Not really known for their craft work, SI Winchester members have been putting long-forgotten skills to good use.   For more information on the Pillowcase Dress project click here.     Urged by Gerry Godwin, our Regional Ambassador for The BIG Project, we took up our needles to make over forty shawls for premature babies supported by the project.  To find out more about our work for BIG click here.     So many clubs responded to Gerry’s call to knit, by the time we finished our shawls they were surplus to requirements in the Gambia. All was not lost because they were welcomed enthusiastically by the Premature Baby Unit in our own local hospital.  

  Founder Member Veronica (Vee) Coleman-Rowthorn died peacefully on International Women’s Day, 8th March 2013. Vee would have been 100 years old the following month.  At our club meeting on 13th January President Liz Batten unveiled a plaque in her memory with the help of Wendy Couchman, our newest member inducted just minutes earlier.  The plaque has been wall mounted in the reception area of the Holiday Inn Winchester, our regular meeting place. Slideshow (includes archive photos of Founder Member Vee) To pause a slide just “mouse-hover” over it  [new_royalslider id=”15″]    

Celebrating together in style at The Golden Lion …   To pause on a slide just “mouse hover” over it. [new_royalslider id=”14″]             As usual we used the occasion to collect money for our International President’s 10th December Appeal* in lieu of sending each other Christmas cards.  This year our donation was boosted by a surprise raffle.  The raffle prizes were kindly donated by Jane Howard in memory of her aunt, Veronica Coleman-Rowthorn, our founder member who died this year, a month short of her 100th birthday.  In total £380 was collected. * 2013-2014 International President’s Appeal: See Solar, Cook Solar Soroptimist International President, Ann Garvie, has chosen “See Solar, Cook Solar” for her International President’s Appeal: “Can you imagine finding time to earn your living if you had to spend hours every day collecting firewood?  Or how you would

Malala Yousafzai and her book need no introduction.*  Deeming it a “must-read” for all young women, the club decided to provide a copy to five local schools.  No doubt the schools have already ordered their own copies but we wanted to demonstrate that our organisation is at one with Malala in the huge importance we attach to the right of every girl to an education.  The book was co-written with Christina Lamb, Foreign Correspondent with The Sunday Times and an interesting and inspiring speaker at our 2009 Federation Conference in Cardiff.       * But just in case … When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley, one girl spoke out.  Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education.  On Tuesday 9 October 2012, she almost paid the ultimate price.  Shot in the head at point blank range