September’s meeting was led by our members who make up the Planet group and they gave us a lively account of the work they have been doing over the last few months in relation to environmental issues. The group’s current project is the creation of bee friendly gardens in the grounds of St Paul’s church in Whitley Bay. As well as planting the gardens, the group is setting up bird boxes and bug houses to attract a wide range of wildlife. They also have a maintenance rota in place to make sure the garden always looks marvellous. The project has been nominated for a regional best practice award and the winners will be announced at our next regional meeting on 23rd September. Action on climate change is central to the work of Soroptimist International and local projects like those led by Planet group make a significant contribution to our communities.