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?  

Club members and friends met – some via Zoom – for tea and a quiz to support Breast Cancer Now, one of the club’s charities. A very enjoyable afternoon, especially for those meeting in a sunny garden, which raised £310. https://breastcancernow.org/                            

  This year’s Soroptimist Day of Action on 18th July gives us the opportunityto reflect on the causes we have been able to support during COVID-19. International World Health Organisation A donation to the UN Covid-Solidarity fund for WHO. Kori Development Project, Sierra Leone Our link with Kori in Sierra Leone supports women’s education and economic empowerment. During the Ebola crisis some years ago, the most serious issue was not Ebola itself, but that the process of lockdown led to starvation. With COVID we sent money to Kori to buy rice. As before, the rice went to the cases with the greatest need first. Distribution was done less than two weeks after our first discussion, thereby  reaching vulnerable people as early as possible to prevent starvation. Many ladies (SI members and others) spent much of their enforced time at home knitting extra baby clothes and