January 2021 and the start of a new year. We hope it will be crowned with success in every respect for everyone.
Then and Now – 100 years of Soroptimism
The journey began a hundred years ago, just after the First World War and the Spanish flu pandemic.
Soroptimism can be hard to pin down. In the 1940s a Soroptimist said: ‘We don’t know how to define Soroptimism – but we recognise common sense when we see it.’ Perhaps the Queen Mother hit the nail on the head. At a Royal Garden Party to which Soroptimists were invited in 1960 (during the London Convention), she is believed to have said “Soroptimist is a giving thing!”
1921-1931
Soroptimist Movement
Throughout the second half of the 19th century, women were increasingly active in society. This trend intensified at the start of the new century. After the First World War, and the Spanish flu pandemic, change was in the air. The time was right for women to group together for the common good.
The first Soroptimist club was in Oakland, California. The members were women representative of the spectrum of occupations. By acting together, they wanted to make sure women had a greater say in the social, business and civic affairs of their community. Today, the members are women from every walk of life rather than specific occupations. Actively contributing to the local community is still a major requirement.
Many clubs were set up across America during the 1920s. In Britain, the Greater London Club was the first Soroptimist club. It was chartered in 1924. The Founder President was Viscountess Falmouth, and members included George Bernard Shaw’s secretary and Dame Sybil Thorndike. Clubs were soon created in other major British cities too. By the end of the 1920s, there were two Federations – America and Europe – to manage the growing organisation.
The Oakland Club set the pattern for meetings. Members met for luncheon (soon replaced by dinner) weekly, and then fortnightly. They invited an outside speaker to broaden the members’ horizons. They had a series of Committees to run the Club. That pattern is still traditional in many Clubs. But new working patterns and new technologies are changing how members meet. Soroptimist International Italy inaugurated its first SI e-Club in January 2021. It will be run entirely online. No doubt, many others will follow.
Soroptimists had adopted the familiar Soroptimist logo and blue and marigold colours by 1928.
Mission and values
“We united to promote the spirit of upright dealing, Service for others, and Fellowship among ourselves” All Soroptimists are expected to hold these values today.
The very first community service project of SI Oakland was a campaign to save local redwood trees. Ever since, Soroptimists have responded to local needs with personal service, with awareness raising and with fundraising. From the start they organised bridge drives, fashion shows, benefit concerts. They continue to do so: for example, SI Woking’s ‘Tea & Temptations’, a fashion show with afternoon tea, is a regular sellout. From the beginning, Soroptimists would launch pilot service projects and fund them until they became self-financing. Cooperation with other organisations was also frequent.
Status of women in the 1920s
As the 19th century came to an end, women were able to do more . For example they could study at the higher levels: women’s colleges opened in the US and UK during that period. Following the success of the Suffragette and Suffragist movement, women were more active in politics too – Lady Astor was elected an MP in 1919. In 1928 women were given the vote at the same age as men. This encouraged more women to enter politics.
The 1919 Sex Discrimination (Removal Act) allowed women to enter the legal profession as solicitors and magistrates. The war and its aftermath also gave women the opportunity to enter industry and medicine in greater numbers.
Hillcroft College (now part of RHAAC, near Kingston) was founded in 1919 to provide education for working women – indicating that education was become open to more than upper-class women.
During the First World War (1914-18), women in the glove-making industry in Yeovil were hired to make equipment like parachutes for the war. The men were fighting and so the women were allowed to do their jobs. But the trade unions insisted that the arrangement was due to the emergency. When the men came back, the women would have to stop.
Dame Ethel Smyth, Woking icon
We are looking forward to seeing the statue of Dame Ethel Smyth installed this year in the centre of Woking. Woking Borough Council announced the plan last year. It means that this famous champion of votes for women will be remembered by us all.
Extract from Woking Magazine
New Beginnings
The annual New Beginnings art exhibition is at the Lightbox in Woking. The Women’s Support Centre aims to prevent women from coming into contact with the Criminal Justice System. Helping women to get involved in art is one way of doing that. Art can motivate, inspire and help women to develop the skills they needto lead a more positive life. This year’s theme is ‘Looking Through a Different Lens’. Read about our pocus on women and prison here. You can visit the virtual exhibition at the Lightbox here
Are we giving vulnerable children the help they need?
More early invention and greater resources needed
The Woking Debate on 16 January was rich and wide-ranging. The speakers were Sian Jones of Surrey Care Trust, David Munro, Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey and Justin Price, Head teacher of Fremantles School in Woking. The discussion touched on the sorts of help available to vulnerable children and their families, the risks vulnerable children face , the need to act early to ensure better outcomes and much more. Go to Woking Debates and get the link to watch it yourself. Additional links: Justin Price on Emotional Wellbeing in the young. Bounce Forward on resilience skills for the young.
Community Policing
Goldsworth Park Community Association (GPCA) is holding a public meeting about community policing in Woking. It’s on Thursday January 21 at 8pm via Zoom. Borough Police Commander, Inspector David Bentley, will speak first and respond to questions. Then the meeting will talk about GPCA business. If you would like join the meeting and are not yet on the membership register, email chair@ourgoldsworthpark.org.uk You will be sent the Zoom link a couple of days before the meeting.
Domestic Abuse
The government has teamed up with independent pharmacies and Boots to help domestic abuse victimes. The pharmacies and stories will operate a codeword scheme ‘Ask for ANI’. Victims of domestic abuse will give the codeword to a member of staff and get help straightaway. And they will get help without alerting their abuser. More about the government scheme here.
We were very pleases to learn that ‘elder abuse’ will be recorded from now on. The Office of National Statistics has agreed include incidents of domestic abuse against older people. Age UK has campaigned for abuse against people aged 75+ to be tracked. Read their comment here.
New year, new donations
We have donated £200 to the Soroptimist International President’s special charity ‘The Road to Equality’. We also gave £200 to our National Federation’s Benevolent Fund. The Fund helps Soroptimists who find themselves in difficulty or distress.
East Surrey Domestic Abuse Services (ESDAS) received £100 this month. The money was given gladly but with sadness too because it was a gift in memory of our beloved member, Barbara Watts, who left us forever in December 2020. We remember too with sadness that charities like ESDAS are in greater demand than before. This is because domestic abuse has increased since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
First dinner meeting of the year
We held our first dinner meeting in early January with an energising guest speaker. Mayor Beryl Hunwicks really lifted our spirits when she told us about her experience during the past 18 months. We were most impressed with all that she – and the organisations and people of Woking – had been able to do safely, despite the pandemic.
She paid tribute to the great community voluntary support that exists everywhere in Woking. She mentioned Horsell Prepared as one example among many others . Horsell Prepared helps people who can’t leave the house. We are proud to say that one of our members, Moira, contributes a great deal to that group. Other members, such as former mayor Anne Ansell, give similar help in other parts of the borough.
The Mayor also talked about her special charities, the Women’s Support Centre and Your Sanctuary. These two projects are very close to our hearts. Visit our Soroptimist Action pages to find out more about the charities and what they – and we – do.
Mayor Beryl Hunwicks is a great example herself. Faced with the Covid-19 pandemic, she did not hesitate to agree to stay as mayor much longer than is usual. Her burden of responsibility has been much greater as a result and she deserves many congratulations for all that she has achieved.
Soroptimist International Centenary
Our very special year has begun. Throughout the year, we will be looking back on our bright past and forward to our brilliant future. Read how Soroptimist International became a powerful voice for women and girls throughout the world here.