Specialist Domestic Abuse Courts Report   This project, which began in 2017, aimed to provide an independent review of how the new Specialist Domestic Abuse Courts are working across England.  And more specifically to show how they could be made to work better for the victims of abuse, most of them women. Soroptimists volunteers across England spent around 4,000 hours making observations at over 30 courts.  More than 1,000 questionnaires were completed and submitted from the observations. The final report (three have already been published) is now available. Together they form a pretty  comprehensive report on how the Specialist Domestic Abuse Courts are working across the country. Soroptimists stand up as advocates for all women, but especially for those who have no voice. We acted as independent observers of these special courts as a way of helping the public to have confidence in them. But

Are you Soroptimised? It’s May, summer is on the horizon, energy levels are rising.  A good time to learn more about what Soroptimists do. A good time to think about what you can do to make the lives of women and girls better.  Contact us here. Climate Action 1 Climate Action you can take this month: It’s No Mow May!  You can help protect biodiversity by not mowing your lawn.  Just admire it instead! Climate Action 2 Climate Action taken by Horsell Common Preservation Society, Woking Borough Council and Surrey County Council. After many months of work, the new ponds, paths and boardwalks near Wheatsheaf Common are ready for use.  A great amenity for local people. But also a serious purpose.  The ponds offer water storage to prevent flash floods. And the new areas of grass, wildflower meadows and reedbeds provide new habitats for wildlife. 

AGM and Annual Review SI Woking held its Annual General Meeting in April.  It was good to review the past year and remember the causes we supported.  They include Your Sanctuary, a charity dear to our hearts for its care of the victims of domestic abuse.  So we were delighted to learn that one of outgoing presidents, Barbara R,  personally raised the magnificent sum of £600 recently for Your Sanctuary with a cake sale. We welcomed our Co-Presidents for the next Soroptimist Year 2023-24.  Sue S joins Barbara R and Rozanne, who are willing to serve for a second year.  We look forward to carrying our the new programme of actions and events under their leadership. Many congratulations are due to three long-serving members. Marlie (in our photo) has been a Soroptimist for 30 years, Katharine for 35 years and Elizabeth for 45 years!! Hamlin

Your Sanctuary SI Woking is a regular supporter of Your Sanctuary. We are proud to say that Soroptimist Barbara R, one of our 2022-3 co-Presidents, raised money for Your Sanctuary with a cake sale on 25 March 2023. World Water Day World Water Day falls in March every year.  A day to think about looking after this precious resource.  Especially as we hear regular news of unusual drought in other countries – and in parts of the UK. Let’s all help to ensure we have enough clean water for our needs.  No wet wipes or tampons in the loo and no fat down the sink will cut the fatbergs, for example. But should we be putting toilet paper in the loo? Time magazine recently posted an article about PFAS (‘forever chemicals’) in loo paper.  Read more here International Women’s Day A day to celebrate the

Happy New Year! So pleasurable to be together again for the first Social Meeting of the year! But our first speaker, Kim Webb from the banking industry, had a serious message for us.  Gently but firmly she gave us the do’s and don’ts we need to remember to avoid being scammed on the Internet or the phone.  At the end of Kim’s talk, we knew what our New Year Resolution had to be: ‘take a deep breath and wait a moment if anyone tries to hustle you into a decision’.  Good advice indeed. Your Sanctuary We were delighted that Fiamma Pather, CEO of Your Sanctuary was able to join this month’s Social Meeting.   We were able to present to her a cheque for over £1,000 for the Your Sanctuary refuges and services.  We raised just over £850 last October with our pig-racing event. Our January

Christmas We wish everyone a happy and peaceful Christmas 2022! Shifa This year members of SI Woking have helped Shifa with English conversation sessions for women learning English. So it was a real pleasure to be at the Shifa Christmas party to hear about the many achievements of the Shifa women.  So many have learned so much – not only English, but yoga, swimming, cycling, craft activities…  So many achievements! We are looking forward to supporting Shifa again in 2023 Orange the World The campaign to make people think about the many women and girls who suffer violence in the home.  Some of them don’t survive.  Woking Borough Council reminds us of those women and girls. Look for the empty chairs in Woking town centre. Here is one in the Lightbox: Our sisters in Italy sent news of a campaign to raise awareness about 1522,

Orange the World Once again, this is the time of the 16 days of campaigning against the violence women suffer. Woking Council is marking the campaign like this: This year, thanks to Surrey Hills Soroptimists, Godalming Town Council, the Chamber of Trade and Waverley Council are also helping the campaign.  The Pepper Pot, a local landmark, is lit in orange for the whole 16 days, an orange flag is to fly for the whole period and the Town Council offices are to be lit orange too.  Godalming is truly ‘Oranged”! Many Soroptimists were there, wearing orange, to see the switching-on ceremony on 26th November 2022. Our sisters in County Durham remind us of the reality of the violence against women. They  have dedicated a plaque and a rose to the memory of Sarah Everard. Sarah, a former Durham student, was cruelly kidnapped and murdered by

Period Dignity Period dignity in Surrey from Binti International in partnership with Surrey County Council! Women and girls in Woking can get free period products from Woking Library.  The stand is just inside the door. You can also donate period products there. Women’s Support Centre Women’s Support Centres help women in difficulty get back on track.  One form of help is art and artistic activity.  Often, a real talent for art comes out in the process. The New Beginnings Awards give recognition to people who are working their way to a better life with the help of art.  You can see the fantastic results at the Lightbox from 26 October to 27 November 2022.   The Surrey Women’s Support Centre has organised this special exhibition. Immigration A very topical play about people seeking asylum in Britain will be staged by The Journeymen in Woking on 5

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