FAIR TRADE and HARBOUR HOUSE
SI Fylde celebrated Fair Trade Fortnight by supplying items produced by Fair Trade suppliers and putting together a hamper of goods to be delivered to Harbour House in Lytham.
Harbour House Supported Housing Scheme provides supported accommodation for young people aged 16-25 years who are homeless and need support to acquire independent living skills.
The service is based at Dock Road in Lytham and can be accessed by:
- Referral from Adult and Community Services
- Referral from Healthcare Professional
- Self-referral/Open Access
The units were supported by the Club when first being built and members raised £1000 to help furnish one of the units. Members are now supporting Harbour House by sending monthly donations of fruit (much appreciated by those living at Harbour House).
A special event was held at the Club at the beginning of March to put collections of toiletries and goodies into bags for all those currently at the House. Members had been collecting these items over a period of time and over a dozen bags were filled.
Vice President Joan Bond transported the items to Harbour House and presented them to the Manager on behalf of the Club.
PROGRAMME ACTION UPDATE
From PA Representative - Sue Smith 
Under President Pat’s guidance this year, the format of the Programme Action meetings has changed and, I think, has become more interactive with club members able to air their views. I do not know if this format will continue under the new regimes, but do please let our President Elect and Vice President have your thoughts on the matter, as they prepare to take office.Since our last Update in June, we have continued with a number of projects. It seems hard to believe that Fylde has now been a Fairtrade Borough for over a year! A renewal application had to be made to the Fairtrade Foundation to have the status renewed for a further two years. To assist with this, we drew attention to our use of Fairtrade products at the club, our help manning the stall at the Farmers’ Market twice a year, Fairtrade coffee mornings supported by the club, and support for the Fairtrade Fortnight Go Bananas! campaign.
This year, we tried a “stuffing party” for the Christmas Boxes. From chaos came hope, and we managed to “stuff” about thirty boxes. Thanks to all who came and who supplied both their skill with wrapping and packing, as well as items to go in the boxes. At the same time, members brought along items for
Fylde Coast Women’s Aid, especially toiletries. The Refuge still needs towels, sheets and new clothes such as T-shirts, and we need volunteers to deliver items on a regular basis.
Harbour House is a fairly new project for our club. It has 12 bed-sits on the premises, the ratio of boys to girls varying according to differing circumstances but they tend to have a majority of girls. The maximum time that the youngsters are allowed to stay is 2 years but the objective is to try to make them self-sufficient as soon as possible. The main request for the children is for fruit, and members have started with a magnificent collection. We hope to make regular deliveries.
Members helped out at the Guiding Association Centenary fun day in September, in association with S.I. Blackpool. ICHER (the complementary therapy centre) was also very grateful to members (especially Vikki, Pippa, Frances and Dorothy) for helping at the shop in October. The charity made over £620, a wonderful effort, although a lot of hard work!
Elder Care priorities and the Government Green paper have been discussed recently, and forthcoming partnerships look set to include Abbeyfield and the Ormerod Group. The Contact Centre continues, as do our links with schools in the area, and ideas abound for environmental projects. Let us keep up the enthusiasm and hope that every member will become involved, in some way, with at least one project!
PRESIDENT’S CHALLENGE
PRESIDENT’S CHALLENGE – REMINDER
Do make sure that you have written down your President’s Challenge and given it to President Pat.
A panel of Trudi, Tina and Pat will be ‘judging’ the challenges before any funds are nominated to your choice of local charity. So, if you are putting all your efforts into a challenge, don’t be quiet about it; we need to know what you are doing so that we can follow progress until March. Please remember that your challenge needs to result in “measurable success” – how will you present this to the panel to make sure that your hard work is rewarded? We’ll be asking for the results of your challenge from March 19.
December 2009
A MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT PAT
SOROPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL OF THE FYLDE
1937 – 2009
President 2009-10: Ms Pat Fergusson
THEME: WORKING TOGETHER
CHARITABLE AIMS:
- Working with and supporting local organisations
- Project SIerra (S.I. Quadrennial Project 2007-2111)
Fylde Soroptimists have been active on the windswept and wonderful west coast of Lancashire for over 70 years, providing charitable service, support and, since 1953, accommodation for retired women.
And now, in 2009, we continue working locally, nationally and internationally with the same values that made our organisation the largest of its kind, working for the benefit of women and girls; a voice for women with a social conscience, working globally to make a difference. That’s the theory! In reality, we are a diverse group of women from a wide range of backgrounds. We are a happy and lively club, aware of the need for flexibility in an ever-changing world and consequently keeping our calendar updated with something to appeal to everyone.
In the forthcoming year, our theme is ‘Working Together’ which applies to us as a dynamic group of women, reaching into our community. Please have a closer look at our website for an overview of our activities, then come along and see for yourself.
We are fortunate to have our own premises as the focus of many fun and friendly events; giving service, fundraising by working together and meeting informally for theatre trips, our book club and outdoor challenges such as sponsored walks and environmental projects.
Locally we have ongoing involvement with the Contact Centre and Women’s Refuge, also schools and a variety of local charitable organisations.
Further afield we regularly meet with other clubs in the region and have recently forged a new Friendship Link with SI Skipton-in-Craven, in the Yorkshire Region, now giving us three UK links and two more in Africa.
Networking socially and promoting a joint effort in Soroptimist projects is what our organisation is all about; there is strength in numbers and ‘working together’ achieves far more than working in isolation; it is far more enjoyable, too. We are making a big effort to raise funds for the Soroptimist Quadrennial Project 2007-2011, Project SIerra, which is detailed on the website and works in partnership with the charity Hope and Homes for Children to improve the quality of life, health and education for women and children in Sierra Leone.
My objectives for the year ahead have much in common with the current climate around economic and environmental issues. This is an opportunity to pull together and revisit our core values. By strengthening our club at local level we are building a solid foundation to support the objectives of Soroptimism.
Since 1921, Soroptimists have been working worldwide to make a difference.
Join us at SI The Fylde; we can offer you friendship whilst we work together at making that difference.
Pat Fergusson - April 2009
Donation to Children of Watamu - Sue Hayward
Fylde Soroptimists were pleased to support Past President Hilary when raising funds during her year for a playpump to supply water for the children and community of Watamu in Kenya. This culminated in the presentation of a cheque to Sue Hayward for £1,521on 19 May.
Sue is quite overwhelmed by all the support she is receiving and Fylde Soroptimists are happy to have been part of this wonderful appeal.
For more information visit Sue’s website at http://www.childrenofwatamu.net/
Protected: GO Coffee mornings
HOW TO CONTACT SI FYLDE
If you wish to contact SI The Fylde for further information, or if you have a query, please get in touch by using the following form:
Protected: MEMBERS’ AREA ONLY
Protected: Minutes of AGM 2009
THE FYLDE CLUB and PROGRAMME ACTION
The Fylde Club has been in existence for over 70 years and has a very active programme including fund-raising, service work and social events.
Fylde Club has a vibrant and enthusiastic attitude to Programme Action - which is the service and fund-raising arm of Soroptimism. We support a number of long-term and annual projects, as well as “one off” activities to raise awareness of differing problems, both local and global. We support Life Education, the Contact Centre, Traidcraft and Fair Trade, the local Womens’ Refuge and Trinity Hospice, and we sponsor the education of a number of children in Third World countries.
The Club has a particular interest in health and environmental matters. We are currently supporting a scheme which will promote walking and outdoor exercise and are always looking at environmental issues locally to see where we can assist or raise awareness. The photo above shows members Michelle Smith, Linda Beddows and Sue Smith taking part in the Illumathon - a 14 mile walk for Trinity Hospice.
We hold pamper days (with therapies and relaxation) for carers which are arranged in conjunction with Carers’ Point!
We have recently raised funds to help supply a roundabout playpump which will provide water to the village of Watamu in Kenya - the water is pumped into the village as children play on the roundabout! The photo below shows members and partners enjoying a fundraising Ceilidh. The pump will ensure clean water supplies which will release the children and women in order that they may enjoy a more positive role and, in the case of the children, a good education. The Watamu link came from a project undertaken by Sue Hayward, a friend of SI Fylde. (For information on the Happy House project in Watamu see http://www.childrenofwatamu.net/)
During the course of the year, we aim to be involved in other events linked to the United Nations’ Observance Days, in particular the International Day of Peace (in September) and the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
We also work on a joint projects with other Clubs to raise awareness about the importance of various issues. For example, the Club joined with other clubs in the Region to donate bras to be sent to Cyprus for the longest chain of bras to be created for an entry in the Guinness Book of Records - this was to help raise awareness of Breast Cancer.
Members of SI Fylde attend our local Child Contact on a six weekly rota as volunteers to man the centre. This involves signing in families, providing a friendly place to meet with drinks and snacks and toys/games for parents to interact with their childr
SI Fylde support the local refuge by supplying toiletries and starter packs for the Ladies together with ladies and childrens clothes and toys. Also fundraising as and when necessary to help provide other items.
Members of SI Fylde promote Fair Trade during Fair Trade Fortnight in March by assisting with a Fair Trade Stall at the local Farmers’ Market and by using Fair Trade products in their own Clubroom.
Regionally we support the “Purple Teardrop” Campaign which raises awareness about Human Trafficking and we actively support all activities which aim to support Women in Crisis.
At an international level, SI Fylde support Project Sierra, the quadrennial appeal which supports Hope and Homes for Children in Sierra Leone.
WHAT’S ON AT FYLDE - May 2009 to April 2010
SI The Fylde would like to invite you to events in the new Soroptimist year, starting April 21.2009. We hope this advance list will aid your diary planning.
Meetings held in the club house, to the rear of 7/8, St. George’s Square, St. Annes-on-Sea FY8 2NY.
Details: Secretary, Wendy Grimshaw 01253 399594.
wendygrimshaw@blueyonder.co.uk
SOCIAL EVENTS:
-Thursday April 23: BLITZ NIGHT celebration for St. George’s Day 7pm
-Sat. May 30: Upper Crust afternoon Tea Party with Pampered Chef demonstration
-Thurs 11 June: 6.30pm - In Ashton Gardens Eleventh annual bowls & supper
-Saturday August 8: Strawberry Tea, early afternoon
-Tuesday October 6: With the Ormerod Group ‘Pickle Party’ evening
-Tuesday November 3: Friendship Evening Debate and Supper “This House Recommends that Service Organisations are no longer Gender-Specific”. Guest speakers from Soroptimist International & Rotary International across the North West.
-Sunday November 15: 72nd annual Charter, Champagne Afternoon Tea at Fylde Rugby Club
-Saturday November 21: Winter Fair
-Tuesday April 20th - Annual General Meeting
CLUB SPEAKER MEETINGS (7pm) PRECEDED BY A MEAL (6pm)
-Tuesday May 5: Dr. Susan Salt (Trinity Hospice) “Marriage, Medicine, Motherhood”
-Tuesday June 2: Zephyrine Barbarachild - Independent Prison Monitoring
-Tuesday September 1: Linda Beddows - Regional President’s Retrospective
-Tuesday February 2. 2010: Penny Dutton of Relate
-Tuesday March 2: Sue Lawn “Teenagers - is everyone doing it?”
CLUB OFFICERS 2009/2010
The Club Officers for the year 2008/2009 are as follows:
PRESIDENT Pat Fergusson (see above - Pat with members and Skipton friends)
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Hilary Abernethy
PROGRAMME ACTION Sue Smith
PRESIDENT-ELECT Tina Wilcock
VICE PRESIDENT Joan Bond
SECRETARY Wendy Grimshaw
TREASURER Michelle Smith
MINUTING SECRETARY Frances Beharrel
DINNERS SECRETARY Anne Halsall
MEMBERSHIP OFFICER Michelle Smith
PUBLICITY OFFICER Linda Beddows
CHAIR OF FINANCE Trudi Woods