Our Programme Action
Our Programme Action Officer and Programme Action Committee are just what they say they are - ACTIVE!
At the Southend club, we hope that every Soroptimist has an opportunity to DO SOMETHING in the name of Soroptimist International.
The Programme Action Committee meets regularly to consider our projects, set dates and plan events or service activities. We have a brilliant little A4 tri-fold that keeps our members up-to-date with what’s going on.
Recent News
The Programme Action Committee met to plan our Winter and Spring Action and a new tri-fold was distributed at the Christmas meal.
We’ve decided to increase our lobbying in support of the Conference motions – Garment Sweat Shops, FGM, Child Marriage, homeless women and sex selective abortion are all iniquitous practices designed to debase women – and must be stopped. Our local MPs are certainly going to be bombarded!
We’ve also made contact with the Basildon Refuge – so as well as continuing our support for Southend Refuge, we’re talking with the manager at Basildon, to see what we can do there. All the women in both refuges will get Christmas presents, and we’ll continue to provide welcome packs. Club members are very generous – thank you Sue and Jackie for co-ordinating this work.
The cash for the President’s Project continues to trickle in – well over £1 000 now!
Local Action
We have a range of on-going projects - we keep up our ACTION all year, every year.
- Support for the Womens Refuge in Southend and Basildon - a toiletry bag for every woman
- Christmas gifts for women in both refuges
- 2p coin collection for the UNICEF - Born Free
- Recycling by ensuring that we support our local initiatives
- Lobbying our MPs about issues important to Soroptimists
Each year our club agrees to support a local charity nominated by the President. President Jackie’s chosen charity is THE SUNFLOWER TRUST and we shall raise money for their local work throughout the year 2009 – 2010.
Club fund-raising and social activities -
- Three members took part in the Southend Moonlight Colourthon - and have donated their sponsorship money to the President’s Project
- A Summer Lunch was held in a member’s garden in August
- A Pamper Afternoon was held in October
Look at our President’s Projects page for more information about the club presidents’ projects from the past
Our Friendship Links Club in Zimbabwe needs support. Catherine held a coffee morning in February 2010 to raise much needed cash and was able to send off a generous donation to help with Soroptimist work in Harare.
- We try to send food packets on a regular basis
- We collect money
- We meet our contact when we can
Regional Action
The club continues to support our Regional Project in Malawi
- We had a collection to raise money to kit out two football teams
- We provided enough money for winter clothes
- We had a frugal meal and made a donation for furniture for a classroom
- We held a book sale on UN Literacy Day and donated £41 - our club’s share for the ‘toilets fund’
- We had a collection after our Christmas meal and raised £125
International Action
The club has already donated over £700 to Project SIerra, our international quadrennial project and in 2009 - 2010 we have two fund-raisers planned. We had a frugal meal in June, but charged our usual dining fee and donated the profit to Project SIerra. We shall also donate the proceeds from our regular Canvey Island lunch to Project SIerra - this year, it will be held on 28th March, as it was postponed in January.
We are fully committed to Fairtrade shopping
We support UN World Water Day each year and UN Day of Literacy
We held a major event for UN International Day of Peace on 21st September 2008 and hope to repeat this successful Peace Vigil on 25th September 2010.
Look at our UN International Day of Peace page for information about our Peace Vigil