SI Stourbridge are pleased to work with Kerela Partnership to support nutrition and education opportunities to some of the children of Kerela  

You are welcome to join us for a chat via zoom at 19:30 where we will discuss this months book. Here is what GoodReads had to say about it;

You can access the power point presentation used at the refuge below:   Presentation 2good2go_240614_171703   Penny and Jane had a really good session with 8 women from CHADD’S Refuge properties. They had a introductory presentation explaining how the Too Good To Go app works. Then coffee and pastries (from the box), while Penny discussed ideas for use of the box contents. She then cooked with a couple of the women helping. Jane chatted with the others and we ate all the dishes Penny made.  

SI Stourbridge members doing an early morning planting of begonias at the side of the ring road.

The weather has not put our gardening loving Soroptimists off helping to make Stourbridge town bloom again this year        

The Challenge       President Su has issued a challenge to herself and to all members of Soroptimist International Stourbridge & District Club. The challenge relates to her Theme for the year which is Reduce; Reuse; Recycle in that during the year (April 2024 to March 2025) that she as President she will not buy any new clothes. This will not count underwear and shoes as these wear out. It does count handbags as these do not wear out. Allowed are pre loved; clothes bought for you by others but not husbands or partners or children. Vouchers can be used for underwear and shoes and other none clothes items. Any special occasions like family weddings; christenings were you may feel compelled to purcchase a new outfit can be offset by an appropriate donation to our charities. Note: President Su above in her pre loved

We are a friendly group who discuss chosen books on the last Wednesday of the month. You are welcome even if you have not read the book For April 24 our two books will be New York by Edward Rutherford and The Walebone Theatre by joanna Quinn. Both reviews are taken from Goodreads    

  We were delighted to sponsor two representatives from Pedmore High School at the 20th annual public speaking competition in Bromsgrove. Staceys topic was Artificial Intelligence – Friend or Foe?  Saffa spoke about The Influence of Social Media.   They both did really well, public speaking is something many adults would shy away from    

  The Woodland Trust have a plethora of information about the benefits of bug houses – the link is here: https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2019/09/how-to-build-a-bug-hotel/ Decaying wood is really important for wildlife. To make a log pile, simply collect small logs, large sticks and pieces of rotting wood. Pile them up in a damp, shady area of your garden, then stuff some dead leaves in the nooks and crannies to make it cosy. Good for: centipedes, woodlice and beetles who like to burrow into decaying wood. Log piles may also attract birds, frogs and hedgehogs looking for a tasty snack  

             Here are five key areas that need our joint action to ensure women are not left behind: https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/announcement/2023/12/international-womens-day-2024-invest-in-women-accelerate-progress#:~:text=International%20Women%27s%20Day%202024%3A%20%27Invest,progress%27%20%7C%20UN%20Women%20%E2%80%93%20Headquarters Investing in women: A human rights issue Time is running out. Gender equality remains the greatest human rights challenge. Investing in women is a human rights imperative and cornerstone for building inclusive societies. Progress for women benefits us all. Ending poverty The COVID pandemic, geopolitical conflicts, climate disasters, and economic turmoil have pushed an extra 75 million people into severe poverty, since 2020. This could lead to more than 342 million women and girls living below the poverty line by 2030, making immediate action crucial. Implementing gender-responsive financing Due to conflicts and rising fuel and food prices, recent estimates suggest that 75 per cent of countries will curb public spending by 2025. Austerity negatively impacts women and crowds out public spending