It is with much sadness that we learnt of the death of Federation President Johanna on 15 June 2021. The Club wishes to thank all who have sent us messages of condolence and support. Johanna joined Soroptimists in 1987, first with SI High Wycombe and then SI Thames Valley, as a founder member in 1990. She had held most offices at club and Regional level, becoming a Federation Councillor for four years and Director Without Portfolio for two years. She was also Chair of Trustees of the Kori Development Project in Sierra Leone, raising funding for the library and schools, a continuing major project for the club. Her club, Soroptimism International of Thames Valley was so proud of her when she became the Federation President of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in its hundredth year. Johanna’s support for her club was exemplary, especially

Members of SI Thames Valley joined SI London Chilterns Region’s Zoom Conference and Celebration on Saturday 12 June. Many Soroptimists joined the Region’s celebration, including members of SI Oakland in California, the founding club of Soroptimist International in 1921.    SI Oakland has a Friendship Link with SI Milton Keynes, the newest club in our Region. For the full report of the Conference and Celebration visit https://sigbi.org/london-chilterns/    

Do you recognize the signs of modern slavery? Do you know how to report them to the authorities? In their on-going work on violence against women, Soroptimist International of Thames Valley invited Caroline Virgo of the Clewer Initiative to be one of their monthly speakers, on Zoom of course because of current Covid restrictions. Soroptimist International of Thames Valley members were joined on Zoom by Soroptimists from other clubs throughout the UK and also by 7 members from their link club in Belgium, Soroptimist International of Val Brabant. Caroline explained that the Clewer Initiative had its origins in the 1900s, founded by nuns, but that now they are a group of women plus a Bishop of the Church of England, Bishop Alistair Redfern, who work to combat modern slavery in the UK and Africa. Their thinking is that in every UK community there is a

I have just sent  by post, an anniversary card which had been signed by most club members last March (2020) ! Underneath, you will also find the ´speech ´I had prepared for last year ceremony.   I am also sending some photographs from our chartering in 1994.                         30th anniversary Thames Valley Dear Soroptimists, dear friends I remember 1994 –  a Year full of major and minor events… Among those, Queen Elizabeth II and French President François Mitterand officially inaugurated the Channel Tunnel; the first genetically engineered tomatoes were produced in the USA. But most important the year of the friendship link between Thames Valley and Val Brabant.   In May 1994 I remember an international Soroptimist meeting in Brussels, near the Grand Place, the restaurant was nice and I heard some Soroptimists speaking English.   My

As part of the celebration of the first centenary of Soroptimist International in 2021, more than 100 Soroptimists have been selected to be commemorated as part of the #WhoIsShe? Campaign. SI Thames Valley member Rose Moriba Simbo is being celebrated as one of some hundred women who have made a difference to women and girls in their lives. We are so proud of her and what she has achieved. Read her story here in the November showcase:   https://sigbi.org/soroptimistce…/files/119.-Rose-Simbo.pdf https://sigbi.org/…/whoisshe-soroptimists-for-the…/ #Whoisshe?