Pictured here (l to r) Anne MacDonald OBE, Penney Poyzer, Julie Blackwell (Regional President) and Rita Beaumont (Regional Programme Action Chair) 

This year’s event was hald at The Cavendish Club in London. 60 Soroptimists from around the Region, plus Soroptimist guests from Cologne in Germany gathered to celebrate Human Rights Day. A candle lighting ceremony reminded us of the wonderful friendships we have made in the name of Human Rights, and also of how much there is still to do in the world to improve the lives of women and girls. The speakers for the day were Anne MacDonald OBE who provided a personal insight into the work of Project SIerra (more about Anne and Project SIerra below). With the Copenhagen Summit on the Environment taking place the following week, Penney Poyzer Eco-Broadcaster (more about Penney below) helped us to learn how much greener we can all be, and how to influence change to protect the environmement - she was also very funny! Lunch was delicious, and the Regional Open Council meeting in the afternoon was well run and flew by. What a lovely way to spend a Saturday!  

Anne MacDonald OBE Anne MacDonald is a member and Past President of SI Ellesmere Port & District and Regional President Cheshire, North Wales & Wirral 2008/9. Anne was elected as the SIGBI Quadrennial (2007-11) Project Liaison Officer for Project SIerra – A Family and A Future, having been involved with the Project since its inception.  Since visiting the Project with our partners, Hope and Homes for Children, in February this year, she is enjoying visiting clubs to talk to them about this Project, which will bring a huge benefit to thousands of women and children in Sierra Leone, one of the world’s poorest countries and one within our own Federation. www.projectsierra.org

Penney Poyzer – Queen of Green Penney is a journalist, author, speaker, trainer and broadcaster and has worked in the green sector for over 10 years. Her consultancy has guided hundreds of households and informed thousands of people about how to save money through living a greener lifestyle. Penney personally led teams of households who took part in the EcoTeam programme. Over 250 households in Nottinghamshire have saved over £250 per year and become far more aware of their impact on the environment. She is a highly experienced trainer and speaks on all matters green. Within the environmental sector, her knowledge and approach are highly respected. She is acknowledged by the environmental agency as being the foremost expert on household sustainability and was recently made a Matron of the Women’s Environmental Network. She really does ‘walk the talk’: she and her architect husband Gil own an eco-home, the most advanced eco-retrofit in the country. They have transformed their Victorian house into a period residence that costs next to nothing to run. You can see Penney on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ATpxabVmvc