We celebrated two of our valued members turning 80 recently. At our meeting on 10th November, not one but two of our Soroptimist sisters turned 80. Pictured cutting their cake, expertly baked by fellow SI Wakefield member Cynthia are Marjorie and Mollie. Many happy returns ladies!
SI Wakefield had a tremendous talk at ther speaker meeting on the 27th October from Paul Blakey MBE, the founder of Street Angels. This is a project which, with the help of a team of volunteers, has made a massive difference in over one hundred towns and cities across the UK and overseas. Founded in November 2005 the scheme has seen violent crime and sexual assaults reduce dramatically in many of the communities where the projects work. The Angels now also go inside pubs and clubs, at music festivals, in communities and at train stations. Because of Paul’s contribution to community safety he was awarded an MBE in the New Year’s Honours 2010 by Her Majesty the Queen. His talk was full of humour and inspiration. Street Angels are always looking for volunteers and when asked how anyone could help who did not want to ‘walk
Several members of our Club enjoyed a walk around Westgate led by Kevin Trickett from Wakefield Civic Society. In 2020 Wakefield Council and Historic England formed a 4-year partnership to improve the condition of some of the buildings in the Upper Westgate Conservation Area, aiming to change people’s perception of the area, which includes many locally and nationally listed buildings. Kevin entertained us with his knowledge of the history of Wakefield and encouraged us all to open our eyes and look up as we are walking in the streets of Wakefield.
On 28 July Wakefield Soroptimists set out on a summer social trip to the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, hoping to see the SIGBI memorial. Sadly the exhibit was being repaired. However, the group saw most of the site on a guided train ride, following which there was time to visit the memorials that had specific interest for individual Members. There was the added bonus of unexpectedly witnessing an official visit by Priti Patel who was attending the commemoration of a memorial to members of the Police who had fallen in the line of duty. We were able to visit Litchfield on the way home, with a chance to see the Cathedral and a temporary beach set up outside the cathedral.
Wakefield Soroptimists hosted visitors from across Yorkshire for their Jubilee get together on 9th June. With strawberries, fizz and cake galore our honorary member Cynthia was crowned Wakefield’s Catering Queen for all the delicious cakes, she provides at every meeting. Yorkshire President Lindsey was on hand to join in the festivities and celebrate our longest reigning monarch HM Queen Elizabeth pictured here with another SI Wakefield club honorary member and past Yorkshire president Judith being gifted a commemorative teatowel .
At our 2022 club AGM president Linda was proud to award club member and multiple-term club and Yorkshire president Judith Alce with honorary membership. Congratulations from all your Soroptimist sisters Judith, its a well deserved honour.
On Saturday 23rd April a group of intrepid Wakefield soroptimists set off on a sponsored hike around St Aidens nature reserve in a show of solidarity with #SHEWALKS2, a campaign highlighting the barriers faced by girls in rural Zimbabwe, many of whom have huge financial, geographic and administrative barriers to get to school and receive an education. The charity SHE is working with these girls to break down the barriers they face by providing sponsorship and other practical support like bicycles and textbooks to enable more young girls to receive their education and realise their dreams of a brighter future. Find out more about this inspiring charity at SHE – part of the Catalyst Foundation – SHE is led by girls in Zimbabwe, to break down the barriers to their education.
SI Wakefield and SI Dewsbury have worked together to plant trees at Dewsbury Country park to support the environment. Two Coastal Redwoods were planted in the country park arboretum feature to celebrate the Soroptimists International Centenary and soroptimists helped plant further also planted 50 small trees to help start off a new small woodland on the 19th and 21st November. The trees are still small, but will hopefully grow and future soroptimists will be able to reap the rewards of improved air quality and biodiversity.
The Brilliant Breakfast event hosted by Wakefield Soroptimists by the Queens Mill tearooms, Castleford on the 14th October, raised £130 for the Princes Trust women supporting women campaign. During the event President Linda presented Jane Walton, chair of Castleford Heritage Trust with a toilet twinning certificate to thank them for hosting the Brilliant Breakfast on the 14th October.
Wakefield soroptimists responded to a recent appeal from the office of their local MP, Yvette Cooper for books for needy families. Pictured handing over the collected book donations to an aide is president Linda Phillips
