50th Anniversary Celebrations 2009
Saying it with flowers
Stratford Soroptimists currently sponsor three flower tubs which welcome visitors entering Stratford via the Warwick Road. The tubs are looked after on our behalf by the Stratford in Bloom committee.
Craft Group
For several months a small group of club members have been busy employing their not inconsiderable handicraft skills to make goods, both useful and decorative, which could be sold at the annual Shakespeare Hospice Fete. A total of £329.25 was raised for Hospice funds.
The group will continue to meet on an informal basis and will put their skills to good use for other good causes.
Contact us
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Stratford Hospital Garden
In March 2005, as their contribution to the annual Soroptimist Saturday of Service, members of SI Stratford agreed to renovate the garden outside the Nicol Unit at Stratford Hospital.
Since that time a team of volunteers from the club has continued to visit the garden once a month to maintain and care for the garden as part of their service to the local community. They have created an area where patients can enjoy the sights and perfumes of the flowers and shrubs and this is much appreciated by patients, staff and visitors alike.
Various fundraising projects raise the money to buy new plants and bulbs in order to keep the garden looking fresh and bright. Some of the garden furniture was donated by the club in memory of a late member who had been a patient in the unit.
The Saartje Baartman Centre
In a joint project with our friendship link club, SI Cape of Good Hope, members have raised money to support The Saartje Baartman Centre, Cape Town, South Africa.
The Centre was officially opened in 1999. It offers 24 hour support for women and children who have experienced domestic and/or sexual violence. Stratford Soroptimists are particularly involved in supporting the Garden of Serenity which was created by members of SI Cape of Good Hope in 2004.
In 2007 our then Club President, on a visit to South Africa, was proud to be asked to join local members in planting a yellowwood tree in memory of the late Professor Hendre Falkson. Professor Falkson was a pioneer in the treatment of breast cancer and was an honorary member of both SI Cape of Good Hope and SI South Africa
Operation Christmas Child
This is an international project organised by the charity Samaritan’s Purse. The aim is to provide shoe boxes packed with Christmas gifts to be distributed to children in some of the most impoverished countries of the world.
Stratford Soroptimists have been supporting this project for a number of years. Club members collect items to fill the boxes and raise enough money to pay the cost of transporting their boxes overseas. They gather together each November, working in relays to pack the boxes and stopping only to enjoy a fish and chip supper. Approximately 120 boxes, each one covered in bright Christmas wrapping paper, are sent off by the club each year.
Each box is clearly marked with the age group and gender of the child for whom it will be best suited. A typical box contains a warm hat, scarf and gloves, a soft toy, pens, pencils, pencil sharpener, eraser, drawing books, sweets, toiletries and other suitable novelty items.
South Warwickshire Carers Support Service
This project is run in partnership with the Princes Royal Trust for Carers. It is a new type of partnership which opens up opportunities for individual Soroptimists to volunteer their professional skills to help the local Carers Support Service.
Examples of the type of help which can be offered include Management expertise, Public relations, Legal, Project Managemnet, Business planning, Information technology and Human resources. Other members become trustees or represent Soroptimists on management boards.
Members of SI Stratford upon Avon and District have also been involved with several activities during the year but were especially pleased to be able to provide a Christmas lunch for some of the local carers. This was followed by a carol service.
Diary of events
Diary of Events 2009 - 2010
Annual General Meeting
Thursday 2nd April 2009. Club meeting at St Andrew’s Parish Centre. 7.30pm. President Ann Prentice will hand over the chain of office to President Elect Susan Bruce and other club officers will be elected.
Time for Reflection
Saturday 18th April 2009. Shakespeare Hospice 10.15am. An opportunity for members of the club to get together to discuss the club and how it should develop. Members only.
Water Aid
Thursday 7th May 2009. Club meeting at St Andrew’s Parish Centre. 7.30.pm. A talk on Water Aid will be followed by a business meeting.
Luddington Nature Reserve
Thursday 14th May 2009. A visit to Luddington Nature Reserve will be followed by a pub supper at The Bell, Welford on Avon. More details later.
Transforming the RST
Thursday 4th June 2009. Club meeting at St Andrew’s Parish Centre. 7.30pm. A talk about transforming the Royal Shakespeare Theatre will be followed by a business meeting.
50th Charter Anniversary Lunch
Sunday 7th June 2009. Lunch at Ardencote Manor to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the chartering of the club. Friends and family welcome. More details later. Pre-booking essential.
Open Meeting
Thursday 2nd July 2009. An open club meeting at St Andrew’s Parish Centre. 7.30pm. The speaker will be Anne Hill who will talk about the International Quadrennial project - Project Sierra. There will be the opportunity for visitors to meet club members and to find out more about soroptimism.
Summer Outing
Thursday 6th August 2009. Visit to Coughton Court with private tour and supper to follow
Business Meeting
Thursday 3rd September 2009. Club meeting at St Andrew’s Parish Centre. 7.30pm. A chance to catch up with the club’s business.
Friendship Weekend
Friday 11th September - Sunday 13th September 2009. Club members will be welcoming Soroptimist vistors from other countries and from other clubs in the region. Programme details to be announced later.
Film Evening
Thursday 1st October 2009. St Andrew’s Parish Centre. 7.30pm. An evening of entertainment for club members and their guests. Details still to be announced.
Federation Conference
Thursday 29th October - Saturday 31st October 2009. Federation Conference to be held in Cardiff.
Support For Young People
Thursday 5th November 2009. St Andrew’s Parish Centre. 7.30pm. Councillor Izzie Seccombe will talk about the support given to younf people in Warwickshire when they leave care. This will be followed by a business meeting.
Operation Christmas Child
Thursday 12th November 2009. Members will meet at 3.30.pm to pack shoeboxes for the Operation Christmas Child appeal.
Charity Concert
Saturday 14th November 2009. St Andrew’s Parish Centre. Concert by Tarantara to raise funds for Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance. More details later.
Christmas Supper Evening
Thursday 3rd December 2009. St Andrew’s Parish Centre. 7.30pm. Supper evening. Raffle in aid of the International President’s Human Rights Appeal. Guests welcome. More details later.
Travel Talk
Thursday 7th January 2010. St Andrew’s Parish Centre. 7.30pm. A travel talk followed by a business meeting.
Category Talks
Thursday 4th February 2010. St Andrew’s Parish Centre. 7.30pm. One or more members of the club will talk to the club about their life and work as a member of their chosen profession. This will be followed by a business meeting.
Anti-slavery and Trafficking
Thursday 4th March 2010. St Andrew’s Parish Centre. 7.30pm. The club will welcome a speaker on anti-slavery and trafficking. This will be followed by a business meeting.
Bangers and Mash Lunch
Saturday 27th March 2010. St Andrew’s Parish Centre. Our annual Bangers and Mash Lunch to raise funds for the Shakespeare Hospice. Guests welcome. More details later.
Annual General Meeting
Thursday 22nd April 2010. St Andrew’s Parish Centre. 7.30pm. President Susan Bruce will hand over the chain of office to President Elect Cindy Musgrave and other club officers will be elected. Officers and representatives will present their annual reports.
President’s message
A Message from Our President
This year the Stratford upon Avon Club will be celebrating its 50th Anniversary at our Charter Lunch in June. We have a total membership of 38 and we are always pleased to welcome new members from businesses, the professions and voluntary organisations.
We meet on the first Thursday of each month at St Andrew’s Parish Centre, Church Lane, Shottery, starting at 7.30.pm. You will see from our Diary of Events that our programme is varied. Often we have a speaker on a topic of interest followed by a break for coffee and then a business meeting.
Our President holds office for one year. During that year she nominates, in consultation with the members, the charities that are to be the main focus of our fundraising events.
We also support the International Quadrennial Project which is voted for and supported by Soroptimists throughout the world, and various local charities such as the Shakespare Hospice.
As well as our service projects Soroptimists put great store by friendship, which is often combined with food and fun! I do hope that you will want to know more about us, which you can do through via our club e-mail (sisoa@live.co.uk) or through the contact form on this website.
Susan Bruce
About our Club
Club meetings are usually held monthly on the first Thursday of the month starting at 7.30pm. Most are held at St Andrew’s Parish Centre, Church Lane, Shottery, Stratford upon Avon (next to The Shakespeare Hospice). The venue is outside the town centre and there is ample parking space. The usual meeting format is a talk by a guest speaker followed by coffee and a business meeting.
Guests are welcome at all our meetings although pre-booking is necessary for our occasional supper meetings. Other special events, both social and to raise funds for our nominated charities, are arranged throughout the year.
We are always interested in hearing from women in business, the professions and the voluntary sector who would like to be considered for membership. Our current membership includes women from the following areas of activity:-
Medical Receptionist; Hotel Administration; Pharmacist; Solicitor; Actuary; Charity work; Membership Manager; Librarian; Anaesthetist; Health Visitor; Teacher; Lecturer; GP; Community Staff Nurse; Art Sales; Theatre Administration; Home Economist; British Council; JP; Company Director; Marketing Manager; Prison Monitoring Board; Financial Director; Company Secretary; Probation Officer; Record Office Researcher; Book-keeper; Information Scientist; Drugs Agency Support; Radiographer.
Could it be that there is a place for you? Why not contact us through this website?
As part of an international organisation we have active friendship links with Soroptimist clubs in Ku-ring-gai, Australia; Hilversum, Netherlands; Ancona, Italy, Skien Porsgrunn, Norway, Newport, Wales and Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. We are also happy to welcome Soroptimists from other clubs who are visiting the Stratford area.
Club Officers
Our Officers
2009 - 2010
- President: Susan Bruce
- Immediate Past President: Ann Prentice
- President Elect: Cindy Musgrave
- Vice President: Penny Freedman
- Treasurer: Sally Easton
- Secretary: Penny Freedman
- Executive Committee: Hâf Briggs
- Executive Committee: Lila Morgan
- Executive Committee: Celia Willcox
- Executive Committee: Anne Williams
- Midland Arden Region Representative: Shelagh Sandle
- Membership Officer: Rosemary Lewis
- Press and Publicity Officer: Pam Johnson
- Programme Action Officer: Rose Hutchinson
- Development Officer: Ros Dobson
- Website Officer: Brenda Evans
Supporting Shakespeare Hospice
Members of SI Stratford upon Avon and District have been involved in some way ever since the idea of building a hospice in Stratford was first mooted. Over the years members have been involved in a wide variety of fund raising projects, including our annual Bangers and Mash lunch which is held at the end of March with all proceeds going to the hospice.
On Saturday 20th June 2009 some energetic members of the club supported the hospice by walking a sponsored 10km. This event was one of several to mark the 10th anniversary of the Shakespeare Hospice.
Members were in good company as a total of 400 women took part in the event to help raise funds for the hospice which offers specialised services to all the patients, carers and families who use it. Members raised approximately £1000 in sponsorship and are already limbering up for the 2010 event.
Not many of our members, even the enthusiastic walkers, would want to run the annual Shakespeare Marathon, or even the Half Marathon but we are always keen to support and get involved in local events. On Sunday 26th April a willing band of Soroptimist helpers turned out to help by greeting runners with happy smiling faces and providing them with that very welcome bottle of water at one of the drinks stations along the route.