Our March meeting was cancelled, so we were delighted to meet via Zoom on 21 April. This year’s AGM was very different due to the Coronavirus lockdown. Papers and agenda items for discussion were circulated in advance to all members by email and post. On the night an online meeting was held for those members able to access Zoom with written feedback from the remaining members recorded on file.   Our thanks to Alison Mayall, our secretary, for organising this. Now we have tried it out successfuly as a club, there will be more online meetings and social gatherings.    

We welcomed Roger Lane from Workaid,  accompanied by  his wife Cherry who had been brought up in Sierra Leone in the town nearest to Kori (see Kori Women’s Development Project page). Roger outlined his work and the development of Workaid which restores tools and equipment of various types that would enable communities in Africa to become self-sufficient.  The club thanked them for their presentation and agreed that a visit to the premises be considered for a future meeting. The club welcomed Denise Powell, Regional President as a visitor.  She confirmed that she would be attending the Charter celebrations in March (now postponed to November) and went on to outline her background as a Soroptimist.   She noted that while clubs work separately the role of Region is to co-ordinate action and encourage sharing of expertise.  Denise also looked forward to learning from the experience of other

We welcomed two speakers from Oxfam who gave us a very informative talk about the charity’s work with communities across the world, focussing on how their work positively impacts women and girls in these areas. Two interesting facts from their talk was that Oxfam work is split 50% emergency relief and 50% development work. Also, there has been a reduction in the percentage of the world living below the International Poverty level from the mid-30s% to 10%.

At our November meeting, we were delighted to welcome Katy Newell-Jones who has spoken to our club previously about her work in Somaliland. We also welcomed Ruth Thomas from SI Weston-super-Mare, one of our Friendship Link clubs. Katy updated the club on progress to address FGC (Female Genital Cutting) in Somaliland. She noted that a number of changes had started to be made in response to her work. Key points included a measurable change in the cutting practice and a move away from the most extreme forms of mutilation. There was also lack of agreement between groups on whether to aim for zero tolerance of FGC or to aim for cutting or pricking only. Religious leaders had endorsed the continuation of some form of FGC but had required that this should be a clinical procedure undertaken by health workers. Unfortunately at present only 5% of

SI Thames Valley member Johann Raffan took office as President Elect for 1029-2020 of Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland at the end of the Federation Conference in Bournemouth.

Phyllis Sigsworth – a Soroptimist for over 55 years – spoke about her long career in the police force.   She is now a member of SI Slough Windsor & Maidenhead Club, and we also welcomed two of her fellow club members to our April meeting. Initially, she worked as a civilian clerk until she was old enough to be employed as a police constable in 1950.   Training included drill, first aid, life-saving, self defence, and learning the law.   The police mission is to protect life and property, and to detect and prevent crime. Phyllis spoke about the many changes she has seen over the years.   When she joined the police, women made up 5% of the establishment.   Today 46% of constables are women.   We are all familiar with the modern hi-vis uniform, bristling with equipment.   Phyllis described her dark uniform, plus whistle – no truncheon,