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Soroptimists ‘cream it’ for charity at Weybridge Community Fair on June 24th

Soroptimists ‘cream it’ for charity at Weybridge Community Fair on June 24th

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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

Women who kill…their partners – the topic of last weeks club meeting

Women who kill…their partners – the topic of last weeks club meeting

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What good fortune we had as a club to be able to welcome Professor Susan Edwards to our club meeting in May. A long time friend of Mary she kindly agreed to attend our meeting to speak on the legal changes in the sentencing and treatment of “women who kill” following domestic abuse, coercive control and the constancy of fear. With over 20 at the meeting there was much discussion and surprise how a degree of relative leniency under common law from the 17th century cases has changed with wider judicial change and case law in more recent times.    Watch the Club Newsletter for more information. Susan would make a superb addition to any expert working party looking at the current bills and  future proposals for amending and lobbying via CSW, governments and local policy. Sincere thanks to Mary, Carlye and of course dear

Yummy Soroptimist Cream Tea at the Weybridge Festival -Saturday June 24th – Save the Date!

Yummy Soroptimist Cream Tea at the Weybridge Festival -Saturday June 24th – Save the Date!

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Soroptimists are getting ready to host the Cream Tea at the Weybridge Festival on Saturday June 24th     On June 24th Weybridge and District Soroptimist Club will be hosting the @WeybridgeFestival Cream Tea with local Ukrainian women and girls. Help us all raise much needed funds for @ElmbridgeCAN (https://www.elmbridgecan.org.uk/) the sponsor and fantastic local charity which support refugees in so many ways. Rest your feet for a while with friends over a pleasant cream tea and a glass of prosecco even! Find the Festival Tea Cafe at the Weybridge Community Centre accessed off Churchfield Road (https://www.allaboutweybridge.co.uk/shops-services/weybridge-centre-for-the-community), look out for the posters and sign posts. Open from 2pm-4pm https://www.facebook.com/groups/760726435635528 https://www.facebook.com/SoroptimistsElmbridge https://sigbi.org/weybridge/

#Soroptimists shone bright at Oatlands Village Fayre, Weybridge

#Soroptimists shone bright at Oatlands Village Fayre, Weybridge

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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

Welcome our high profile and influential speaker on Thursday evening – Prof. Susan Edwards

Welcome our high profile and influential speaker on Thursday evening – Prof. Susan Edwards

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So delighted to confirm our speaker for Thursday. Huge thanks to Carlye for identifying such a high profile and influential woman who focuses widely on women and education in multicultural legal aspects; Susan will enlighten us on the dynamics of abusive relationships and focus on the case of women who kill their abusive partners.  Susan recently published insight into the matters surrounding the courts decision making on the return of Shamima Begum to Britain. (https://www.counselmagazine.co.uk/articles/shamima-begum-the-court-of-public-opinion). Prepare to take this opportunity to welcome Susan in person and discuss salient points which might impact our work with refugees and young women/DA services. Speaker: Prof Susan Edwards, Professor of Law Emerita, University of Buckingham BA (CNAA), MA, PhD (Manc), LLM (Reading); Barrister England and Wales, Practising Certificate; Member of the Expert Witness Institute (MEWI), formerly Editor Denning Law Journal 2005-2015 A barrister and a well-known writer and broadcaster on feminist

Soroptimists showcase their friendship and work in Weybridge in new Member Month

Soroptimists showcase their friendship and work in Weybridge in new Member Month

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May is Membership Month in Soroptimist Clubs in the SI GB&N.Ireland region We have been delighted to welcome 4 new club members in Elmbridge region this last year, Mary, Caroline, Jean and Hasina. At our AGM Mary welcomed most recent new Soroptimists Jean and Hasina who elected to join after joining in with some of our events and learning about the projects we do as a local club. We will be hosting regular monthly ‘Orange Cafes’ to meet women who’d like to hear more and join us as we attract more members. Get in touch at any time via the QR Code and Contact Us tab, we meet every month in Cobham. Meet on Saturday 13th May Soroptimists have a stand this Saturday at Oatlands Village Fayre, come along and meet us, buy organic rhubarb, sunflower plants, beautiful handmade Maripula tapestry items from South Africa,

Honorary Soroptimist Tribute by SI Weybridge & District

Honorary Soroptimist Tribute by SI Weybridge & District

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Soroptimists in Weybridge said a solemn goodbye in tribute to one of their longest standing Honorary Members last Thursday. Ahead of the AGM a candle was lit and members remembered dear Marion Strehlow, who passed on in January this year after a short illness. Marion was well known in region, an avid and intrepid traveller who exhibited all the best qualities of Soroptimism over 50 years with Windsor then Elmbridge (now Weybridge & District)  Soroptimist Clubs. A regular at SISE meetings and Friendship weekends she could speak fluent German and so enjoyed meeting up with friends across the region. An only child of German Jewish parents living in Berlin, Marion and her parents were sent to Auschwitz, but she ended up in the “Childrens” camp at Theresienstadt.  There, aged 5 she helped with the babies and toddlers. She endured hunger and was experimented on by

Afghan Women’s Minster joins Soroptimists in Elmbridge

Afghan Women’s Minster joins Soroptimists in Elmbridge

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Former Afghan Women’s Minster Ms Hasina Safi was delighted to accept Honorary Membership of Weybridge & District Soroptimist Club yesterday. We have been so moved to hear from her first hand at recent meetings about the situation in country and her knowledge of women’s issues following Taliban rule. Hasina a refugee in our region brings in depth knowledge of the history of women’s rights in the troubled region. As a child refugee herself fleeing to Pakistan with her parents only to return as the Russians left, she now finds herself again displaced and working for women’s human rights and peace from another country, Britain. Hasina and the many refugees who arrived in Britain in 2021 and since experience and continue to have trauma associated with the sudden change  in situation and liberties arising from Taliban rule, the daily knowledge of suffering back ‘home’ and the consequences

A Soroptimist Year in Elmbridge & our 45th AGM

A Soroptimist Year in Elmbridge & our 45th AGM

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The Soroptimist 2022 – 2023 year finishes with our 45th AGM on April 20th. Members do look out for the Officer Reports and Agenda in your Inbox this week. We have Jean’s Induction and a Tribute to dear Marion please join in at The Fairmile. Summary to reflect on SIW&D Club Achievements in 2022 March – SISE region club donations/funding sent to SI Clubs in Ukraine and Moldova to enable local action April and June – Foodbank Donations of Easter Eggs and Children’s Sun Cream to support Walton & Hersham foodbank needs May – Booth at Oatlands Weybridge Village Fair for publicity and to sell beautiful craft items made in Maripela, South Africa who are supported by Soroptimists &  Tea & Temptations Fashion Show run in partnership with local boutiques and SI Woking, raised funding for Barbara Watts Volunteering in Pretoria Project July – Pink