Our AGM was as always, a wonderful event, and this year we also managed our customary meal beforehand. We took this opportunity to hold the welcoming/induction ceremonies for some of our new members which had have joined over the last 12 months. It’s always thrilling to formally welcome new members, hear a bit about them and then to light a candle of friendship for them.
We had all the usual official AGM requirements, hearing reports from the clubs’ officials and voting in our new leadership team for the coming year and of course, President Gail. The detailed report from our Programme Action Officers Jackie and Gail made for impressive reading - and if you want to see for yourself exactly how much we have achieved this year then the full Programme Action report is here.
Discussions took place around our charity for the new club year and the final choice was PIES - Partners in Education Swaziland.
Finally, we held our candle ceremony, which is a lovely tradition of the club, highlighting the work the officials do on behalf of the members and bringing the members together to acknowledge the hard work we do in the club and the organisation as a whole.
Backpacks
Soroptimists all over the world are working with their local communities to give a better quality of life to women and their children at home and abroad, and the Garstang club is no exception.
Last year the pupils of Forton Junior School helped us in our Back Pack appeal donating their old back packs and donating lots of items to fill them – we had a session with the children in July when the children helped sort and fill ten packs for the children of Malawi, it was so successful that we sent 20 full backpacks off to Glasgow for shipping out by the end of the year.
This year we have decided to carry on with this project and once again Forton School is helping us, they are working towards their Full International Schools Award, having gained the Intermediate Award last year through their links with Ghana.
We are asking anyone who has a back pack that they no longer use to donate it to us to be filled with some basic everyday things. These will go to children whose parents cannot afford to buy even basic things like pen and notebooks, or even suitable clothes for their children to wear to go to school, so the children miss out on school and the education that can help them escape from poverty when they grow up.
We are particularly looking for clothing for children aged between 4-12 years, second hand in good condition – skirts, shorts, and tee shirts. Please think about us when you are having that spring clean clear out! If you can help us please contact me or any of our members. Thank you.
Muriel Burnham-Airey Membership Officer
For more information, please do get in touch!
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