Soroptimist International of Wakefield and District joined with Mayor of Wakefield, Wakefield District Women’s Forum and the Well Women Centre at Featherstone Rovers on Saturday 7th March to celebrate International Women’s day. The Mayor of Wakefield Cllr Maureen Tennant-King was guest of honour and Claire Sutherley DL, Managing Director of We Are Wakefield hosted a panel discussion honouring amazing women with a focus on female sporting heroes. Also speaking on the day were: John Trickett MP Cllr Denise Jeffery, Leader of Wakefield Council Amy Hardman, Head of Foundation at Castleford Tigers Foundation Alison Lowe OBE, Deputy Mayor of West Yorkshire for Policing and Crime Joanna Carr-Will and Lucy Ferguson from the trailblazing 1996 Great Britain Lionesses RL Team A brilliant and inspiring morning!

Another batch of 10 handknitted blankets have again made their way from Soroptimist knitting needles to a local cause, this time accompanied by hand sewn shopper totes and groceries for the leaving care team at Wakefield Council to be distributed amongst young people embarking on new independent lives. We wish them well as they take their first steps into independence.

Members of Soroptimist International Wakefield and District held their first Orange Café of the year on Tuesday 3rd February. Members wore orange in solidarity and enjoyed coffee, tea and great company at Sainsbury’s café in Wakefield to raise awareness of Soroptimism, and of violence against women and girls.

This Christmas there are many young people who will be living on their own for the first time with little support or family around them as they are spending their first Christmas on their own after leaving the care system. To support the council care leavers team who check in and support these vulnerable young people Wakefield District Soroptimists took up a collection of small gifts which will be distributed by youth workers over the Christmas period. To find out more about the vital work of the care leavers team with 16-25 year olds in our district visit their website at https://www.wakefield.gov.uk/children-and-families/local-offer-to-care-leavers

Wakefield District Soroptimists and their ‘Soropti-mister’ husbands and partners enjoyed a Christmas dinner and celebration of festive friendship at the White Horse, Sharlston on  the 12th December. Dinner was followed by festive readings and games and a collection of gifts was  made for young people in our district leaving care this year.

A delegation from Soroptimist International Wakefield and district braved the November cold to join the first Wakefield Reclaim the Night march in solidarity with other groups and individuals on Thursday 27th November. This marks day three of the UN Women 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign (25 November – 10 December)  #NoExcuse. Club members wore orange and participated in banner making workshops and held an information stall prior to the march. Huge thanks to the organisers for enabling a fantastic event.

Soroptimists from Wakefield have been busy knitting tiny baby jackets for the neonatal unit at Leeds to help  keep tiny babies snug. Tiny jackets knitted with love are on their way to support these little miracles and their anxious parents soon.

Soroptimist sisters were honoured to attend this year’s festival of remembrance in Wakefield and lay a wreath to the fallen.

Members visited the South West Yorkshire Partnership Teaching NHS Foundation Trust mental health museum based at Fieldhead Hospital to gain an insight into the historical reasons why women were admitted to the former West Riding asylum later known as Stanley Royd hospital and their subsequent treatment. Interesting that more patients were female and their conditions ranged from asthma to having a baby out of wedlock. Thanks to Jackie and Sally for the talk.  This local museum is well worth a visit and has many interesting artefacts on display.

SI Wakefield and District members enjoyed a literary evening with guest SI Yorkshire President Judith Clarke on Thursday 25th September. Club members shared extracts from their favourite books which covered a wide range of genres. It was a double celebration as the group also was celebrating our Yorkshire Presidents Award for our charity fundraising challenges activity and long time member and past club and Yorkshire president Judith Alce’s birthday.