So much ACTION, local and international, supporting our charities, lobbying, creativeness  and of course friendship and fun.                                                                                                                            

Club members Cynthia Bartley & Louise Bower and the newly formed group of girls from WBHS plan together their first step in what hopes to be programme action within our local community – support for Harbour Refuge.          

Of course we are good girls!!! – we are SOROPTIMISTS and FUN and PROGRAMME ACTION are at the heart of our values to ENABLE, EMPOWER and EDUCATE, so why not join them together in a fun-filled night at our local JAM JAR cinema to raise funds for our President’s Charities – MIND  and MANZINI YOUTH PROJECT in Swaziland. A huge thank-you to all our members, friends, relatives and all those who helped make this such a success! SEE YOU ALL NEXT YEAR!! – FILM RECOMMENDATIONS NEEDED!

A scheme where police officers give a cuddly toy to young children they meet during their daily patrols has been expanded across the North East. The ‘Trauma Teddies’ scheme was launched in September 17 but was started as a pilot operation that just covered part of Newcastle. It involved knitted teddy bears being stored in patrol cars of response officers so that they can hand it to young children they meet when responding to incidents. They could be handed to children who were involved in a road traffic collision or to a young child who had gone missing. Now the decision has been made to expand the pilot forcewide so patrol cars in Gateshead, Sunderland, North Tyneside and Northumberland will carry ‘Trauma Teddies’. Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Dame Vera Baird QC, said: “I very much welcome this initiative to Northumbria. It recognises the effect

Colourful Soroptimists ready for the off uniting together to raise awareness that our society should not tolerate violence against women in any form. Off we go....men, women, girls, boys and a few of our four legged friends!

 

                                                                                                    

We’ve said it once and will say it again – DI Claire Wheatley would make an awesome Soroptimist!! Feedback from victims of  our New Start Bags is extremely positive. Almost straight away after receiving their bags, just a little bit of self-worth sneaks back for those rescued girls and women.  They realise something WILL BE DONE!; gaining trust, taking the first steps to regaining confidence in themselves and accepting the support from the police team.Providing a holistic support package Claire’s team, work tirelessly to keep these women and girls on board, as it may take many months to put a case together to go to trial.

Did you spot the Global Blanket in the window of our new philanthropic friend? The visual petition to raise awareness of where I clothes are made. Ask yourself - IS MY T-SHIRT TRAFFIK FREE or has some child or enslaved woman or man been forced to work so I can buy it cheap??

President Judy accepts our impressive award from Stephen Andrews, manager of our local branch. We're so happy to begin a long, supportive relationship with Newcastle Building Society,Park View, Whitley Bay SI Tynemouth, Whitley Bay & DIstrict club has now secured a further grant of £3000 from The Newcastle Building Society / The Community Foundation to make a further 40 NEW START BAGS by October 2018. Thanks in the past go to The Greggs Foundation for our first grant of £1880 and £600+ from private donations.