Remembrance Sunday 2025 was observed by Yorkshire Soroptimists in various locations around our region. #lestweforget Dewsbury & District Halifax Harrogate & District Harrogate & District Harrogate & District Harrogate & District .
According to the UN, “this year’s theme calls for action that can unlock equal rights, power and opportunities for all and a feminist future where no one is left behind. Central to this vision is empowering the next generation—youth, particularly young women and adolescent girls—as catalysts for lasting change.” Take a look at what Yorkshire Soroptimists did in support of IWD 2025:- SI Keighley – IWD walk with other local SI members, Keighley Healthy Living and girls from a local primary school. Then a talk on the soft options for keeping safe followed by a lovely simple lunch – splendid. SI Bingley and SI Bradford – Members from Bingley and Bradford attended an IWD event organised by Rotary International. SI Harrogate & District – It was privilege, on the eve of International Women’s Day, to listen to Sheila Pantin share the story of her life.
Backed by a £2000 travel grant given by SI Leeds Georgina and Laura both involved in STEM education and employment went to Nepal to help make a difference to the lives of women and girls there. Laura’s summary “Volunteering in Nepal was a fantastic and transformative experience. I spent 4 weeks working in Okhaldhunga on the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) project which aims to improve the resilience of rural communities to natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, wildfires and landslides. Nepal is a developing country that faces many natural hazards, and rural communities are often the most vulnerable. Having a background in geosciences, I was able to deliver workshops in the community on immediate disaster response and how to pack emergency go-bags which were well received and hopefully helpful and thought provoking to the community! My favourite experience however, was working in the local schools.
How fast the Soroptimist months whizz round and now it is time to write to you again. As many of you know Judith has been sadly busy with family illness in the last few weeks so I shan’t hand over newsletter duties until next month. I’m sure everyone joins me in wishing you both well Judith. December is a month steeped in tradition and as in previous years the month began with Soroptimist and festive traditions coming together as several clubs took part in Christmas tree festivals, ‘oranging’ their trees to highlight the days of activism against violence against women. Our Christmas tree festival in Ilkley is brief, just two days and the church then emptied of trees to make space for weekend worship. (With the help of a generous ‘man with a van’ we have perfected the art of transporting our tree, complete with
I find it hard to believe that this is my last President’s newsletter. I have thoroughly enjoyed writing them and will take pleasure from reading them in the future as they give a chronological story of my year in office. On October 3rd, I attended the Regional Event at St Crux Hall in York organised by our Membership Officers Avis Ball and Judith Parsons. This event was arranged to raise the profile of Soroptimism in York with a view chartering a new club in the city in the future. Jane Glendinning created wonderful placards for the event. They described who we are and what we do such as, support women and girls, educate, empower and enable to make a difference. We were blessed with fabulous weather and over two dozen Soroptimists from eleven of our clubs volunteered to serve coffee and cakes (beautifully home
On Saturday 16th November, Soroptimist International Richmond & Dales held an event at the Scotch Corner Hotel featuring the great Olympic swimmer and campaigner for women in sport, Sharron Davies. The evening was a fundraiser on behalf of the Richmond Dales Amateur Swimming club, to help fund equipment for their girl swimmers. This is one of our charities for 2024-25. Before the event, Sharron attended their training session, meeting their young swimmers and putting them through their paces: what a privilege! In the evening, over 120 people had supper followed by a talk by Sharron about her career and issues in women’s sport. She was a terrific speaker, and very inspirational. After the talk she spent lots of time talking to attendees, especially the youngsters, and let everyone examine her Olympic torches and her medals. An outstanding evening with an outstanding woman!
