Skip links

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

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

in Tags

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

Afghan Women’s Minster joins Soroptimists in Elmbridge

Afghan Women’s Minster joins Soroptimists in Elmbridge

in Tags

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

Soroptimists donate £2000 Emergency Relief to Red Cross following huge earthquake in Turkey/Syria

Soroptimists donate £2000 Emergency Relief to Red Cross following huge earthquake in Turkey/Syria

in

SIGBI has released a statement following the devastating earthquake in Syria and Turkey, and has made a donation of £2,000 to the Red Cross from the Emergency Relief Fund. You can read SIGBI’s statement on the SIGBI Website, and access details of how to make your own donations: https://sigbi.org/2023/syria-and-turkey-earthquake-statement-from-soroptimist-international-great-britain-and-ireland/ The U.K. Government is match funding donations to the Disaster Emergency Committee for the earthquake in Turkey and Syria. Follow the link if you want to donate https://www.dec.org.uk/?gclid=CjwKCAiArY2fBhB9EiwAWqHK6tRyeAONr7eRjGg6VLDXmtx_r3UsWCU9aL9_BZaEfslRtAcP8t8CjBoCDGcQAvD_BwE

SI Southern Region (SISE) Meeting June 18th – Come Along!

SI Southern Region (SISE) Meeting June 18th – Come Along!

in Tags

All members are welcome to attend this quarterly meeting with other clubs which will be held at the Holiday Inn, Winchester. The Board have arranged an excellent speaker and there is a Zoom session alongside workshops. Clubs collecting for projects and charities are listed on the advance information do check to see if you can donate anything to be taken at the Club Meeting on June 16th.  Ann is reporting attendance numbers ahead on 5th June – please advise her if you’d like to come along and have a lift. The lunch cost is £15 payable ahead. This is the agenda   In Charity There is no Excess – SISE Region Meeting 18 June 2022 0930-1000 Tea/coffee on arrival 1000-1100 Regional meeting 1100-1110 Break 1110-1210 Speaker: Penney Poyzer from The Nottingham Good Food Partnership 1210-1230 Presentation on online bullying from SI Winchester, regarding regional support 1230 Closing

Soroptimists attract 5 new potential members and fly the SIWAD flag in Weybridge

Soroptimists attract 5 new potential members and fly the SIWAD flag in Weybridge

in Tags

#OatlandsVillageFair – How great to be back! We were there! Soroptimists in Weybridge and Elmbridge have supported this excellent community fair for many years and we were delighted to be “back” at a wonderful in person event held on such a sunny day. Danny and Jeannie set up early to get a spot near the arena, they were supported by many club members and wore the new SI sashes which drew a lot of questions as we walked about the fair. Sue provided a good variety of beautiful handmade cushion covers and bags from the South African club Maripula women’s project and these were quickly  ‘reserved’ bringing in welcome income to the project. Five women asked for more information, we engaged with many more. We had the opportunity to host #DrBenSpencer local MP and #CharuSood,  Charu serves on the Runnymede & Weybridge South Area Planning

SIGBI Virtual Centenary Conference in Llandudno

SIGBI Virtual Centenary Conference in Llandudno

in Tags

SIGBI Celebratory Conference – 28th/30th October 2021 – Llandudno –  Dial in.. it’s Virtual Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland (SIGBI) Ltd will hold our annual conference in 2021 from 29th to 30th October. The Conference will be a virtual one and there will be an opportunity for Soroptimists and others to have space on the Exhibition Wall to publicise their organisation and to sell goods. We anticipate that there will be approximately 1,000 delegates from 18 countries, including fellow Soroptimists from Asia and the Caribbean, as well as from the other Soroptimist Federations in The Americas, Europe, South West Pacific and Africa, and so we think this will be a good opportunity to share learnings and show products Conference registration is now OPEN to members, associates and the all women interested in enabling change. Register by 16 August 2021 to receive your Early Bird rate

Business Meeting 15th July 2021 – Speaker

Business Meeting 15th July 2021 – Speaker

in Tags

  This months business meeting will be our last fully remote meeting we hope! Dani is releasing the link for dial in, Cathy has sent the agenda and last months minutes kindly produced by Carlye. Dee has sent a statement of account. I thought I’d attach a few snaps of good times! We have a speaker at 7pm, the Founding Member of Elmbridge CAN – a small non-political charity who 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 of Elmbridge. Keep in touch by joining the meeting online at 7pm. Don’t forget to diary August 15th for a glorious afternoon of Fizz and Berries  as we all plan to meet again in person. If you do not get the link do call Dani ahead.  

#IWD2021 is coming on March 8th!

#IWD2021 is coming on March 8th!

in Tags

UN Secretary-General’s policy brief: The impact of COVID-19 on women The year 2020, marking the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, was intended to be ground-breaking for gender equality. Instead, with the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, even the limited gains made in the past decades are at risk of being rolled back. The pandemic is deepening pre-existing inequalities, exposing vulnerabilities in social, political and economic systems which are in turn amplifying the impacts of the pandemic. Across every sphere, from health to the economy, security to social protection, the impacts of COVID-19 are exacerbated for women and girls simply by virtue of their sex. This policy brief by the UN Secretary-General explores how women and girls’ lives are changing in the face of COVID-19, and outlines suggested priority measures to accompany both the immediate response and longer-term recovery efforts. As International Women’s Day approaches

Donations in Lockdown

Donations in Lockdown

in Tags

Well done to our generous Club Members and Associates!  Despite lockdown we’ve raised over £2000 more from supper meetings to support the local Foodbank in Weybridge, the Diamond Education Appeal and North Surrey Domestic Abuse Centre. Donations have been made as follows this last year from welcome support and reserves: Runnymede Foodbank – £1712.50 for food and support vouchers SIGBI Diamond Education Fund to finance women’s training bursaries and education – £682.50 North Surrey Domestic Abuse Centre  – £600 SISE Regional VIP Pretoria Project – £200 Big thanks all and to Dee our Treasurer for keeping funds in control and ensuring the donations raise our profile locally so Soroptimists SPARKLE & SHINE!