Soroptimist International of Winchester held a coffee morning at Rick Stein Restaurant in Winchester on 16 May. The event was to introduce the Winchester club’s activities and to chat about membership and what it means to be a Soroptimist. May is membership month.
We were joined by the Mayor of Winchester, Cllr Angela Clear, who has been a longstanding supporter of our club and we were delighted to welcome her back in her third (by default) sitting as Mayor. She said, ‘the Soroptimists do great work in the community and I support them whole heartedly’. She is joined by Susanna Edwards from the School of Creative Wellness and Sharon Foulston who is interested in Domestic Abuse projects. It is hoped the club hears more from them in the future.
As it was a lovely morning we were also joined by passers by who were happy to join us for coffee and discussion. There were some fascinating stories to hear once coffee and cake was passed round.
The event was promoted on social media and Eventbrite and we had several ladies who were interested in knowing more about the work we do. The club supports the women’s Refuge, Trinity Centre, Winchester Hospice and the Winchester Beacon, to name a few local charities.
Member Myra Clare played an important role in bringing people in from the street, it increased the numbers and created interest for those who had not known of us. Myra and Jennifer in discussion pose. 
There were four members present to discuss the project work that Soroptimist International does, including consultative status at the United Nations and lobbying for women’s rights at governmental level.
Soroptimist International is a women’s global voluntary organisation and we would be pleased to hear from those who would like to join us. Please contact winchestersoroptimists@gmail.com