Just to say - there are still places available for the meeting at the Soroptimist Club - 63 - on Thursday 11th December (this week). It’s at 10am and will be addressed by a speaker from Hope and Homes for Children, our partner charity in  Project SIerra. 

If, like me, you were inspired by the talk on Project Independence at Glasgow, by the Women for Women speaker, who was overwhelmed by the help from SI, you will want to hear how our project is going, first hand.

Please get in touch with Anne Macdonald directly (in the directory) - or contact us for more information. It will also be a chance to see the new facilities at 63 - your London Club!

Soroptimist International - London Anglia Region extends from the Wash to the Thames in Eastern England.

We have eleven clubs between Kings Lynn in the north and Southend in the Thames estuary - East London at the west end and Great Yarmouth in the east. No wonder this is a diverse region! No wonder our club members bring such a wealth of experience and expertise to our regional meetings. Women from town and country, suburb and sea-side, all with the common aim of keeping Soroptimism alive for the women of outer London and East Anglia.

If you live anywhere in this region - contact us and one of our clubs will be pleased to welcome you!

Before the celebration began, President Margaret Hyde reminded members that of the eleven key architects of the Declaration of Human Rights, only one, Eleanor Roosevelt, was a woman. She spoke of the continuing importance of the 30 articles and the need to emphasise this year’s theme - dignity and justice for all.

The morning’s thought-provoking celebration for UN Human Rights Day began with Federation Councillor Ineke Morris lighting a candle as a symbolic gesture for people across the world. She said, ‘For some, it’s in gratitude, or marks loss and remembrance; for some, it’s hope, celebration or a focus for prayer. For others, it lightens the darkness of despair and represents human spirit.’

President Elect Margaret Sandercock read the UN Secretary General’s Human Rights Day message. Ban Ki moon reminds everyone that although this is the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the declaration is as relevent today as it was on the day it was adopted. This anniversary is an opportunity to build up the will to implement the norms that have been accepted - because the fundamental freedoms enshrined in the declaration are still not a reality for everyone.

Clubs representatives then read the abbreviated articles. The 30 existing articles remind us that we are fortunate indeed to be women in business and the professions, who can make choices.

Barrie Hay, a speaker from Amnesty International  showed us examples of many in the world do not have our opportunities, and who, in trying to exercise their rights, suffer at the hands of their governments.

As usual, a frugal meal was served by President Margaret’s club and Regional Secretary Jean Thorpe reminded us about the focus for today’s fund-raising - SI International President Margaret Lobo’s project - Restoring Dignity - for the Fistula Hospital in Addis Ababa.  Of the £10 charge for the day - £6 per attendee was donated to the fund and together with the collection from clubs, the profit from the day reached over £500.

After lunch we had an update on Project SIerra and a discussion about regional support for one LAR Programme Action project. Our regional fund-raising project is to support our schools in Malawi but we agreed to work together and co-ordinate our efforts by lobbying or service activities in support of UKPAC’s Violence Against Women - STOP IT Now campaign. Many of our LAR clubs are already involved in supporting their local Women’s Refuge in some way and there are other projects already helping women whose lives are being destroyed because their rights are not respected. Clubs are being asked to gather information for the LAR pool, so that we can decide together, how we move forward and Together, Make a Difference in our region. 

Tea and home-made cakes rounded off the afternoon before members went their separate ways to discuss the day’s events and ideas.