In November 2023 we had the opportunity to start a Soroptimist school club in Exeter. We gave a presentation and met with the girls. Kay Turner the Regional Membership officer attended and two of our members Daphne and Louise, who had been working with Kay to give an introduction with some literature to charter the club. This was successfully achieved with the help of Miss Rose the Development and Welfare teacher. Our presentation gave a wider view of the clubs and the range of projects Soroptimist members worldwide are involved with. The girl’s intention was to use the presentation as part of their ongoing recruitment of new members.
The two pupils who had worked with us were very enthusiastic and they continue to have a thriving school’s club. They are painting a mural, where they involve the younger school by hosting craft sessions. This should be completed by the end of November. Their members have made a presentation to the whole school. They have been very proactive in celebrating International Women’s Day. They have recently raised awareness of Breast Cancer by selling pink doughnuts to the pupils on the pink@workday on the 19th of October. Attending the school’s society fair, where they had a lot of interest from the younger years group, which, gave them the idea to potentially create a club within the lower school with a focus on more craft-based activities to get the younger pupils involved. Last year the club started collecting milk bottle tops for charity, which is still ongoing. New ideas are being worked on all the time and we have suggested that some of our Tiverton members visit the school in November, one year on to support their excellent progress. We are very proud of all the members and wish them well and will give them as much support as they need now and in the future. The photo below shows Miss Rose from Exeter School, Louise Clunies Ross and Daphne Dowsing members of SI Tiverton, and Regional Membership Officer Kay Turner from SI St Austell who presented the Soroptimist Charter and congratulated the girls on their achievement.
November 24th 2024 Louise and Daphne had an invitation from Miss Bethan Rose to visit the Exeter School club to see the collage they had produced with help from all members and the younger pupils. It was placed near the entrance to the dining hall. See a photo below. We were able to meet five of the members of the club. In October they celebrated Pink@work, and they were delighted to share they had raised £120 for Breast Cancer. By getting pink doughnuts they sold them for £1 each and everyone who wanted to be part of the non-uniform day paid another £1. The members will be working with the music master to promote Water Aid when they have the Christmas concert. Daphne took some denture tubes for the younger girls to cover the tubes in blue fablon to collect coins in ready for another water aid or other event. Louise had brought some orange ribbon, so the girls could make up the ribbons for a Stop Violence Against Women Day within the school. They will be planning for International Women’s Day, which the school always celebrates. We will be keeping in close contact with the girls after the Christmas holidays so that we find out what they have planned for IWD. The girls took part in a water aid concert and raised money for local charities. The members are having exams and we have sent them cards to wish them good luck, we will see them all at the start of the new term in September when we hope to see if we can work with the new intake and the existing members. This school club is only one of around 8 which are Soroptimist clubs. We are looking to be able to give a book token or other token for the member who does the most to promote their Soroptimist club during the year.
