Film nights – We started with the showing of ‘MUSTANG‘  on 31st May – £5 (includes one glass of wine + nibbles) In a village in northern Turkey, five sisters are walking home from school, playing innocently with some boys. The immorality of their play sets off a scandal that has unexpected consequences. The family home is progressively transformed into a prison; instruction in homemaking replaces school and marriages start being arranged. The five sisters who share a common passion for freedom, find ways of getting around the constraints imposed on them.  The film serves as both a specific story about Turkey and also as a broader allegory for challenges faced by young women around the world. In the film, five orphaned sisters live with their uncle and grandmother in a village on the Black Sea. After they are wrongly reported for inappropriate behavior while

  What can we say?  Well rather a lot really as Alan explained to members that as far back as 2009 as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Crime Reduction at the Home Office, he was actively involved in the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee, namely – The Trade in Human Beings: Human Trafficking in the UK Sixth Report of Session 2008–09 where men caught in the act of sleeping with trafficked prostitutes were rightfully prosecuted. http://www.stopthetraffik.org/uk/

 Welcome to our new member – Liz.  Smiles all around as Liz is welcomed by President Judy, OBE.       O£300 RAISED FOR MERU GARDEN PROJECT WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MEET ANY OF THE 17 UN SUSTAINABLE GOALS?  We have supported Vera for many years through our ‘Pennies for Nepal’ fundraising and our monetary help goes straight to Nepal, helping rebuild the school after the earthquake in 2015.         Immediate Past President Anne presented £1000 to NEPACS (North East Prison After Care Service).  This donation will be used to support ‘family days’ ensuring children visiting relatives in prison have positive memories of family life. With the help of a £1800 grant from Greggs and various generous donations  we have put together 36 ‘NEW START BAGS’. These backs provide everything a young girl or woman would need for the first week after they

SI Invite Please see below an invite to our annual Open Evening        

Every year we have a fund raising event for the President’s Charity at our community cinema ‘The Jam Jar’.  This year was our third year and over 40 members a enjoyed a sing-a-long to ‘The King and I’ and wouldn’t Deborah Kerr make a great Soroptimist?!  Our treasurer is still totting up how much was raised but I can reveal that President Anne’s total this year for her charity NEPACS (North East Prison After Care Service) will meet the £1000 target – THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS SUPPORTED THIS WORTHY CAUSE. Why not support your community cinema too!   http://www.jamjarcinema.com/

  We welcome Gill Coulson into our club; she comes with a fantastic personal recommendation and as a member of our COMMUNICATION group has already inspired us with awesome ideas.  Looking forward so much to your friendship.

Members attended the annual Tyneside Geographical Society Lecture ‘Citizenship and Equality’  where Vera Baird QC, Police and Crime Commissioner for Northumbria and Kaneez Shaid, Chair of Trustees, Citizens UK  were programmed to have a dialogue. This conversation between two prominent figures in community politics was aiming to provide insights into community alliances aimed at creating a sense of fairness and a platform for empowering marginalised voices.  Unfortunately Kaneez Shaid  was let down by public transport, however fortunately her replacement by local, Sarah Bryson, of Citizen’s UK, Tyne & Wear, at the last minute was extremely well received and enjoyable. The speakers explored identities of citizenship and equality that are forged in the public spaces of civil society – locally, nationally and in a broader ethic of care for human rights.     Dame Vera Baird gave a short description of her interesting and varied career journey