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Celebrating World Book Day 2024 at Drove Primary School

Celebrating World Book Day 2024 at Drove Primary School

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Swindon Soroptimists donate 276 books to Drove Primary School We kept our annual tradition and joined the lovely children at Drove Primary School in Swindon again for World Book Day. Supported by many friends we collected and donated an amazing 276 books to the school. We made our first donation in 2015, after the staff at Drove Primary School told us at Swindon Soroptimists that the school needed more children's books, and we haven't stopped collecting books since. Craig Richardson, the English coordinator, told us at our latest visit that the school has set up a new library space since our last donation. We're most delighted to have added to the stock! Our members Lydia, Jackie, Rozza, Lynnette and Corrine were special guests at two school assemblies, one for Key Stage 1, one for Key Stage 2. Enthusiasm It was an absolute pleasure to join
Julia’s House Open Day

Julia’s House Open Day

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Swindon Soroptimists Present Cheque for Money Raised Our members present the cheque! Open Day Swindon Soroptimists would like to thank Hannah, Sharon and Alice for our warm welcome to the Open Day at the Wiltshire Julia's House children's hospice and the heart warming tour of the purpose-built facility in Devizes. The team do an amazing job. Horrifyingly, this crucial service is dependent on public donations for 92% of its funding, even though 90% of the children need nursing care from two nurses. Purpose-built facilities Members Lydia, Rozza and Lynnette were in awe of the staff's dedication and of the amazing thought that has gone into the building and garden to help children and their families. We were delighted to do the official presentation of our £360 donation from our Christmas Raffle, held in aid of Julia's House. The Devizes hospice is the second Julia's House
Come and Meet Us for International Women’s Day 2024!

Come and Meet Us for International Women’s Day 2024!

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Swindon Soroptimists Inspire Inclusion   This year, the national theme for International Women’s Day on 8th March is Inspire Inclusion. Here we all are, holding this year’s pose, as we get ready for it! But what are we getting ready for?   Come to Swindon Community Hub, and find out! Our members Jackie and Lydia have set up a display stand to celebrate International Women’s Day, with more information about the day, this year’s theme Inspire Inclusion, and what we do as Soroptimists. You can pop along and see it any time until 25th March, but the absolutely best day to come and see it would be Friday 8th March, International Women’s Day itself. Guess who will be there,  (wo)manning the stand? Yes, that’s right, Swindon Soroptimists! So come along and learn more about what we do and why! Swindon Community Hub is located at

Raffle Results

Raffle Results

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Festive Fundraising! Following our club's participation in the Big Dog Art Trail this summer, Swindon Soroptimists raffled a Christmas Hamper from Dobbies in aid of Julia's House. With many thanks to our friends and supporters, Swindon Club are proud to announce that we made £360 for Julia's House! Our members enjoyed a wonderful festive meal at Chiseldon House and drew the raffle tickets as part of our visit. Rozza poses with the Hamper! Swindon Soroptimists past and present enjoy Christmas lunch Our lucky hamper winner himself!  Christmas Raffle Winners 1st Prize, a Dobbies Christmas Hamper, won by Denis Hayes, 2nd Prize, kindly donated by member Alison, a Day Pass for 2 for Blunsdon House Hotel Leisure Club, won by Linda Chivers 3rd Prize, a perfume and body lotion set, won by past member Sandra Wylie.     Julia’s House provides practical and emotional support for
Christmas Gift Bags for the Nelson Trust, 2023

Christmas Gift Bags for the Nelson Trust, 2023

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Swindon Soroptimists Visit the Nelson Trust Once again, with wonderful support from family and friends, Swindon Soroptimists were proud to present their annual 25 Christmas gift bags to the Nelson Trust. Our members with Emma and Sharon from the Nelson Trust From left to right, Lydia, Gillian, Jackie and Lynnette Members Gillian, Jackie, Lydia & Lynnette had a great morning assembling the contents into bags, enjoying festive music, drinks and Lebkuchen! Some of the items we include in the gift bags Bags ready to pack! We delivered to the Nelson Trust, where Emma received them, saying, “Your support is invaluable as always, we’re always appreciative of Swindon Soroptimists' support”.  Keisha reminded us that, “The women are going to love these as for many this is the only present they’ll get”. Staff member Sharon too was pleased to see us, having known us and the boxes
Swindon Soroptimists Attend Wiltshire Police’s Conference on VAWG

Swindon Soroptimists Attend Wiltshire Police’s Conference on VAWG

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Seldom Heard Voices   Our members Lydia and Jackie were inspired, moved and motivated by all the wonderful speakers at the #WiltshirePolice “Seldom Heard Voices” VAWG event yesterday, highlighting the even greater injustices and violence suffered by those from ethnic minorities or with vulnerabilities or disabilities. Some harrowing stories from amazing and courageous women, as well as shocking statistics, such as women with limiting disabilities are twice as likely to suffer Domestic Abuse. Lovely to meet up with our friends from Salisbury Soroptimists, VAS Swindon, Swindon Sisters Alliance & The Nelson Trust. As Chief Constable Catherine Roper closed the meeting, she  echoed Bridie Anderson’s words, “Don’t Assume, Ask; Listen and Be Kind” and charged us all to consider what more we can do to do to end Violence Against Women and those “Seldom Heard Voices” .

Railing Against Abuse 2023

Railing Against Abuse 2023

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SI Weston-super-Mare's annual event   On a beautiful sunny day, our member Lydia, head to toe in orange, was delighted to join other Clubs at Weston-super-Mare’s Railing against Abuse event to highlight the over two women a week killed by a man they know to mark Nov 25th, the UN Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. About 60 women and men joined the procession, carrying banners and handing out our Relationship bookmarks to the public, ending up at Grove Park to tie 110 orange ribbons to commemorate those women killed in 2020 by a man they knew.   Member Lydia with SI Bath members Diane and Gillian We had great support from local dignitaries including the Mayor Ciaran Cronnelly, who thanked the WSM Soroptimists for continuing to highlight this issue and organise the event for several years, stating less than 24% of Domestic
Members of Swindon Soroptimists wearing orange, while standing next to a display for Anti-Slavery International
Hiding in Plain Sight: a conference on Modern Day Slavery and Human Trafficking

Hiding in Plain Sight: a conference on Modern Day Slavery and Human Trafficking

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SI Cirencester holds anti-trafficking conference On 24th November 2023, members of Swindon Soroptimists welcomed the chance to visit Cirencester for the Hiding in Plain Sight conference, held by the Soroptimist clubs of Cirencester and Cheltenham. The conference was organised by the two clubs to educate attendees on how to spot the signs of modern day slavery. Over the course of the day, our members Lydia, Gillian, Lynnette and Corrine heard from multiple experts in the field of modern day slavery and human trafficking. Scale of slavery today The conference was opened by the President of SI Cirencester, Jill Lang. The Mayor of Cirencester, Sabrina Dixon, welcomed the out-of-town visitors to Cirencester itself, before handing over the microphone to Elizabeth Muir from Anti-Slavery International. Elizabeth Muir outlined the true magnitude of slavery around the globe today: 49 million are in slavery, equating to 1 in every
Members of Swindon Soroptimists sitting around a cafe table, all in orange
UN Orange Day for October 2023

UN Orange Day for October 2023

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The UNiTE campaign has proclaimed the 25th of each month as “Orange Day”, a day to raise awareness and take action to end violence against women and girls. As a bright and optimistic colour, orange represents a future free from violence against women and girls. Orange Day calls upon activists, governments, and UN partners to mobilize people and highlight issues relevant to preventing and ending violence against women and girls, not only once a year on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, but every month. On the 25th day of every month, UNiTE mobilizes people around the world to support the #OrangeDay initiative. It calls on people everywhere to wear the colour orange and take action to end violence against women and girls in communities, at home, in public spaces, in schools and workplaces, during conflict and in times
Anti-Slavery Day 2023 with the Medaille Trust

Anti-Slavery Day 2023 with the Medaille Trust

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  Medaille Trust Trafficking Awareness Meeting We at Swindon Soroptimists recently had the opportunity to attend the Medaille Trust‘s event to raise awareness of human trafficking. Held to mark Anti-Slavery Day, it was an incredibly informative morning. Many thanks to the Trust for the invitation. In conjunction with the Medaille Trust’s CEO, Garry Smith, experienced staff members from the Swindon Moving On Project talked guests through how to recognise the signs of modern slavery and trafficking, and took us through some harrowing facts and figures to explain just how prevalent human trafficking is today. Did you know that 25% of those reported to the National Referral Mechanism are UK nationals? Victims’ stories The disturbing true stories of victims kept the audience conscious of the human side to the statistics, and the extent of the harm that traffickers inflict. Journalists from BBC Wiltshire were in attendance, along

A picture of Swindog Artie hidden inside a shop window at the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet
Swindon Soroptimists Go Walkies with the Big Dog Art Trail!

Swindon Soroptimists Go Walkies with the Big Dog Art Trail!

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Day of Service 2023 with the Big Dog Art Trail Day of Service Here at the Soroptimists, we have an international Day of Service, as befits an international organisation! Each year women from clubs all over the world mark the day, either by taking part in activities related to a specific theme chosen for the year, or by performing other acts of service that advance the SIGBI mission goals. This year’s Day of Action fell on July the 15th, the same day as UN Youth Skills Day, so we particularly wanted a local project that supported children. We found it in the form of the Big Dog Art Trail 2023 run in aid of Julia’s House, a children’s hospice that supports children and their families across Dorset and Wiltshire. Aptly enough, the Big Dog Art Trail even launched on the same day as our day

nine smiling women
Swindon Soroptimists take part in the King’s Big Help Out

Swindon Soroptimists take part in the King’s Big Help Out

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Our Visit to Twigs Our team of gardeners assembles! Swindon Soroptimists mark the Coronation On a pleasant May morning, seven members of Swindon Soroptimists, plus two friends, gathered at TWIGS (Therapeutic Work in Gardening Swindon), with their favourite trowels in hand! We were there to mark the Coronation of King Charles III, after King Charles and the Royal Family appealed to people across the UK to sign up to the King's Big Help Out, a day of national volunteering, saying, In tribute to His Majesty The King's public service, The Big Help Out is encouraging people to try volunteering for themselves and join the work being undertaken to support their local areas. The aim of The Big Help Out is to use volunteering to bring communities together and create a lasting volunteering legacy from the Coronation weekend. Why TWIGS King Charles is renowned for his
Swindon Soroptimists Jackie Webb, Alison Millin, Gillian Reed with Tracey from the Nelson Trust, all caught in a moment of group laughter. They're standing around a small table, covered in boxed Easter eggs.
Easter Gifts to Nelson Trust Women’s Centre 2023

Easter Gifts to Nelson Trust Women’s Centre 2023

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Easter Joy! You can never have too much chocolate at Easter!  In what is now an annual tradition, Swindon Soroptimists wished ‘HAPPY EASTER!’ to the clients and staff at Swindon Nelson Trust Women’s Centre.  Our members Jackie Webb, Gillian Reed and Alison Millin visited the Swindon Nelson Trust Women’s Centre to present 25 individual Easter eggs for the women who use the Centre and its services, as well as four bags of mini eggs for the hardworking staff! The Soroptimists know the value of ensuring vulnerable women are remembered and can enjoy the same annual festivities as everyone else. We first began making these Easter visits in 2017; as ever our donation is added to gifts the Trust has already received to ensure that all the women and children are able to receive an Easter egg. We’re happy to say the Centre staff also believe their

‘Anyway, Listening Isn’t Enough’ – AAFDA Annual Conference 2023

‘Anyway, Listening Isn’t Enough’ – AAFDA Annual Conference 2023

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'Anyway, Listening Isn't Enough' That was the theme of this year’s AAFDA (Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse)  Conference, held in Swindon this week, and hosted by Frank Mullane, CEO of AAFDA. The charity AAFDA provides specialised support for families and friends after the homicide, suicide or unexplained death of their family member or friend, following domestic abuse.   Over two days, we heard heartrending stories from families such as Natasha and Rupert, who had everyone in the room in tears. The number of #KilledWomen is staggering — figures still show that a woman is killed by a man every 3 days in the UK! Killed Women, a campaign group and network of bereaved families, are fighting to change this.   Well done to Frank and all the AAFDA team for all your dedicated work; it is horrifying that neither the current Government nor its predecessors have listened and acted
A table of cakes, ready for the judges
International Women’s Day 2023

International Women’s Day 2023

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Embracing Equity This year the theme is #EmbraceEquity  and ladies at both Ladies Who Latte networking groups joined members in showing support and solidarity by making the #IWD2023 theme pose. Each one of us can actively support and #EmbraceEquity within our own sphere of influence. We can all challenge gender stereotypes, call out discrimination, draw attention to bias, and seek out inclusion.  Club members held their own pose on a Zoom call! Afternoon Tea On the actual International Women’s Day 2023 how better to celebrate than by holding an Afternoon Tea party!  Swindon Club  were delighted to support the Swindon Nelson Trust Women’s Centre, who planned the Afternoon Tea to celebrate the event, by bringing homemade cakes to contribute and add to their Bake Off cake competition! As Tracey, Partnership and Development Coordinator said, “we wanted to celebrate and honour all the amazing women we