Southern England SI News We learned a lot about the work of other Clubs at the SI Southern England meeting this month. Winchester Soroptimists have a long-running project ‘Out of Afrika’ to send much-needed textile items to Kenya.  Pillowcase dresses and baby hats are among the items they have been sending since 20o7. Salisbury Soroptimists provide bean bags and mobility equipment to help a centre for the disabled in Moldova.  They work in collaboration with a sister SI Club in Chisinau, Moldova.  The help they give is particularly welcome at this time. Epsom Soroptimists have had a Friendship Link with SI Lviv (Ukraine) for 20 years.  They have sent supplies and almost £5,000 to date. The Solent East Club reported the many individual actions taken by members to mitigate climate change and improve recycling. Soroptimists in Bournemouth are also tackling climate change by going into

Summertime The cover photo shows a familiar, and usually uplifting, sight in high summer: a field of wheat after harvest.  But this year, the picture reminds us that many people in the world may not get the cereals they need.  And we think of Ukraine which needs to sell its wheat to help its suffering people. Looking forward In August, Soroptimists can take time to look at what is coming up in the autumn: 24 September-2 October 2022, Woking’s Great Big Green Week This year, WeAct is encouraging Woking people and businesses to take the jump and shift to more climate-protective ways.  WeAct suggest: Ending clutter by keeping products for at least seven years Travelling fresh – if possible, without personal vehicles Eating green – by moving to a plant-based diet Dressing Retro – by buying only three new items of clothing per year Holidaying locally – by taking

Your Sanctuary It’s always good to hear about people raising money for the causes we Soroptimists support.  So we congratulate Mary I Tobin, who recently raised £175 for Your Sanctuary by selling the jam she makes, notably at the recent Mela fair in Woking. SI Woking plans to hold an event in October this year to raise money for Your Sanctuary.  Look for more details on our Club meetings and events page. White Ribbon We were pleased to see this White Ribbon campaign poster in Woking’s Jubilee Square on 16 July 2022, with its important message. Reduce Plastic Waste The members of SI Woking help to reduce such waste by collecting their medical blister packets for recycling. It is possible to recycle the packaging, although the options are limited at the moment. This year, on the Soroptimist Day of Action, July 16, Soroptimists raised awareness

Tea & Temptations! Our favourite event,  ‘Tea & Temptations’ – a fashion show with afternoon tea, was held on 25 June 2022 in Mayford Village Hall, Woking.  This was a joint effort – we teamed up with the Soroptimists of Weybridge for the occasion.  Local retailers – Phase Eight of Weybridge, Mad Jak of Shere and Betty & Claude of Chobham – supplied some fantastic outfits for the fashion show. Clothes and accessories from these retailers were on sale during the afternoon, along with greetings cards by Diana Swain of Weybridge.   And mindful of the need to look after the planet, members of Liaise Women’s Centre (liaisecentre@icloud.com) in Woking modelled some of the upcycled clothing they design and make.  Their sewing skills are stunning!                 Our best Soroptimist bakers prepared a sumptuous tea and the raffle had

‘HOLIDAY AT HOME’               We hear a lot these days about taking a holiday at home, because the Covid-19 pandemic prevented us from travelling abroad.  At our May Social Meeting, Woking Soroptimists learned about a holiday at home with a difference.  Claire Nix, our speaker, told us about the two-day event organised by the Church of the Good Shepherd in Pyrford every year. ‘Holiday at Home’ is for the more senior members in the community. During the two days, the ‘holidaymakers’ enjoy a wide variety of activities.  Find out more here. Meru Women’s Garden Project The Meru Women’s Garden Project was a Great Britain and Ireland four-year project, 2015-18.   In cooperation with child.org, Soroptimists aimed to teach women in the Meru district of Kenya  to grow their own vegetables and take surplus produce to market.  The women received horticulture

Refugees We are all concerned about the refugees fleeing from the fighting in Ukraine.  How best to help?  Soroptimist International Club have a great tradition of helping each other in times of need.  Our sister Clubs in Epsom and Salisbury have Friendship Links with the Soroptimist International Club in Lviv (Ukraine) and in Chisinau (Moldova) and they are working very hard to support refugees.  So the Soroptimist Clubs in the Southern Region have donated a total of £3,945 to those two Clubs.  SI Woking have contributed £275 to the cause.  And of course, individual members are making separate donations to refugee organisations. Ethel Smyth Ethel Smyth, composer and suffragette, now publicly recognised in Woking!  A statue has been place in the modernised Town Centre in honour of this very talented and influential woman. Read more here. Women in Prison Women in Prison‘s Big Give campaign. 

February Action Meeting We now have special action groups to lead Club Action during the year.   They will focus on Modern Slavery, Violence against Women and Climate Action.  There is also a Lobbying Group that will raise awareness about these various issues.   At present we are following two pieces of legislation of special interest:  firstly, the minimum age for marriage: it is at the report stage in the House of Commons; secondly, the PCS and Courts Bill:  the members of the House of Lords are considering the amendments. The Sheerwater district of Woking has high social needs.  We are therefore looking at what we can do to help the residents in this area.  We welcome the news that a community kitchen will open next month.  It will be run by Foodwise. We agreed to make a donation of at least £100 to the Soroptimist International

Happy New Year We have said goodbye to our year of looking back at our Bright Past. 2022 is the first year of our Brilliant Future! Gender Debate Woking Debates recently organised an excellent session on  Gender.  Watch it on the Woking Debates YouTube channel. A Winter Journey through Woking Park We took a walk through Woking Park and discovered much about Woking’s past and present: The innovative fuel cell that powers the Pool in the Park. The bandstand used to be in central Woking where the new towers are now The rose is a symbol of the Woking Town Twinning experience The statue commemorates the Ockenden Venture.  This global refugee charity started in Woking. It was supported for many years by Woking Soroptimists. “Sit a while and dream a bit” –  Woking Park has many benches where you can do just that.  The invitation

14 November : Remembrance Sunday Our President laid a wreath at the Cenotaph in Woking National Conference We all enjoyed the Soroptimist International GBI Federation conference at the end of October.  We would have loved to visit the original venue, Llandudno, but Covid did not let us do that.  But all our speakers were so informative and entertaining that the virtual version was a huge success.  We’re already looking forward to the next edition.  It’s theme is ‘Climate for Change’ and it will be in Belfast.  Fingers crossed,  we will all be able to meet for real next time. Virginity Testing (Prohibition) Bill This month, Members of Parliament voted to ban virginity tests.  More in this BBC report. Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Bill Parliament is debating the second reading of this proposed change to the law.  MP Pauline Latham wants the minimum age