Update on the Saturday of Service
This year’s Saturday of Service was again a huge success for S.I. Cannock & District. 18 members of the club were in Cannock Town Centre on Saturday March 7th to raise awareness about Domestic Violence and particularly violence towards women and to support Pathway, the local refuge for women victims of Domestic Violence. Throughout the day they accepted donations of toiletries - soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo - from the people of Cannock which will be taken to the refuge by the Soroptimist club’s Pathway liaison Officer, Carole Holdcroft. They also sold almost £200.00 of goods on a bring and buy stall. There were people visiting the stands all day and everyone was interested in the work of Soroptimists and of the Pathway Project. Many took away information with them which will be used and then passed on to others. A number of people have arranged to donate household items which will be used to re-house the women from Pathway when they reach that point. All of this will aid SI Cannock in their work to continue to support the Pathway Project. Pat Ansell, Chairman of Cannock Chase District Council, Dennis Dixon Staffordshire County Councillor for Cannock and Tony Wright MP all visited during the day. They told President Lakhwinder Thompson and members how impressed they were by the work of the organisation and how important it is for women locally and globally to have a voice through Soroptimists.
In her International Women’s Day message to Soroptimists all over the world International President Margaret Lobo highlighted two of the UN’s special Observances for 2009 - Reconciliation and Human Rights Learning and asked Soroptimists to promote elements of their work which portray this, including to Promote Reconciliation in the family and reduce domestic violence and violence against women.
SI Cannock & District are delighted to support International President Margaret and so continue to help and support some of the women who are victims of violence.