Club Projects

Food poverty unfairly impacts upon women and girls and the elderly. The Club set up a project to help Godalming Community Store, a referral-only food bank, where clients are offered a 15 minute appointment in a ‘shop with no till’. We handed out leaflets reminding shoppers of items needed by the Store, and they responded by donating approximately 6-7 times the usual amount of items. Since then, we have also carried out similar projects for Fareshare and Liphook Food Bank with equally good results.

Fresh Thoughts is a booklet to be used by professionals working in the field of domestic abuse. It pulls together local information in one easy format. Started by Soroptimists in Poole, ours is the 12th booklet nationwide and was launched in July 2026. Copies are still being distributed to local organisations.

Led by SI Surrey Hills, this project was highlighted at the 2025 Soroptimist Conference and other Clubs have now become involved. The small charity, “From Me to You” aims to reduce the social isolation and loneliness often experienced by those living with cancer by writing letters and cards to them. As one of the founders, Alison Hitchcock, already knew of Soroptimists she has agreed that any letters Soroptimists write will be sent to women and girls. Our support includes writing letters, notelets and Christmas cards to be forwarded to those who have asked the charity for a letter. We also donate money for stamps.

Kids for Kids adopts remote villages in Darfur, Sudan where children are living in intolerable poverty. Villagers tell the charity what will help them the most so that the project is tailored to each village. Local people are trained to run the projects for themselves and their community, so they can raise their families out of poverty long-term and give their children hope of a better future. In 2024, we committed to give £500 pa to provide school uniform and education for 5 children each year for 3 years.

Lendwithcare helps people work their way out of poverty with dignity. Each month, our Club lends money to fund women across the world seeking to grow their small businesses. Once the initial loan is repaid, we recycle the loan to support more low-income entrepreneurs. Each member in turn chooses one or two women to support each month. Since 2021, the Club has lent to 33 women or teams of women.

Guildford’s Royal Surrey County Hospital covers many of the areas where our members live, particularly through its smaller hospitals in Haslemere, Milford and Cranleigh. It is the regional cancer centre. We make up small packs comprising a flannel, toothbrush and toothpaste, shower gel and a comb. We often use items donated by members from hotels, airlines etc. The packs are donated to the Palliative Care Unit for use by those who accompany someone to the Hospital and then have to stay overnight with no toiletries. It’s a small thing – but don’t you feel more able to cope when you feel clean!

Your Sanctuary offers safety, support and empowerment to anyone affected by domestic abuse. For several years now, we have donated small presents, wrapping paper and cards for the children staying at Your Sanctuary to wrap and give to their mothers. It’s a great pre-Christmas activity – choosing the presents and wrapping them. For many children it will be the first time they have been able to do this. Our other ad hoc support includes donations of handbags, toiletries and furnishings.

We work with a charity – Smalls for All – which collects gently worn bras and new knickers. These are donated to women and girls in the UK and abroad allowing them to remain in the workforce or to stay at school each month. We’re helping give them a better chance of fighting their way out of poverty. But practical issues aside, having underwear is also a matter of dignity for everyone. We collect gently used bras from members of the public and from our friends and contacts. These are laundered by a member (see the picture below) and then sent to the collection centre for dispatch to refuges in the UK and women in Africa. We send more than 1500 bras each year.

SI Surrey Hills has helped welcome new clients to the refuges run by Your Sanctuary by providing welcome packs containing eco friendly cleaning materials in a handmade tote bag for use when shopping. The refuges provide a sanctuary for victims of domestic abuse for up to 6 months and are always busy. We therefore provide up to 60 bags a year at a cost of c£10 per bag. It’s practical help for women by women.