Inspiring Inclusion This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is ‘Inspiring Inclusion’ We are meeting on the Bedser Bridge in Woking on 27 February 2024 at 11.00 Join us there! Help for suffering women We will beat our target of knitting 20 blankets for women helped by the Hamlin Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia.  The women – some of them very young – have suffered physical damage during childbirth, possibly made worse by the practice of FGM (female genital mutilation).   Our blankets offer physical warmth and comfort while in hospital and when they go back home. Tea & Temptations SI Woking will hold a Fashion Show with Afternoon Tea on Saturday 6 July 2024 in Mayford Village Hall. The proceeds of the event will be shared between Surrey Care Trust and Let’s Read. Contact us for more details. Contact Card for Surrey SI Woking’s message: Stay

16 Days of Activism Getting the message up there about violence towards women and girls in the world Soroptimist Jan represented SI Woking during the special walk in Walton-on-Thames to start the 16 Days of Activism – the United Nations Campaign to eliminate violence against women. Remembrance Sunday   President Rozanne, accompanied by Soroptimist Jennie, laid the wreath at Woking Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday, 12 November 2023. Advent Calendars Members donated 52 calendars for children and 22 calendars for adults who are supported in Surrey by Your Sanctuary. Crime and safety in Surrey Lisa Townsend [Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner since 2021] was our guest speaker at our November Social Meeting.  She gave us a very thought-provoking and informative talk about her roles and responsibilities – and her thoughts on the way forward to support women and their safety both at home and out and

Safety card Our new safety card – keep it with you but not with your phone! Many of us rely on our mobiles for those important contact numbers.  But what do you do if your mobile is lost or stolen or has a flat battery?  And you can’t remember the  phone numbers of your nearest and dearest? Promoted at our Orange Cafe and recognised by the SI Southern Regional Awards Ask us for one of our reminder cards and write your emergency contact numbers on it! Tea with Shifa We spent a lovely October ‘Tea Morning” with the ladies of Shifa.  We talked about the many kinds of tea there are and how we make tea, in the UK and in other countries.  Customs and habits can be so different and changing.  How many now use teabags and mugs instead of teapots, teacups and loose

Wildfires We usually expect to have a sunny, holiday mood photo for our August report.  This year is different.  Climate change has brought terrible fires to so many places.  Holidaymakers and residents are suffering.  But so is nature. Domestic Abuse Connected tech: smart or sinister? Domestic abusers adopt the latest techniques.  The Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee in the UK Parliament has published a new report about this. It says that smartphones and home connection systems make it easier for people to control others.  The Committee asks MPs to do something about this.  Contact your MP!  Read more here. Repair, Reuse, Recycle Woking now has a  Repair Cafe so you don’t have to throw away!

Help for young women The June News photo show the cover of a book by John Little.  The book tells an inspiring story: how pioneering Dr Hamlin set up the Hamlin Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia.  Her aim was to help girls and young women seriously harmed by Femaile Genital Mutilation (FGM) We have been knitting squares for the Hamlin Fistula Hospital for some time.  Members came together in July – Soroptimists devote special time in July to service – to sew the knitted squares into blankets.  We are well on the way to completing 9 blankets! Each young woman who comes to the hospital gets a blanket and takes it home with her – very handy for cold Ethiopian nights!  We knit on!! Memories for the Future At the June and July 2023 Social Meetings, the two invited speakers spoke about memories and the future

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

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