On Tuesday 28th April, Laura Redhead, President of SI London Chilterns and member of SI St Albans & District (pictured), was invited to represent Soroptimist International at the reception to celebrate the 60^th Anniversary of the British Commonwealth hosted by the Queen at Buckingham Palace.

The event was attended by about 250 people who undertake various roles across the Commonwealth, ranging from Government office to charitable foundations. In addition to drinks and canapés in the Picture Gallery, every attendee was presented to the Queen and then moved to the ballroom to form part of the audience for a special Cantata composed by Paul Carroll and played by the London Symphony Orchestra. The Commonwealth Secretary-General introduced the music and spoke a few words about the continuing importance of the Commonwealth.

After the performance, attendees moved back to the Picture Gallery where the Queen, the Duchess of Gloucester, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and Princess Alexandra, the Honourable Lady Ogilvy joined us and spoke to a number of people. A number of opportunities were taken to promote our organisation and its work, including to Princess Michael of Kent, and leaflets discretely given.

The President made the commitment to change the law at a meeting with members of the Afghan women’s network and other civil society groups in Kabul. At the meeting, President Karzai promised to remove the discriminatory parts of the law and send it back to Parliament There is still however a wide concern in the country that gains made by women in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban may not be sustained.

The Order of Merit was instituted by the German government in 1951 and is the only honour awarded in all fields of endeavour and the highest tribute the Federal Republic of Germany can pay to individuals for services to the nation. The Order of Merit may be awarded to Germans as well as foreign nationals for achievements in the political, economic, social or intellectual realm. Mrs. Chexal was presented with the Cross, along with a document signed by the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Horst Koehler.

Mrs. Chexal, a Tynedale resident, was appointed German Honorary Consul on April 28, 1999, following her proposal by the Head of the Siemens UK group of companies and the Director General of the German British Chamber of Commerce. Her office in the Regent Centre, Gosforth, is shared with the French Honorary Consul and provides services to German nationals and British/other nationals including birth registration, pension, legal and personal identification certifications. She also undertakes representational duties on behalf of the German government, including at the recent celebrations of 50 years of German studies at Newcastle University. In addition, Mrs. Chexal contributes to the enhancing of Germany’s standing in the UK and assists the Regional Language Network and Routes to Languages programme which encourages young people to take up the study of the German language to improve their future employability.

 Currently working as a consultant, Mrs. Chexal held senior positions within the regional development agency, One NorthEast and predecessor organisations over a period of 26 years, in the attraction and retention of international investment into the NorthEast of England. She previously worked in the USA and Switzerland in universites and a multinational pharmaceutical company and speaks German fluently. She is also the Chair of the German British Chamber of Commerce in the NorthEast and Cumbria and is a Trustee of a number of charitable organisations, as well as being the Regional Programme Action Chair of Soroptimist International Northern England.

 According to German archives, there has been a German consular presence in Newcastle, covering the wider region, since 1871 and possibly prior to this during the Prussian era. The German Honorary Consul is a member of the Consular Corps of Newcastle upon Tyne which celebrates its 100 year anniversary this year and has consular representation from across Europe.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navaneetham Pillay has made a statement condemning the new law saying: “This is another indication that the human rights situation in Afghanistan is getting worse not better.  Respect for women`s rights - and human rights in general - is of paramount importance to Afghanistan`s future security and development.  This law is a huge step in the wrong direction.”

Here he is pictured in action at SI Poole’s ‘Purple Teardrop’ display at their local International Women’s Day event, raising awareness of the trafficking of women.

Interest was high in the powerful and emotive Soroptimist stand, from the many people who attended, the Mayor and local councillors as well as from the local media. The previous weekend saw Jason in the Republic of Ireland gaining footage of the final of the Joint Irish girls’ public speaking competition. 

At the CSW (Commission on the Status of Women) meeting in New York the Secretary-General ,Ban Ki-moon, came to share with the delegates a celebration of International Womens day.  He spoke forcefully about violence against women.  He said that 1/5 of all women in the world suffer rape or attempted rape and 1/3 suffer some form of domestic violence.  This is not acceptable and we must all,men and women,unite to stop this crime against humanity.

For more news on the CSW meeting, see our Programme Director’s Message.

Programme Director, Hilary Ratcliffe, and SIGBI Quadrennial Project Liaison Officer, Anne MacDonald, have just returned from the first Study Tour to visit our Quadrennial Project – Project SIerra – A Family and a Future.

Joined by two Soroptimists from each of the other Federations we met at Heathrow on 2^nd February to find our flight had been cancelled due to snow!  Then followed two days chez Hilary and David Ratcliffe, before finally setting off again on 4^th February.

During our short visit to Sierra Leone we covered huge distances, in a convoy of three jeeps, travelling mainly on unmade roads.  Our group was ably led by Joe Glackin, African Programmes Director for HHC, Alison Sutherland, International Project Liaison Officer and John Momodu, Project Coordinator, HANCI.

It is impossible to describe the warmth of the welcomes we received in the towns of Bo and Makeni, where we visited HANCI Project Centres.  We were able to witness at first hand ‘Our’ Young Mothers being taught skills in tie–dyeing, hair dressing and catering – the latter group prepared for us a wonderful luncheon, enjoyed by all.

To be personally thanked, in both centres, by one of the Young Mothers that we have supported, and told that we have changed their lives was indeed very moving.

We had opportunity to visit some of the young women who had graduated from the programme and are now making their own way in the Community.

In addition, in Makeni, we visited some of the families who are part of the Integrated Child and Family Support Programme.  Some of these families live in abject poverty, but their children are now going to school and they have some means of income generation.

Our final destination was the remote northern town of Kamakwie, near to the border with Guinea.  Here we actually had a meeting with the Paramount Chief and local members of the Community Committee, sitting around in a Barray Hut (circular hut with thatched roof).  To be told, in English, that we are ‘Part of this Community now’ and that ‘Your presence gives us confidence’ is something that none of us will forget and underlines the importance of the work that we are doing.

Then followed a lengthy drive back to Freetown.  During this journey one of our vehicles broke down, but did this stop us?  NO!  We washed and changed in double quick time (we are experienced at doing this!)  and off we went to party with our Sisters from the Freetown Club.

On the Sunday morning we split into groups and whilst Hilary visited SI Freetown’s latest project (a Community Well) Anne went to look around the Aberdeen Fistula Hospital with Helen Lyth, a member of the Freetown Club who, along with her husband, works at the hospital.

Hilary Ratcliffe presenting a 75th Anniversary Paperweight to President Marjorie of SI Freetown.  It was a gift from the SIGBI delegates to the Freetown Club.

All too soon it was time to return for the ferry journey over to the airport and our flight back to the UK.

To find out more about our amazing adventures and how much this project means to us all:

• Read the SI Blog
• Look at Soroptimist News
• Check the Programme Director’s Update and PAM

And please invite us to come and talk to you!

Anne MacDonald                    cam.mac@btinternet.com

Hilary Ratclife                         hilaryrat@aol.com

UN World Environment Day (WED), commemorated each year on June 5th, is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action. Each year, a different country hosts the international celebration.

The theme for 2009 is “is climate change and the broader consequences of environmental change, and what societies can do in response.”

SI Bebington member Helen Cook recently visited the Houses of Parliament, to pick up two national awards on the same night, as part of her day job role as Senior Environmental Health Officer for Public Health & Environmental Enforcement for Wrexham Council.

She first attended the RSPCA ceremony in the House of Lords and then made a fast dash over to the House of Commons to collect the Noise Abatement Society’s Award for Innovation.