Once again Swindon Soroptimists have presented Christmas gift shoe boxes to the Swindon Nelson Trust Women’s Centre.  The 25 boxes go to the vulnerable women who use the Centre, many of whom have difficult lives and often don’t get any Christmas gifts. The Club also donated clothes and household items well as Christmas chocolates for the hardworking, dedicated staff! The Club have few members but have had great support from Marlborough Ladies Who Latte and Live Laugh Love clubs and all are inventive in finding unwanted and freebie items that can be included!  Member Gillian Reed generously hosted our wrapping and filling event, joined by members Lydia Cardew and Valerie Nuttall. Each box contained over 25 different items collected over the year by members and friends. As Lydia Cardew, PA Officer says “These women have often difficult lives. We want them to know that people

Soroptimists host “Railing Against Abuse” march

Swindon Soroptimists started Christmas 2019 shopping early!! Members and friends of Swindon Club kicked off Christmas with a fund raising Festive evening.  Enjoying a glass and nibbles over 20 guests browsed handmade jewellery from Georgina Bowman, delicious luxury chocolates from Chocoholics, a wide selection of Flamingo cards and delightful children’s books from Debi Evans and Chantal Bourgonje. The event was held to raise funds for Julia’s House hospice & Swindon Nelson Trust Women’s Centre, Vee the team lead at the Women’s Centre came with colleagues and gave short speech on the work that she and her team do to help and advise vulnerable women and thanked the Swindon Club for their continued support.   A raffle of donated gifts added to the funds raised.   Zoe from Chocoholics demonstrated her range and gave out tasty samples to try. With donations, the commissions and raffle all combined

For the 3rd year running Swindon Soroptimists have brought Easter cheer to the Swindon Nelson Trust Women’s Centre by presenting 25 individual Easter eggs for the women who use the Centre and its services, as well as boxes of chocolates for the hardworking staff. Team Leader Kate thanked the Soroptimists on behalf of the women and children who access the centre, saying “ it will make another holiday special for those who unable to share this time with loved ones”.   Swindon Club support the centre with practical donations of food, clothing, toiletries and kitchen items, but as with the Christmas Gift shoe boxes they do, feel it is just as important to give nice treats too! Vee from the Centre later updated “The eggs have all gone and we have some really happy and thankful women and children.  So, thank you very much for

Swindon Soroptimists were delighted to present a Certificate of 25 years service to Jenny King at our Club meeting on 11th April.  Club President Valerie Nuttall praised her contribution to many of the club’s programme action projects, including the Prison Reform Trust project, the recent 3 month Court Observation project monitoring Domestic Violence cases and the Club stall at Faringdon Library’s 100 women exhibition.

Swindon Soroptimists have helped Save The Children celebrate their centenary in 2019 by donating £100.  As a key Soroptimist aim is to help women and children, our Federation President Sue Williams had asked all Clubs to help STC celebrate by donating £100.  By coincidence we had already asked Fidelma Meehan, the local fundraising manager, to talk at our Soroptimist Dinner in March so were delighted to present her with a cheque for £100. Fidelma is a delightful and funny lady and impressed us with her enthusiasm and drive.  She gave a very informative talk and we were surprised to learn new facts about STC and how well established they are in so many countries, which gives them the ability to ‘hit the ground running’ when disasters strike.  There was so much more to find out we have invited her back to talk to us in

Happy World Book Day!  Swindon Soroptimists were delighted to kick off a week of WBD events at Drove School with a donation of an amazing 132 books, at a school assembly last Friday.  This is our 5th year of donations and we are grateful to Soroptimist Club members and Marlborough Ladies Who Latte for giving them.   We were very impressed by the quiet and orderly fashion the many children from Reception up to Year 3 entered the hall and sat attentively whilst Club President Valerie Nuttall explained who we were and why we were helping children like them. Assistant Principal Bryony Bardwell then read the story of “We’re Going On a Bear Hunt” and we were greatly entertained by the children reading along too, including actions!  The school are hoping one day to have a proper library but for now a crate of our