Gosh March has been a busy month for our soroptimist club in Elmbridge. Early doors – Supporting Hersham FC Ladies Race Night in person, betting to win at the Barley Mow pub and donating two great prizes for the raffle/auction – delighted to hear over £4500 was raised for Princess Alice Hospice well done to the football club members who organised and ran such a worthwhile fun charity event.. International Women’s Day 2026 – advertising the various historical and important aspects of this day of action led by the United Nations on social media to increase public awareness and joined employers, NGOs, charities, soroptimists and the public celebrating all around the globe. Weybridge and District club members joined in, we organised a walk in the park in partnership with #PainshillParkTrust who very kindly enabled concessionary entry and a lovely warm space to relax afterwards. We
As the Commission on the Status of Women #CSW70 brings together world experts, the public and NGOs at the United Nations HQ in New York today, soroptimists around the world gather too in person to attend sessions, discuss evidence founded on local and international community action and to review progress made in women’s rights, peace and public life.
Priority theme: Ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls, including by promoting inclusive and equitable legal systems, eliminating discriminatory laws, policies, and practices, and addressing structural barriers
Review theme: Women’s full and effective participation and decision making in public life, as well as the elimination of violence, for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls (agreed conclusions of the sixty-fifth session)
Yesterday March 8th, International Women’s Day was celebrated across the world for the 115th year. Whilst this acknowledgment of progress in the last century has many facets and dimensions depending on legal, political and public circumstances and equality in each region soroptimists know there is still much to do to enable women and girls’ health, wellbeing, education access, equality and peace. Our projects focus of enabling, empowering and advocating for these aims.
“Women’s full and effective participation and decision-making in public life, as well as the elimination of violence, for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls”.
Local Action
Yesterday in harmony men and women from our community who support this aim and raised their voices walked together in the spring air at @Painshill, Cobham, Surrey, UK. Alongside our British, American and Afghan club members we shared aspects pf the day with guests and the public including Syrians, Ukrainians and visitors to the park who expressed interest in our activities. #Painshill a community partner and early advocate for women generously supported the walk with concession tickets and space to share our #IWD messaging with the local community and visitors, for that we are most grateful
Our aim yesterday? To foster community friendship, widen awareness of the need for action and advocacy and our club activities to improve and help local women and girls. We too shared our communal strength of feeling as soroptimists talking action for our disadvantaged and oppressed sisters in Afghanistan, sharing the statement issued to us by local Afghan advocates. This next week our club will meet the author of “Escape from Kabul” in person and and two Afghan judicial/ministers to discuss what is potentially the most important test of human rights in a generation
Quote from the club issued #IWD26 statement “The systematic restrictions imposed on Afghan women and girls are not only a national crisis but also a true test of the world’s commitment to gender equality, justice, and human dignity. For women and girls in Afghanistan, the fight for equality is no longer abstract.”
Who are soroptimists?
Soroptimists are women volunteers who work in friendship and unison around the world through 250 local clubs to focus on projects which impact women and girls (in correlation with the UN Sustainable Development Goals) in local communities. As advocates for women and girls and friends who share a passion for using their skills, expertise and compassion to enable change, we meet up monthly to socialise and plan projects. The federation SIGBI International GB&I oversees the international club structure, reporting our activities to the UN representatives and strategy/donations and policy. Read about the work and ethos in this recent article published in London. Daily or on the SIGBI website
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
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
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.
Local soroptimists will once again help Santa’s elves supplying gift filled ‘Elf Hats’ for Mothers for the local Foodbanks. The hats which cost £16 were really well received last year, ensuring mums had a present from “Santa” to open at Christmas. The plan is to fill the hats at our November 16th meeting and to have them hand sewn by our seamstress elf Jeannie, with labels added “For Mum love Santa” they can then be delivered by month end. We invite you to join in this project and fill a hat for donation. SI Weybridge will donate a £10 food gift voucher to each hat we fill to a maximum of £400, so don’t delay. Kindly email soroptimistsweybridge@gmail.com by 10 November to obtain the bank details and remit the cost of the contents £16 (inc. hat) to bank in good time. Please give ‘Elfhat’ (and your initials or
Yesterday SIGBI Day of Action, Southern region met near Winchester. Member Helen Porter spoke about her positive experience as a Soroptimist delegate attending UN CSW 67 in New York and highlighted next years theme as being so aligned with SI charitable goals, that of ‘poverty’. This was followed by a passionate and truly humbling presentation by the former Women’s Minister in Afghanistan. A Soroptimist, Hasina outlined the realities in Afghanistan since the Taliban assumed control. The lack of humanity shown and shortages in food, utilities, medicines and water is impacting all but especially women and widows who have no menfolk. Students and girls who have no access to education and those who live in fear following their involvement with peace and international liaison are living in constant distress. Women are dying early due to lack of access to healthcare and medicines. Hasina’s international evacuee links
Following club member donations and cash generated at the Oatlands Fair competition, 100 Bottles of Factor 50 Sunscreen were purchased by soroptimist Brenda; shoppers in Morrisons saw her accosted by staff as she cleared the shelves! After a moments explanation she continued her purchase….Morrisons are such good supporters of the foodbanks and charities generally. On 14th June Brenda and Jeannie delivered 50 to Walton & Hersham foodbank; it was very gratefully received arriving just ahead of the hot summer weather. Ann D and Brenda gathered the other 50 bottles for delivery to Runnymede (Weybridge) foodbank. Colin and his team were very appreciative of the donation, especially as now sunscreen is an expensive item. The bottles were weighed for distribution. We were informed many would go to the distribution centre at Ambleside Avenue as this is a very busy collection point. Today SIGBI received an email…
After several weeks of Soroptimist liaison with Elmbridge CAN at the fantastic Weybridge Community Centre, we have a team ready to bake and host a superb Cream Tea and Prosecco pop-up venue with our Ukrainian partners. The festival is in full swing and the Pop-Up Cream Tea venue is open from 12pm to 6pm on June 24th. Open to all… come by when you’re shopping in town. Arrive early to enjoy the best choice of home baked gateaux, scones, cakes and children’s treats, a chilled glass of prosecco even! Come later to rest your feet or buy any residual cakes. Every £ you spend will aid the sterling work of Elmbridge CAN a community, volunteer-powered, non-party political charity, based in Elmbridge. They aim to build a culture of welcome to refugees within the local community, and work to achieve the settlement of more refugees in the Borough
The sun may have been hiding much of the day but #Soroptimists from SI Weybridge and District shone bright at Oatlands Village Fayre on Saturday 13th May. Following the advert in the fayre booklet (very kindly inserted by Andrew) attendance at the booth was brisk. Handmade Maripula bags and cushion covers (from our SI sisters in South Africa), tomato/sunflower plants, home grown organic rhubarb, a book sale, a children’s competition and wonderful company attracted fayre goers to come along and chat. Brenda (and Paul..) created a fabulous showcase of our last years work in the club and worked hard to highlight and man the booth with Jeannie and Alexis. Mary and the team helped galvanise visitors and ensured the day went with panache; a good profit was made on the day for the club charity account and Alexis is summing up the sale profits to
