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Int. Women’s Day 2021

Int. Women’s Day 2021

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Despite lockdown Swindon Soroptimists have been determined to still celebrate International Women’s Day (#IWD2021).  Held on March 8th it is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.  The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women's equality.  Not being able to ‘Stand on the Bridge’, or have a display in Swindon library, Swindon Soroptimists held an online event via Facebook. Joining forces with Marlborough Ladies Who Latte business women’s group, they celebrated women’s achievements and stood together to support the #ChooseToChallenge campaign theme to help forge women's equality.  It is still important to remind everyone that women are still not equal in the work place, the law making institutions, the scientific establishments or our political governments. #IWD2021 asked everyone to raise their hand high and pledge to #ChooseToChallenge, so we collected photos of  members of both our
Christmas Boxes 2019

Christmas Boxes 2019

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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

World Book Day 2020 donation

World Book Day 2020 donation

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Well this year we surpassed ourselves!!  Swindon Soroptimists donated 286 books to Drove Primary School in Swindon on World Book Day!  This is our 6th year and once again we had wonderful support from Club members, friends and especially Marlborough and Swindon Ladies Who Latte. The children delighted us with their story book character costumes and we were all laughing ourselves silly with the antics of the staff who performed Fairy stories on stage!  Ast Principal Bryony said that our annual donations make a big difference to the children. Bryony thanked us for the amazing donations again and explained “We are hoping to open a Book Swap Station or something similar for our families to access at points throughout the term. This will allow parents to borrow a range of books to read at home with their children and allow them opportunities to experience books

Swindon Club’s Birthday

Swindon Club’s Birthday

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Celebrating 60 years of service to Swindon and the wider community, some of the members of Swindon Soroptimists had a celebratory drink and nibbles in Oct 2020, whilst socially distancing! Since Oct 1960 the club has celebrated many achievements including influencing the change in the law on pornography, 10 years service at the BIG Breakfast Club for the homeless, providing 2,500 hearing aids to deaf children in Nigeria, raising over £100,000 for local and international charities, whilst supporting many women’s organisations such as the  Nelson Trust and Swindon Women’s Aid. Photos show members Lydia, Gillian, Jackie and Valerie.  The 2nd shows our official Charter and the badges of previous Presidents!  We hope to have a proper celebratory meal with all members when Covid allows!
Swindon Women’s Aid

Swindon Women’s Aid

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Swindon Soroptimists made the most of lockdown in 2020 to have a clear out and donated a large pile of books, DVD’s clothes, household and gift items to Swindon Women’s Aid (SWA) charity shop to help provide essential funding for the excellent support and Helpline they provide women who have been abused. Swindon Soroptimists have a long association with SWA and constantly campaign on the issue of violence against women. Club members advertised the shortages to friends and family and many from the Ladies Who Latte groups also made direct deliveries to the SWA shop. SWA Chairman Nicky Alberry commented “ We will be delighted to receive your donations. Thank you so much for doing this for us. “ For more info on their work see https://swadomesticabuse.org/
Fund raising
Festive Fundraiser

Festive Fundraiser

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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
Soroptimists Easter gifts to Women’s Centre

Soroptimists Easter gifts to Women’s Centre

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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

Soroptimist Jenny celebrates 25 years service

Soroptimist Jenny celebrates 25 years service

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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 donate £100 to Save The Children

Swindon donate £100 to Save The Children

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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

Swindon Club’s 5th year donating books to Drove School

Swindon Club’s 5th year donating books to Drove School

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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

Fairtrade Fortnight, Bananas and Swindon Big Breakfast

Fairtrade Fortnight, Bananas and Swindon Big Breakfast

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  Swindon Soroptimists carried out a double celebration this week.   They celebrated Fairtrade Fortnight by donating Fairtrade bananas, cocoa and chocolate to clients of the BIG Breakfast +.  This coincides with the 10 year anniversary since the local Soroptimist Club first started volunteering at the BIG Breakfast in Broad Street, when we also celebrated Fairtrade Fortnight by giving fair trade bananas. Fairtrade Fortnight runs from 25 February – 10 March and each year Soroptimists across the world use the event to highlight the people who grow our food, living in some of the poorest countries in the world and who are often exploited and badly paid.  This year the focus is on the people, in particular the women, who grow the cocoa in the chocolate we all love. The Swindon Club felt it was doubly important to remember those in our society who may also

Thanks From Enrych charity

Thanks From Enrych charity

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President Valerie and Lydia from Swindon Club spent a very pleasant afternoon recently with the trustees and staff of Enrych Swindon to celebrate Enrych's 7 years of service in the town. Swindon Soroptimists have been involved with the charity for the last year, attending coffee mornings and hosting lunch at a pub.  The trustees thanked them for the support. Once again food and especially cake was involved!  A celebration cake was beautifully made by Enrych Project coordinator Lauren. Unfortunately the charity will not be continuing locally but still operates in other areas. President Valerie in turn thanked the trustees for their hard work and for allowing us to help. Member Lydia talking to Enrych client Trevor at the farewell tea party     Enrych Farewell tea party cake, made by Enrych project coordinator Lauren