President’s message
Soroptimism found me 32 years ago and little did I know what part it would play in my life thereafter.
I had just done my “A” levels in 1959 when this Club was founded with Hilda Sebastian as its Founder President, SI Chelmsford as its “mother club” and members from SI Ipswich also supported. (We also know that Avis found her life partner at the time but I didn’t know that until later.)
An only child, I found sisters, both here in Colchester, nationally and internationally in Avignon, Sienna, Emmen and in Istanbul at the International Convention.
I found causes to support from wells in the Sahel in North Africa, Boats for doctors in the Maldives, to Limbs for Life, Women for Women in war-torn countries like Afghanistan, Rwanda and Bosnia, and Project Sierra. Nearer to home I helped to fundraise for so many charities I can’t name them all but amongst them Breast Cancer, Rahima and the Essex Air Ambulance you know about. Our contribution to St Helena Hospice and to this building in which we now meet fill me with pride.
I found service helping with afternoon tea for patients at Severalls Hospital, Sunday Meals on Wheels for which we received an award, and at St Helena Hospice. I did help with a few meals at the Night shelter but drew the line at sleeping in a cardboard box in the Castle Park to highlight the problems of homelessness as some of our members did.
My first convenor task was Programme Action for May Collier but it didn’t stop there – as you will all know! Thanks to Betty Lyes and others I might aspire to Club President but I didn’t dream I would scale the heights of Regional President! Awareness, Advocacy and Action became my watchword – possibly more of the first two and not so much of the third.
You may think this is all about me but substitute “me” for you and you all have similar stories to tell about your involvement in Soroptimist International. I am so proud to be your President in this our 50th Anniversary year. Forget worries about membership, work overload (whether voluntary or paid), health and family problems and let us join together in remembering and celebrating the achievements of this club of ours and the many women who have contributed to that.
Dianne Couch