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Tiverton Friendship Links

Friendship link

Ask me why I am a Soroptimist and one of the reasons I would say is that I joined was because it is a worldwide organisation.

In Soroptimist International Tiverton Club we are so lucky to have three friendship links.

One in Kobe in Japan, one of their members visited me about 8 years ago. I was lucky to be able to visit the Kobe club and five others in Japan in 2014. It was an amazing experience to see how our sister Soroptimists work together to raise the profile of our organisation in a different Federation.

Our other Friendship link is with Gouda in the Netherlands. Our communications with this club had been lost for many years. Some of us have been delighted to visit them, not once but twice. Every member of the club helped to make the visit of our Gouda sisters a memorable visit for us all.

The final one Joondaloup in Western Australia was proving a difficult one. However, with determination and after many years progress was being made. We have had a visit from one of their members and one of ours Marion as recently visited them.

Post Note – August 2016

New Friendship Link
“Lovely news – we have added SI Jersey to our Friendship Links with Gouda, Joondalup and Kobe! This was formally approved by Nisha Ghosh, Federation Friendship Link Co-ordinator this week.  We have got to know the delightful Jersey Girls through Regional meetings and Friendship Weekends when homestays and holidays have been offered.   Our newest member Janine Stedman is from Jersey and another member Marie Herniman has recently transferred back to Jersey, so we have more friends in common.
 SI Jersey does some great work and perhaps we can find ways to complement each other’s projects. We look forward to seeing and hosting one or two of them at the September Regional Meeting and some of us will join them for their Friendship Weekend at the beginning of October.

Where ever in the world you go to visit a Soroptimist club or go to a Federation Conference is a welcoming friendly experience. I have been lucky enough to go to Istanbul with Di and she has recently come back from a visit to a Conference in Madagasca. November this year will be our SIGBI Federation Conference in Malta and next year it will be in Cardiff.”

On the 16th to the 18th of June 2017 Soroptimists in Tiverton club will be supporting me and the Region by hosting the South West and Channel Islands Regional AGM in Tiverton. I will have the honour of being the Regional President. I am delighted that some of our Friendship link club members in Gouda are hoping to attend. Where ever the club the project work and fund raising goes on to educate, empower and enable women and girls worldwide

Daphne Dowsing

Gouda Celebration

In September 2018, Ruth and her daughter (future Soroptimist?) visited Gouda for a celebratory weekend. Representatives from Denmark, Germany and Turkey were also there and it was fascinating to meet them, as well as the many members of our friendship link club.

The weekend comprised outings to churches, museums and a stately home and also many delicious meals, out, and with host families.

Gouda is a very active and friendly club and we look forward to meeting with them again as soon as Coronavirus restrictions allow this.

You can find out more of their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/soroptimistclubgouda/?ref=page_internal

Ruth Morley

 

SI Taupo Friendship Link

SI Taupo in New Zealand has just celebrated its 10th Birthday (2021 Feb 21st  )

Si Taupo is a group of 16 very active members who enjoy working and being together .  They regularly promote the club in Taupo – in the library in September and at the Sunday Market in October.

This is the sixth year they have collected pyjamas for Taupo Women’s refuge. Instead of their usual Peace Walk, cancelled due to Covid, they sewed Face masks, which were gifted to the Maori Women’s refuge and the Foodbank, and the women’s refuge.

The Women’s Refuge Safe Night programme benefited from funds raised at a Car Boot sale.

They held a Pink Breakfast at the yacht club, raising funds for the Breast Cancer Foundation.

The picture below shows the group celebrating International Women’s Day last year (2020).

Jenny Evans, Friendship Officer