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5 new young SOROPTIMIST STEMSTARS shone a light on Women in Science/Tech during British Science Week

5 new young SOROPTIMIST STEMSTARS shone a light on Women in Science/Tech during British Science Week

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SI Weybridge & District soroptimists hosted a Year Group assembly on April 17th at Cobham Free School. This followed a successful launch of the British Science Week Poster Competition with the science teaching team during a February assembly. The SI #STEM team presented Soroptimist #STEMSTAR certificates and Amazon vouchers to 5 winning poster artists and 3 excellent runners up. The winners in Years 7,8 and 9 created posters presenting research information on “the impact of women over time on science and technology”. With so many excellent posters submitted by boys and girls (all created in a short time), judging was fierce and intense. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THOSE WHO WENT THE EXTRA MILE TO ENTER! Standards as you can see were very high. The top 5 posters were submitted to the national #BSW competition; now we all eagerly await the news of the results. This #soroptimist

March – In Women’s History Month, Soroptimists congratulate students in Cobham

March – In Women’s History Month, Soroptimists congratulate students in Cobham

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Women’s History Month is an annual observance to highlight the contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society. Celebrated during March in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, corresponding with International Women’s Day on March 8, it is observed during October in Canada, corresponding with the celebration of Persons Day on October 18. A weeklong observation in Sonoma County, California in 1978 was subsequently championed by Gerda Lerner and the National Women’s History Alliance to be recognised as a national week (1980) and then month (1987) in the United States, spreading internationally after that. Since 1987, Women’s History Month has been celebrated every March, with one of our favourite days of the year, International Women’s Day, taking place on 8th March. Join in recognising the extraordinary contributions, resilience, and accomplishments of women who have shaped our world. From trailblazing pioneers to modern-day leaders, Women’s History Month is a tribute to the strength, intelligence and indomitable spirit of women across the globe. #Weybridge

ECHOES OF OPPRESSION: WOMEN’S FIGHT FOR RIGHTS UNDER THE TALIBAN POLICY BRIEF, #IWD 8 MARCH 2024

ECHOES OF OPPRESSION: WOMEN’S FIGHT FOR RIGHTS UNDER THE TALIBAN POLICY BRIEF, #IWD 8 MARCH 2024

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ECHOES OF OPPRESSION: WOMEN’S FIGHT FOR RIGHTS UNDER THE TALIBAN POLICY BRIEF, #IWD 8th MARCH 2024 Today’s #IWD Policy Brief evaluates the Taliban’s suppression of human rights in Afghanistan, focusing on its impact on women and girls. It draws on literature reviews and first hand accounts from Afghan women across eight geographical zones, as well as insights from human rights experts both within and outside the country, to analyse the challenges posed by the Taliban’s regime. As mankind globally celebrate progress and success for women and girls, this important brief created from literature review and first hand in country reports gives clear insights and recommendations for action. Soroptimists are keen to disseminate this information on International Women’s Day, please share, tag your MPs, send it to Ministers, commend it to your friends and family and anyone who can focus effort on enabling change and influencing

Soroptimists at School Assembly about British Science Week

Soroptimists at School Assembly about British Science Week

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The Weybridge and District STEM Team members are so appreciative of the positive welcome given at Cobham Free School in Surrey this week where there was a chance to help launch the British Science Week National Poster Competition during an assembly. It gave local soroptimists a chance to also advertise the #BSW insights and breadth and scope especially activities open to students and communities  for ‘at home’ science learning during March and over the year to come. Some 300 Year 7,8 and 9 pupils listened patiently to details of this year’s #BSW theme ‘TIME’.  A  soroptimist, herself a life scientist,  gave a 10 minute overview of the opportunities prevailing during #BSW for students and families to learn have fun and take part. She followed an inspiring short presentation by a female 6th former who plans a career in motorsport engineering . Our presentation highlighted not

Weybridge Soroptimists Launch ‘STEMSTARS Project’ in schools as British Science Week (#BSW) approaches

Weybridge Soroptimists Launch ‘STEMSTARS Project’ in schools as British Science Week (#BSW) approaches

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As we approach British Science Week in March, Weybridge and District soroptimists are very excited! Our partnerships with two local Elmbridge secondary schools will launch. Following combined efforts from the club's  STEM Working Party and the scientific and academic leads in both schools, ideas simply flowed. We have made steady  progress and STEM soroptimists are involved in two big events at the schools in the next week. February 29th - A school assembly for Years 7-9 where together with the Head of Science and a 6th Form science student, we will launch the #BSW National Poster Competition to local students. The theme is on how TIME has impacted science and could impact in future.  Boys and girls will be invited to design a poster on this topic for the March deadline. Soroptimist charity  funds will provide prizes for up to 5 posters selected by year group
Weybridge, Walton & Hersham are on Santa’s Route

Weybridge, Walton & Hersham are on Santa’s Route

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At this time of year mothers and women struggling financially face difficult choices, heat the home, pay the bills, put food on the table,  borrow to buy extras and gifts? Alongside supporting foodbanks with female hygiene products year round, local women soroptimists volunteer and fundraise to aid community foodbanks around the country with supermarket vouchers and food, plus summer essentials like children’s sun lotion and treats at Easter. This festive season our soroptimists and friends in Elmbridge donated £15 to fill each gift hat for women and mums from Santa.  Brenda and Cathy delivered 20 to @Runnymede at #WeybridgeFoodbank last week, Jean and Ann did the same at @Walton&Hershamfoodbank. Sincere thanks to the generous soroptimists, neighbours, friends and family for the cash to enable this sharing of joy and goodwill locally. Merry Christmas to all  partners, volunteers and charities we work with locally to improve

Soroptimists fly the flag for Women and Girls for #16DaysofActivism

Soroptimists fly the flag for Women and Girls for #16DaysofActivism

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Women volunteers in local soroptimist clubs around the world #orangetheworld as part of the global campaign and action to stop violence against women and girls. Locally they are ‘flying the flag’ in many ways on Monument Green, Weybridge and in Stoke d’Abernon to highlight the UN messaging for global action and progress under the UNiTE program. Soroptimists are advocating to reduce online and IT tech-led actions and increased use of private information which impacts women and girls well being and safety adversely and to encourage everyone to harness technology to enable safety, respect and dignity in every situation, every country and every online media. Progress is steady, nothing is impossible. “We are hopeful not hopeless” in the words of an Afghan women’s advocate speaking at the recent SIGBI conference about the challenges women and girls face every day in country. Amplify the messaging share on

River Thames at Cowey Sale is ORANGE!

River Thames at Cowey Sale is ORANGE!

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  Following on from the success of our monthly #OrangeCafes, this year we upped the scale of our activities to mark the start of #16days of activism. Saturday November 25th was a cold but bright winter’s morning. A group of club members met up for a ‘Walk & Talk’ Café Crawl along the Thames towpath between Walton & Weybridge. Our aim was to raise awareness of #16Days and the UN Day for the elimination of violence against Women. We were joined by Soroptimist sisters from the region as well as family members & the Outreach team from #Northsurreydomesticabuse. We  met at the Cowey Sale café then we all walked & talked all the way to D’Oyly’s Café. The island setting offered a great photo opportunity on the bridge across the river. Even the tree in the background was orange! We were all wearing orange &

Soroptimists ‘Remember’ in Weybridge

Soroptimists ‘Remember’ in Weybridge

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Just a month on from meeting as a club with family, friends and retired members to remember Dorothy Clarke MBE at a memorial service in Hersham, we were honoured to lay a club poppy wreath in remembrance of the many who have fallen for our freedoms over the decades since WW1. Joining members and friends Alexis was welcomed on Sunday for the first time to represent the many soroptimists in Weybridge.   Sincere thanks to Alexis Past Club President for arranging the wreath and representing the club.      

Elfing around..Elmbridge..

Elfing around..Elmbridge..

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Last week we approved fund allocation to fill 40 elf hats for gifting to @RunnymedeandWeybridgefoodbank and @Walton&HershamFoodbank. Packed by Santa’s elves and labelled ‘For Mum from Santa” soroptimists in @weybridge, @waltononthames and @molesey hope to spread some joy and goodwill to the hard pressed families in our district on Christmas day. Our Women against Violence (WAV) team are really busy hoisting flags, putting up posters and arranging the #orangetheworld cafe crawl on the Thames from Cowey Sale, Walton to amplify the  Surrey clubs work in the southern England region to end violence against women over #16daysofactivism each and every year. Show your solidarity with orange ribbons, posters and share our posts to widen the information sharing and impact action.   Save the date  – 25th November start of club activism to unite in solidarity with women and girls suffering violence.