Events 25/26
Follow these links for upcoming Meetings 2025/26 and Projects
16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM DISPLAY AT THE AMELIA SCOTT
The Soroptimists of Tunbridge Wells & District invite everyone to visit their powerful and thought-provoking display at The Amelia Scott, running from 25 November to 10 December 2025 as part of the UN’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign.
IMAGO DEI FASHION SHOW
Imago Dei is a charity which supports the rehabilitation and resettlement of female offenders, working with them both inside the prisons and in the community after their release. They have four programmes of work: a youth programme ID Essence, running development courses in prison aimed at supporting offenders’ efforts to overcome emotional trauma, a charity shop in Tunbridge Wells, #SheMatters and, in construction, the provision of accommodation for recently released offenders, Grace House. This event took place in St. James’ Church in Tunbridge Wells where the vicar, Judi Hammill, is an active supporter of the charity.
SITWD is a long-standing supporter of Imago Dei, assisting them with projects and volunteering in the #SheMatters shop. In response to a request from the charity, club members offered to participate, Cherry Whytock as a model and Carolyn Clutterbuck and Jill Ruddock as helpers behind the scenes.
Carolyn and Jill helped the staff of Imago Dei set things up for the event, welcomed people on their arrival and provided them with their welcome drink. Cherry appeared three times in the parade of models down the catwalk (the re-purposed church aisle), once in an “everyday wear” outfit, once in a set of winter clothes and once dressed for an evening occasion. All the clothes modelled had been donated to the #SheMatters shop and after the show they were all available for sale.
The show was well supported, attracting an audience of about 50 people, including some current and former Soroptimists. The “showroom” where all the clothes were displayed was a hive of activity after the models had “strutted their stuff” which, along with the raffle and the entrance fee, will no doubt have added a nice tidy sum to Imago Dei’s coffers.
Interview at Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival
In her capacity as President of SITWD, Jill Ruddock was invited to interview Dr. Fiona Vera-Gray, the author of “Women on Porn.” The event comprised a 45-minute conversation and a 15-minute Q&A session. It was part of the Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival and took place in front of an audience of around 60 people.
The event itself was lively as not only did Professor Vera-Gray speak very effectively and passionately about what she had discovered in writing the book about the porn industry and its impact on women and their relationships but also the audience engaged enthusiastically in the ensuing debate. Primary amongst the concerns expressed was the extent of sexism and misogyny present in the widely available mainstream pornographic material and its inevitable impact on people of all ages, particularly the young. It was concludedthat the best antidote to the harm this material can cause is for adults to ensure that they create safe spaces for young people, even children, where they can be helped to contextualise and make sense of what they are seeing. It was also recognised that the large tech companies need to be better regulated so they took part in the efforts to control the availability of harmful material rather than monetising it.
Tunbridge Wells Safe Haven Initiative
The Safe Haven initiative is the first part of the Together as Allies Movement (TAA) to be launched which has been created by members of the local Independent Advisory Group (IAG), a body which operates as a “critical friend” to the Police and seeks to build a bridge between the community and law enforcement. SITWD plays an active role in the IAG and provides support and advice to the TAA on an ongoing basis.
Violence against women and girls (VAWG) and women’s safety generally has been a major focus of SITWD’s activities since they produced their Spotlight on Safety report in 2023 and following the announcement by the head of the Community Policing Team that VAWG was a top priority for them the IAG resolved that this would be a key focus of their activities going forward also.
As a result of discussions involving many different sectors of the community in which SITWD members Kathy Lewis and Jill Ruddock took an active role, the TAA movement was formed with the strapline “safe communities start with us.” The movement has several different strands and Safe Havens is the first to be launched which is a network of trusted spaces located throughout the town where women and girls can step in, reset and feel safe. Operators of these spaces which include pubs, gyms, nail bars, hairdressers and corner shops will be trained to signpost females to how they can get the help they need and provide a safe locality while they do so.
The movement now has a website, and the Safe Haven network was launched at an invitation-only event held at the Trinity Theatre in Tunbridge Wells on 9th May, which was featured on BBC South East and Kent Online. The 50 or so people attending heard more details about what hosting a Safe Haven space would entail and arrangements to train the operators of those spaces as well as future plans for the movement. The event was introduced by the movement founder, Laura Toop, Chair of the IAG and speakers included Mike Martin, MP for Tunbridge Wells, Chief Superintendent Emma Banks, Director of the VAWG Strategic Command, Ian Torpey, Operations Director of Greene King and Alex Green, Director of RTW Together, the Business Improvement District for Tunbridge Wells.
SITWD Supports Imago Dei
The charity, Imago Dei was set up in 2016. It supports and encourages female offenders through a range of rehabilitative courses and mentoring whilst in prison and upon their release. It works in four women’s prisons in the Southeast alongside chaplaincy departments, supporting women of all faiths or none. There are currently four projects: the Prison Ministry, ID Essence (working with young women aged 18-25), Grace House (opening in late 2025 in Maidstone as a pilot scheme offering housing and life skills training for women leaving prison), and #She Matters, a community based initiative with a charity shop in Tunbridge Wells offering work experience for women coming out of prison.
Many women in prison have been the victims of serious offences themselves, including domestic violence. They face many challenges in prison and upon their release. With a shop in Tunbridge Wells where Helen Warriner, a longstanding SITWD member volunteers, it felt important that all club members should know more about the charity’s work.
Tracy Sickel, CEO and founder of Imago Dei and her colleague, Immy, Community Fundraiser and Communications Officer, gave an informative presentation about the charity’s work. This was followed by a Q&A session. In recognition of the great work being carried out, a donation of £50 was made to Imago Dei. Tracy agreed to send a list of potential ways in which the club could support them which will be consideredfurther at future meetings.
SITWD at Stalls on the Green
Friends of Woodbury Park Cemetery (FWPC) held a Craft, Plant and Produce Fair at St John’s Church Green, Tunbridge Wells. SITWD took a stall to support the Friends and also to sell handcrafted items produced by club members to boost club funds. It was also a further opportunity to use the Soroptometer, a tool SITWD invented, to understand what matters most to women and girls living locally.
Several founding members of the FWPC are long-standing SITWD members. Since its founding in 2007 the FWPC not only works to conserve this historic Victorian cemetery, but also runs a programme of guided walks, talks and events that benefit the community across all age ranges in Tunbridge Wells. Taking a stall at this fair enabled SITWD to continue to support the Friends as well as raise money to support SITWD causes. A number of SITWD members attended and some manned the SITWD stall selling the items produced. They also talked about what being a Soroptimist means and engaged with those using the Soroptometer to express views on living in Tunbridge Wells.
SITWD at Knights Wood Community Event
A local community event took place at Skinners’ Primary School, Tunbridge Wells in June 2025 which brought together residents of the new Knights Wood community with local safety and wellbeing champions. SITWD was invited and used this as a further occasion to take along the Soroptometer, a tool SITWD invented, to gain feedback on issues that matter most to women and girls living locally.
SITWD has been working locally for some time to help build safer communities, with a key focus on women’s safety. This event provided SITWD with some extremely useful feedback on the female perspective in this area. It also continues to raise the profile of the club within the local community. Louise Taylor, SITWD treasurer and designer of the Soroptometer, attended the event and engaged with women and girls wishing to express views on living in Tunbridge Wells. SITWD now has further data covering safety issues, public transport, healthcare provision, public facilities, and support for caring responsibilities. This will be compiledinto a larger document as part of the Listening Project (see “Past Projects”).
SITWD Attends Local United Nations Association (‘UNA’) Event
Six SITWD members attended a local discussion on Artificial Intelligence: Unleashing the Potential and Exploring the Limit organised by the Tunbridge Wells & Wealden UNA.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionising industry and changing the way that we work and live. The UN’s stance on AI emphasises ethical, inclusive, and human-centred development. It advocates for global cooperation to ensure AI supports the Sustainable Development Goals while protecting human rights, peace, and security. The UN calls for regulation, transparency, and accountability to prevent misuse and ensure AI benefits all of humanity—particularly the most vulnerable.
The event included a speaker, Grace Munyiri, the founder of Cacumator Mentorship, an organisation that empowers young African girls to achieve their academic dreams. Discussions ensued on how to use and control AI given the amazing potential it has to save the world or destroy it. Attendance by SITWD members also supported the work done by the local UNA, of which Marguerita Morton, a Soroptimist, is Co-Chair.
SITWD attends #Women in Parliament: How Far Have We Come and What’s Next?
Centenary Action, a cross-party campaigning coalition, convened by Helen Pankhurst, held another event in July 2025. This was to discuss progress on their campaign to achieve gender equality in Parliament by 2028, which will be the 110th anniversary of equal suffrage. Women MP’s only account for 40% of MPs and the campaign aims to increase this to 50% by 2028.
Caroline Auckland, former SITWD President and Lorna Blackmore, former SITWD and South East SIGBI Regional President, attended the event at Portcullis House which brought together MP’s, campaigners, and sector leaders. It showed the continued support of SITWD for the campaign and offered an excellent networking opportunity. The club will benefit from the knowledge gained.
SITWD Supports Soroptimists’ Fight for Justice for Subpostmasters
The Post Office Horizon story has been described as one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in UK history. Between 2000 and 2014, the Post Office prosecuted 736 Sub postmasters, based on accounting anomalies. In April 2021, the Court of Appeal quashed the convictions of 39 former Sub postmasters for theft, false accounting, and fraud with hundreds of others potentially on the way. It has been a lengthy battle to prove that the Horizon IT system, on which the convictions were based, was flawed. The TV drama, ‘Mr Bates v The Post Office’ transformed a long running but relatively underreported scandal into a national reckoning. However, for victims of the scandal, the ordeal is far from over. SITWD wanted to know more.
Forensic accountant, Dr Kay Linnell OBE and her business partner, Barbara Jeremiah JP MSc, longstanding Soroptimists from SI Winchester and District, spoke very powerfully to SITWD members about the Post Office Horizon IT scandal and their part in the long fight for justice. Their involvement began when Barbara supported their local subpostmistress, Jo Hamilton, who was wrongly convicted in 2007. Barbara introduced the case to Kay, eventually persuading her to apply her forensic accounting skills to the campaign in 2012. They have unrelentingly,
pro-bono, dedicated years to gathering and analysing financial evidence to provide justice and redress for the victims. It was a great privilege to hear how Barbara’s initial concern sparked the investigation and Kay’s financial expertise, and campaign momentum then helped form the legal and evidentiary foundation of the postmasters’ fight. They continue to be actively involved, heavily criticising the compensation frameworks.
Club members were shocked that justice has still not been served, and public concern has moved on. Consideration is being given as to how best to support the campaign. A possible angle is to raise awareness of just how much taxpayer money has been spent so far on delaying the financial claims against how much has actually been paid out to victims. Parliament is currently in recess giving time to harness a possible questionfor the Government. In the meantime, in honour of two outstanding women, the club donated £50 to a charity of their choice. Many members also bought the book written by Jo Hamilton, Why Are You Here, Mrs Hamilton? In it, she acknowledges Kay and Barbara saying, ‘Kay Linnell and Barbara Jeremiah are two unsung heroes and there is no doubt that without your forensic skill, expertise, determination and the thousands and thousands of free hours you dedicated to this cause, we wouldn’t be where we are today.’
SITWD Working to Keep Women’s Voices Heard Locally
With the local government reorganisation in prospect and the campaign for Tunbridge Wells to have a Town Council, SITWD wanted to understand better how a Town Council works and how best to ensure that there is appropriate representation in Tunbridge Wells of the female perspective.
SITWD has been involved in the Royal Tunbridge Wells (‘RTW’) Town Forum since it’s inception. In fact, it was instrumental in its very formation. The RTW Forum is a non-political advisory and consultative body that currently represents the six unparished wards to ensure that they have a collective voice in local governance. SITWD wants to see that women’s voices and concerns continue to be heard in the formation of a possible Town Council.
Our neighbouring town, Sevenoaks, has had a Town Council for many years. The current and longstanding Town Clerk is Linda Larter MBE, a Soroptimist from SI Sevenoaks. She agreed to provide her insights into the world of local government and the impending reorganisation. Six club members from SITWD went to the Sevenoaks Town Council Office where they were welcomed by Linda and Margaret Crabtree, the current President of SI Sevenoaks. Linda then shared her thoughts on the reorganisation, the timeline and how it would affect the Town. She went on to explain how the Council works, its responsibilities, and the many projects it is involved in.
The presentation by Linda was very impressive and proved just how successful Sevenoaks has been not only in building vital community assets but also in garnering a great standing with the local population. Something to try and emulate in Tunbridge Wells. This galvanised SITWD President, Jill Ruddock, to contact the acting Chair of RTW Town Forum to ensure SITWD’s involvement in steering the formation of the possible Town Council. This has received a positive response and Caroline Auckland now represents the Soroptimists on the Town Forum Management Group which will play a central role in the eventual formation of a Town Council.
SITWD Celebrates International Friendship Day
SI Bombay Chembur organised an online event to celebrate International Friendship Day. They invited SITWD as one of their Friendship Links to join them and two other friendship clubs. Celina Joy, the Programme Action Officer for SI Bombay Chembur explained that the main purpose of observing International Friendship Day was a chance to meet all their friendship links online. She said that it would be interesting to get to know more about the culture and traditions of each club. The overall theme for the event was the architectural heritage of each region.
The Friendship Link was formed following a visit to Mumbai by SITWD President, Jill Ruddock and Programme Action Officer, Anne Walter in 2024. These links are part of the wider Soroptimist International network and are designed to foster greater international understanding, cooperation, and solidarity. It is important to reinforce the sense of being part of a larger, united movement for women’s rights and empowerment.
Six members of SITWD attended the event. They listened to presentations by SI Llandudo and District, SI Bangalore and SI Bombay Chembur about their local heritage sites. Caroline Auckland, former SITWD President, gave a presentation on the history of Tunbridge Wells Opera House and its connections to important women of the era.
The event was a wonderful way to learn more about each other’s rich heritage. It was interesting to see the links that there are already there such as (a) the connection to Lewis Carroll in Llandudno through Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Alice in his novel, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (b) the author, under his real name of Charles Dodson, was the mayor of Tunbridge Wells (c) the memory of productions of Charley’s Aunt in India matching with the billboard for the play in Tunbridge Wells. It was also wonderful to hear of the Midnight Run by Women in Bombay, who are claiming public spaces for all whilst breaking the stereotype of women staying indoors after dark.
SITWD joins Lend With Care 15th Anniversary Event
To mark the 15th Anniversary of micro-lending through the Lend With Care (‘LwC’) platform, supporters were invited to a reception in London. They heard more details of the scheme and its beneficiaries from Tracy Horner, CEO of LwC and two of their partners who work with entrepreneurs in Togo and Pakistan. Since its inception LwC has loaned £56 million, supported 217,000 businesses and helped 652,000 people. They work with 19 partners, micro-finance companies in 16 countries. In 2025/26 LwC plans to expand into Côte d’Ivoire and Uganda.
SITWD has supported the LwC initiative since March 2023, lending £30 a month. It is seen as a way to support women and build their financial resilience. It was therefore interesting, as well as inspiring, to hear more about their activities.
Jill Ruddock, SITWD President, attended the event. She heard that 80% of loans are made to women and that they were more popular as recipients, possibly because lenders felt the impact on a community or family was likely to be greater. She heard that by the time entrepreneurs made it onto the LwC website, they would probably have been recipients of smaller loans for some time and have already demonstrated the viability of their business plan and their resilience. This probably explains the very low default rate seen. She learned that before agreeing to work with a micro-finance partner, LwC carries out extensive due diligence, examining, for example, their performance to date and the nature/quality of their portfolio. Whilst the proportion of their portfolios varies, it is never more than 50% and is typically around 10%. This avoids companies being over dependent on LwC monies and helps ensure their financial resilience.
The LwC platform was originally funded by the parent organisation, Care International (‘CI’), but it is now self-supporting, operational costs being covered by the top up donations added to individual loans along with donations from ‘Angels’, individuals and organisations who are regular donors or donate to the annual appeal. Personnel working on the LwC scheme are housed in CI offices which enables their infrastructure and managerial needs to be met free of charge to the platform. One of the partner organisations said they believed that poverty is a challenge, not a destiny and that true poverty is not lack of money but lack of friends. They position themselves as a friend. SITWD does likewise in continuing our support.