Soroptimist International of Great Britain & Ireland SOUTH

Volume 2 LEADER Issue 18 Editor - Norma Parry SI & District December 2011 President’s Message

decided to become a member My aim this year is to promote such teamwork, so as to of Soroptimist International encourage you all in every club to continue working together in Ialmost 35 years ago whilst, still your varying roles. To encourage each other, and particularly a busy manager for a multi national our newer members, to consider joining the executive and/or company. That decision has been becoming a club offi cer or more importantly Club President. so special as it has brought into my Remember no one is born to be President, all of us be it Club, life a different and much wider view Region or Federation are – OCM’s – “Ordinary Complaining on the world and its opportunities. Members” – and we eventually grow within the organisation It inspired me to try to ensure these to take up such roles. Each year, we as Presidents bring a opportunities were available to all different perspective to that year, but we all do it for the women world wide but in addition benefi t of the organisation, thus ensuring the advancement especially it has brought so many and the status of women everywhere, whilst enjoying fun and friends into my life along the way. friendship along the way.

It was therefore through such friendship and encouragement, Teamwork is also the theme of the Joint Regional one day and naturally with a sense of pride and real privilege that I Conference in Liverpool on Saturday 12th May 2012. Please was installed as your Regional President at the Federation try to join us for what we are sure will be a very informative Conference in Brighton in October. It was made all the more and good value day with interesting speakers and good special with so many of my friends being present and I member participation thank you all sincerely for all the support and especially for joining me at my little get together on the Friday Evening. It is During the coming months, I look forward to working with encouraging to know that members are so supportive and I you all, meeting many of you at your club events, as well as have felt quite overwhelmed by all the cards, messages and Regional meetings, and being of any personal assistance I good wishes I have received. am able to give.

My appreciation also goes to all members who were able In conclusion, may I share with you all a few words from our to attend my Installation Party organised by my own very new Federation President, Maureen Maguire’s inaugural supportive Ramsbottom club members. It was a lovely address at Conference “there are many challenges for this evening and I hope that you all enjoyed it as much as I did. organisation and ourselves as the 21st century moves into its second decade, but together we can drive future South Lancashire Soroptimists, you have always achieved developments” therefore encompassing her special theme of much by working together on your Programme Action (the “Facing the Future Together.” Soroptimist friends let us all life blood of our organisation) to assess Local, National and embrace that theme and remember that we are all part of a International needs. During my year I wish to encourage all team. clubs to digest the new Programme Objectives for 2011/2015, Together – Everyone – Achieves - More continue the good work you are currently involved with; or even embark on a new joint project with a neighbouring club, thus through teamwork having a greater impact on the In Friendship particular goal in question. Denise NEWS ABOUT THE BENEVOLENT FUND I should like to bring to members’ attention the recent changes that have been made in the application procedure to the Benevolent Fund. It was decided at the AGM on 5th November that it is no longer necessary for an applicant to have two sponsors. Instead, any present or past member of three years standing, who is experiencing fi nancial hardship, should now contact the Benevolent Fund representative directly. The representative will provide a report for the Trustees and a decision reached as to whether the Benevolent Fund is able to help. It is therefore important that all members are aware of my contact details which are as follows; email: [email protected]: mobile: 07988 612605: landline: 01706 223223 Lesley Pritchard, South Lancs Benevolent Fund Representative OUT AND ABOUT IN THE REGION . . .

LEIGH & DISTRICT CROSBY ST. HELENS The Club has been taking a leading role in SI Crosby recently held an open evening in Purple Teardrop Campaign Community events in the last three months. order to interest potential new members. In September SI Leigh were again involved Purple was our theme for our October in planning the To w n’s Heritage week- Sandy Taylor, President, hosted the evening meeting end in partnership with council offi cials, which attended by the Mayor of Sefton Understanding about traffi cking and representatives from the Parish Church Cllr. Carol Cummins; and following a slavery was our aim and other voluntary organisations. Club welcome reception, presented a view of Raising awareness is what we achieved members undertook tours of the To w n her presidential year so far and what her Petition signing promoted our action for Hall where the Spinning Jenny plaque is membership meant to her. change hung in the Foyer. The plaque was restored Letting all members join in by dressing in by the Club in partnership with other local Membership Offi cer, Pat Williams, purple organisations some years ago following organised an evening of short talks from Enlightening and enjoyable evening fundraising events to raise the necessary representatives of local charities that £4000. Visitors to the To w n Hall included benefi t from fund raising by S I Crosby. The Regional President was our special the Deputy Mayor Myra Whiteside, her guest The charities represented were: Consort and 90 local schoolchildren. Excellent P A reports highlighting our Sefton Women’s and Children’s Aid Evaluation forms completed by the public achievements (Mrs. Lesley Paterson, Chief Executive). were extremely positive, and once again A lot of fun and friendship Sightline Northwest (Mrs. Eileen Green) raised the Club’s profi le and that of Reading of the poem “When I grow old I Alder Hey Children’s Cardiac Research Soroptimism generally. will wear purple” Appeal (Mr. Nelson Alphonso, Consultant Decorating our tables and prizes in Cardiac Surgeon at Alder Hey Hospital). purple R The Regional Membership Offi cer, Margaret eporting of raising over £3,000 at our M Davies, spoke of the future of Soroptimist acmillan Coffee Morning O International and the importance of new rganising our exciting future activities membership. for November and December Pleasure at the success we are achieving! Regional President, South Lancashire, Jenny Stanistreet, concluded the evening with a OLDHAM vote of thanks to the speakers.

There were fourteen invited guests and of these eight so far have expressed an “Pictured are members of the club interest in possible membership. (wearing their new promotional SI sashes!) with Deputy Mayor Myra Whiteside and her husband”

And on 7 October President Bev Beenham SI Oldham & District, have once again and members hosted a “World’s Biggest collected twenty four Shoe Boxes for Coffee Morning” in aid of McMillan Cancer Samaritans Purse. These as usual have been Care in the Mayor’s Parlour at Leigh To w n added to the boxes from Thorp Primary Hall, attended by the Deputy Mayor and School in . Despite the economic Andy Burnham MP (former Secretary climate more boxes have been donated of State for Education). Members sold this year and the club were pleased to delicious home made cakes and biscuits, receive a certifi cate from Samaritans Purse raising nearly £300 for Macmillan. for their efforts

ROCHDALE In the middle of August, SI held Entertainment for the evening was from Retail therapy was also available in the their second very successful Friendship Freda accompanied by Mr form of jewellery, pashminas and handbags Evening at Springhill Hospice. Edward Rigg. Freda sang songs made from C’est Chic. famous by Gracie Fields, as she felt the Regional President Jenny Stanistreet choice very appropriate with Gracie being Following a raffl e the sum of £359 was and fellow Soroptimists from Bury, a Rochdale lass. raised which will be shared by President Ramsbottom, Oldham, Ashton-under- Ann’s Charities, Springhill Hospice and the Lyne and Pendleside, as well as a great The entertainment was followed by a North West Air Ambulance. many friends of the club, were welcomed very lavish buffet supper provided by by President Ann and members of SI the members of SI Rochdale, which was Thank you SI Rochdale from all your guests Rochdale. enjoyed by all. on the evening. . . . WITH NEWS FROM THE CLUBS

ST. HELENS SOUTHPORT The members of S.I. St Helens enjoyed As part of our Programme Action activities, Past President Doreen Roberts has been a wonderful occasion at Knowsley Hall leading a project with the local Alzheimer’s Society producing ‘Life Story’ books. We on Merseyside, the ancestral seat of prepared three books over the summer for gentlemen who were Lord and Lady Derby. It was full of happy suffering from the early stages of this debilitating disease. The chatting ladies enjoying coffee whilst books recorded their background, upbringing, family milestones, raising money for MACMILLAN. We very career and any other key events in their lives. In early September, much appreciate being able to host this we presented these books to our clients at an informal lunch. T h ey event in such prestigious surroundings were delighted with the fi nished documents. and so generously donated by them. This has turned into one of the biggest coffee On Friendship Night, we lit a candle for each of our Friendship links mornings held in the North West and we and the photo shows President Carol with the candles for our six were very proud to be able to host it links and an one extra for Soroptimist International. We enjoyed again. This event has become so special an excellent supper organised by International Committee Chair along with the fresh coffee and homemade Heather Shulver. biscuits donated by members. The staff at Knowsley deserve a special thanks for SI Southport held their annual Christmas Coffee Morning on their much valued help. Saturday, 19 November with craft stalls, tombola, Christmas Hamper raffl e and Christmas Cake raffl e. Members and friends attended and £1,160 was raised for President Carol’s charity ‘Crossroads Care’. Members were delighted with the amount raised which is the best ever.

Members of S. I. Southport organised a small charity lunch on Thursday, 24 November at Mere Sands Nature Reserve. Members joined with members from the Nature Reserve to raise funds which will be used to commence a joint project between the Nature Reserve and the Girl Guides. The Reserve runs educational workshops teaching about the environment. The lunch raised £725.50. Pictured is Judith Stewart, Regional Fundraiser for Macmillan in the North West, receiving a cheque for £3,597.91. WIDNES Judith very smartly secured match funding Members of SI Widnes attended an Open from Barclays bank to the amount of Day at Widnes Masonic Hall. They hosted a £3000 going straight into Macmillan St stand and members were able to introduce Helens and District account. the visiting ladies to Soroptimism and answer any question that they may have had. ASHTON-under-LYNE This is the latest effort in the Widnes club’s At the September Speaker Meeting, “Raising Public Awareness” Campaign and Ashton-under-Lyne were pleased to follows many other events during the year welcome Anna Fletcher, from the Ashton including a stand at the local Steam Rally. Reporter.

Anna was born in but has recntly REPORT FROM BRIGHTON BY SI RAMSBOTTOM been living in Australia and in coming back to the UK is looking to promote women Eighty members from South Lancashire Sierra Leone following the 20 year civil in the area. It proved to be a nostalgic joined more than a thousand delegates war. Among the speakers at the annual evening as Anna found that Membership at what is believed to be the largest conference in Brighton were the writer and Secretary Irene Melvin was one of her conference of women taking place in broadcaster Sandi Toksvig and the founder former teachers. Britain. They and Soroptimists from 30 of the campaign for female education in other countries heard the results of a Africa, Ann Cotton. The speaker for the evening had sadly world-wide survey charting the impact had to withdraw, so President Jeanette of their campaigns and fund-raising. Also Barbara Hulmes, the President of spoke to the club about how she found discussed were ways of achieving our next Soroptimist International of Ramsbottom, her long lost brother. This was a very big issue, which is fi nding ways to educate lead twelve members from Ramsbottom personal story told with great sensitivity women for leadership. who supported Denise Baldwin as she was and feeling which pulled the heart strings installed as the new President of South of all present. Congratulations Jeanette for Soroptimists have raised £1million to Lancashire Region for the next twelve a most illuminating talk. help train women into employment in months. AWARDS LUNCH The South Lancashire Awards and New Members Lunch was victim of Domestic Violence and Forced Marriage and is now held at The Wrightington Hotel on Sunday 25th September. It working hard to put a stop to this, alongside the Foreign and was well attended by the majority of clubs in the region and it Commonwealth Offi ce. was a pleasure to welcome many new members. Other awards which were presented President Jenny was also able to on the day included the Programme hand over a cheque for £1,800, Action Award which went to SI Oldham being the sum raised through and District for their “Caring and her “Nest Egg Challenge.”to Sharing” Open Day held in March 2011 Ken Johnson, Chairman of the to coincide with International Women’s Multiple Sclerosis National Day. Council for . Ken promised that the money would The award for the winning Bowling be used by the MS Society in the North West.” Team was presented to SI Liverpool and The Tricia Fahey award for SI Widnes were the lucky winners best bowler was awarded to Hildah of the Rosebowl and a report on McAllen from SI Bootle and accepted how they achieved this will be on the day by Caroline Holmes. given at the December Regional Meeting. The new members lunch is traditionally a bi-annual event and it has been decided that the awards will be presented on the The speaker was Sameem Ali, who alternate years when the lunch is a City Councillor is not held, at the September and also a member of Manchester Regional Meeting. club. Sameem has herself been a Joint Regional Conference 2012 New President’s Party This will be a one day conference, held at The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Liverpool on Saturday 12th May 2012. party hosted by SI Ramsbottom to welcome our new The theme for the Conference will be TEAMWORK Regional President, Denise Baldwin was held on and booking forms are now available and can be ASaturday 12th November, where a good time was had downloaded from the South Lancashire website at: by all who attended. Representatives from all clubs in the www.sigbi.org/south-lancashire region were there to support Denise. Alternatively please contact Barbara Hulmes from SI Ramsbotton In true Soroptimist style, food fun and friendship were there in abundance. A quiz organised by Barbara Hulmes, President of SI Ramsbottom showed photos of our Regional Offi cers in Regional Workshop their very much younger days and there was a great deal of Regional Workshop for Membership and Publicity hilarity as the results were announced. was hosted by Margaret Davies and Norma Parry on A Saturday 12th November at , The entertainment . for the evening was provided by There was a good turn out from eleven of the clubs in the Natasha Larkin region and the input from members present was very who delighted us rewarding. Topics ranged from the qualities of a prospective all with her violin new member and the items for inclusion in a New Members skills. Natasha Pack, to the usefulness of a club website and how to build a had stepped in at successful press release. short notice but

Thanks must go to members of the Wigan club for their provided a stunning and fl awless hospitality on our arrival and also to President Denise for her performance. support on the day. Denise, a member of the Mararet and Norma will send Ramsbottom club, praised the the results of the workshop fellow members of her club for their to all clubs via email to those generous hospitality and support attending and via hard copy to without whose hard work and help those clubs unable to be there in the kitchen, the evening would on the day. not have been possible.