News and Views - latest edition of our Regional Newsletter
“……… Working together to make a difference”
Midland Arden Region
News and Views November 2009
A date for your diaries! See your Invitations for further details.
SOROPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL MIDLAND ARDEN REGION
PUBLIC SPEAKING CONTEST
SATURDAY 13 MARCH 2010, 13.45 pm
Coventry Council’s Civic Chambers, Council House,
Earl Street, Coventry CV1 5RR
SI Rugby was honoured to be able to present a timely donation to a local charitable organisation, for their much needed minibus appeal. President Ishar White and members of SI Rugby presented Age Concern of Rugby with a (timely) cheque for £1,015 for their Wheels Appeal, as their current minibus had ‘blown up’ on a trip the previous day! The Club learnt how vital the minibus service is to the elderly, especially in local rural areas, when representatives came to give a talk on the organisation at one of SI Rugby’s monthly dinner meetings. The Club decided to help raise funds by organising a piano recital concert, given by Rob Colley - a professional pianist and music teacher at Rugby School. Age Concern was chosen by President Ishar, as she ‘wanted to support a charity that helped in the local community. Age Concern is invaluable to the local elderly, giving support as well as providing much needed opportunities for socialising’. Wendy Kay
Obituary
Joy Rosemary Holder died on 2 November in Myton Hospice. She had been a member of SI Rugby for 40 years, since she had been Lady Mayoress of Rugby. Joy had been President (twice) and Secretary, as well as holding several other posts, including being on the Housing Committee for a number of years. She had kept the register of members at our dinner meetings, right up to the time of her death and attended most Club Functions. Joy will be sadly missed. Mary Lloyd
SI Stratford-upon-Avon and District held a Friendship Weekend as part of the club’s 50th anniversary celebrations. This was held to coincide with Stratford Heritage weekend so that fellow Soroptimist guests from South Africa, Italy, Norway and Holland could enjoy some of Stratford-upon-Avon’s delights. A Bring and Share supper was held at Quinton Village Hall where everyone enjoyed getting to know one another. Many activities were organised for our guests to attend, one of which was a tree planting ceremony at Shottery Brook Walk. President Susan Bruce planted a crab apple tree Malus Golden Hornet to commemorate the Golden 50th Year of the club. Members entertained our foreign visitors both by being tour guides and holding evening supper parties in their homes. In return, our guests were generous with their ‘birthday’ gifts one of which was special Soroptimist tulips from Holland.
The club held a successful Film Evening, raising £216 for Project SIerra. The film shown was The Duchess. Another very successful evening was a charity Quiz Night at Tiddington Community Centre, which raised £600 for the Golden Jubilee Fellowship.
Members of SI Stratford-upon-Avon welcomed Joy and Catherine from SI Hokitika, New Zealand. The visitors were also entertained and hosted by other SI Clubs in the Region. The two guests were able to meet up with club members, participate in club meetings and had the opportunity to discuss issues which are of concern to women throughout the world. There was also ample opportunity for visiting the countryside and places of interest in the area. Pam Johnson
October was a busy month for members of SI Worcester and Malvern. Carolyn Varley, Tricia Richards and Jane Rayer organized a successful Quiz Night at Whittington Village Hall. The £275 raised will go to President Liz Bennett’s charity Marie Curie and other Soroptimist charities. Nine teams competed enthusiastically and consumed bangers and mash in the interval! Our old friends and quiz rivals from SI Cheltenham took first prize and members from SI Bromsgrove and Redditch came second.
We were delighted to welcome Regional President Isobel Smith to our Friendship Evening at the beginning of the month when some potential members came to find out about Soroptimism. At our speaker meeting President Elect Margaret Rutter gave an extremely interesting talk with slides about her recent visit for the diocese to various projects in and around Lima in Peru. This was a real insight into a different world.
On 18 October, club member, Maggie Atherton, ran the Nike Women’s Marathon in San Francisco - Nike’s strap line was “run like a girl!” Maggie, wearing her Worcester Joggers vest, set off at 7 am in perfect weather for running. She completed the 26 miles of coast and hill running in 5 hours 47 minutes! She says she was one of the oldest, possibly theoldest competitor, so she conserved her energy and ran “an old lady’s race” - some old lady! She raised £250 for regional project Fresh Start too. Sally Mills
SI Central Birmingham Club were delighted to welcome Councillor Randal Brew and Mrs Sandra Brew to their September Supper Meeting where they spoke on Our Year as Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of the City. Sandra has been a member of Central Birmingham Club since 1998.
In October, the Annual Lunch was held at Hornton Grange, part of the University of Birmingham. President Margaret and Club members were joined by many guests on what proved to be a most successful and happy occasion. Dr Sally Baggott, Director of Birmingham Assay Office, gave a most interesting talk. It is hoped to arrange a visit to the Assay Office in the near future. Our speaker in November will be Mr David Cadney, his subject will be Neville Chamberlain.
We are planning a Bridge Day in the early part of next year in aid of the President’s charities: Project Sierra and Troop Aid. More details will be available soon. Jenny Saxby
Although it’s not quite the end of this calendar year we’ve been looking forward to the next Presidential year at SI Kenilworth and District. Our recent Renewal Day focused on Programme Action and how well our projects fitted in to the aims of Soroptimism. The general feeling was that we should streamline our efforts, use Federation and Region as our prompts for international projects and spend valuable club business time on local service projects (which will have the added benefit of raising our profile in the local area). Incoming President Rebecca Probert was very glad of the ideas generated and can now put the finishing touches to the planning for her year.
Meanwhile, President Di Nash is having a final fundraising push for her chosen charity, The Cotton Tree Children’s Home, and part of the proceeds from our Christmas Fayre on Saturday 28 November (at St Francis Church Hall in Kenilworth and open to the public for the first time) will go to it. We were pleased to take part in SI Leamington and Warwick’s Swimathon in October and our team of lovely ladies were featured in the local press. We do seem to get more publicity when we’re scantily clad, but the 15 members who attended Conference this year drew the line at doing a Jane Midwinter and refused to pose in their underwear at the Bras in the Bay event. Eastbourne’s Ms Midwinter definitely upstaged us there!
Finally, our friendship links were renewed on International Friendship Day, 3 October, when we sent messages to all our links and donated £1 per message to Project SIerra. We hope you all joined in. Georgie Larsen-Archer, whose idea it was, is waiting to hear how much was raised. We also played host to the Grant of Friendship visitors from New Zealand and found them to be enthusiastic Soroptimists and a great example. Joanne Mitchell
SI West Birmingham members were delighted when their candidate, Bethan Dovey, won this year’s Public Speaking Competition. Two of our Club members, Judith Tizard and Sylvia Porter, then followed up Bethan’s success by giving a talk at her school, King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls! Apart from talking about Soroptimist International, they especially highlighted the aims of our Connie Jones Education Fund and the regional Public Speaking Competition. Like other clubs in the region, members entertained (and possibly walked the legs off!) the New Zealand guests, Joy and Catherine. Members attending Conference were also able to meet with some of our Friendship Link clubs which is always interesting. Sarah Bookey is our Friendship Link Officer and maintains close contacts with all our links so she was pleased to forward messages on International Friendship Day and a Club donation to Project SIerra. On 14 November, the Club held its Annual Dinner (yes, duck featured on the menu!) and Joint Presidents Jo and Sheila were pleased to welcome Regional President, Isobel Smith, and guests from around the region and further afield. A retiring collection for the International President’s Appeal raised a substantial sum (around £125) and we are grateful for the donations from those present.
Val Davis of SI Leamington & Warwick sends me their Club’s Business Newsletter regularly and asks me to pick out items for News & Views. I have selected the following but I am happy to forward their full newsletter to you on request. (Marian)
Water Aid - SI Leamington & Warwick members have now purchased, for £50, 2 sets of tools for digging a well and these have been sent via Water Aid. They are planning another fund raiser for Water Aid early next year to coincide with World Water Day on 22 March. The Club is also still following the disappearing Bees. This month a group went to see a film Vanishing Bees at the Spa Centre. Recently, the Club sent off a cheque for £220 to Project Sierra as a result of Toshi’s Divali Supper.
Mini-biography (an occasional article)
Hardworking Stephanie Ainsley, SI MAR Secretary, was born in Bradford, Yorkshire. She married Peter and has 3 children. She joined SI Kidderminster in 1988, where she served as Extension Officer, President and Secretary (6 years). Stephanie is in her 4th year as Secretary of Midland Arden region. Like many Soroptimists, she has been in differing employment in her working life and is currently working for the Probation Service delivering a learning programme.
My thanks to all contributors - Marian Dawes, Editor, November 2009