time, often above and beyond the call of duty and their pay grades!  Gift bags containing a variety of toiletries have been delivered to an assortment of care home facilities in the area and have been received with grace and gratitude by staff. President Sue with an assortment of gift bags ‘ready to go’ to good homes with our thanks.