President’s message
I am delighted to serve as President in the Club’s 61st year. My theme for the year is Women’s Voices, Women’s Stories and through my speakers this will explore a number of different ways women use their ‘voices’ to express themselves and to speak on behalf of other women.
My hope for the Club during my year is to continue with the fun, fellowship and friendship that is special to Soroptimism. I wish to extend a warm welcome for other Clubs in our Region to come and join us. As a small club, I see working in partnership as being a key element in working together on fund raising and social events.
Our club continues to support through service and fund raising our local charities including Asha Wyre Forest, our regional project Fresh Start Uganda and internationally our own project to support families in need in partnership with Soroptimists in Zimbabwe as well as SI Project Sierra.
Like most Clubs we face a challenging time in attracting and retaining new members together with encouraging them to take office. Our Reflection Day in August focussed on the development of the Club, how to promote ourselves locally and supporting new members through our wonderful spirit of friendship and fellowship. I also hope we can build on the success during our Diamond Anniversary last year to raise the profile locally.
We very much enjoyed welcoming two New Zealand Soroptimists, Catherine & Joye from Westland Club who spent 3 days with us during their time as recipients of the Midland Arden Region Grant of Friendship in October. We were able to show them the countryside around us, including a trip on the Severn Valley Railway. They joined us at our October Supper meeting and the Friday night show at the Bewdley Festival. It was a great opportunity to share fellowship and friendship and exchange experiences and views on how Soroptimism works in the two countries.
The 75th Federation conference in Cardiff bought its special moment when representing the Club I accepted from Federation President Carwen a Certificate for our Nomination as one of 3 projects for the SIGBI Best Practice Award for International Goodwill and Understanding. This was in recognition of a multi-cultural event which formed part of the continuing support and work we do with Asha, Wyre Forest.
My business background is in the financial services sector which began in London in 1980 when I arrived from New Zealand and has continued after moving to Birmingham in 1985 and subsequently to Bewdley in 1998. My Soroptimist career began when I joined Central Birmingham in 1989 and I transferred to Kidderminster in 2006.
Linda Cocksedge
April 2009