SI Southend on Sea and District Projects
Each Soroptimist International club identifies the needs of its community, then establishes specific projects to address these needs. All our projects relate to one or more of the six Programme Focus Areas: Economic and Social Development, Education, Environment, Health, Human Rights and the Status of Women, and International Goodwill and Understanding.
More information is available in the Our Work pages, where you can read more about the current Programme Focus aims and the Quadrennial Project, supported by all clubs in the Federation.
The projects listed below include some of the local and international issues we research and support in SI Southend on Sea and District:
Fledgelings
In 2005 - 2006, President Sharon nominated Fledgelings to benefit from our club fund-raising.This project gives support to children, as part of the Dove Project, which we have helped in the past.
The Dove Project supports the local Woman's Refuge and the Fledgelings project enables children brought to the refuge by their mother, to see family members.
Children can see their father or paternal grandparents under supervised conditions so that visitors do not discover facts like where the mother is living or which school the child is attending.
It means that grandparents, who, through no fault of their own, may not see their grandchildren, can enjoy some time with them.
The project also provides a comfortable and safe environment for children to talk about things that worry them.
The club raised over £1 000 by holding a Music Quiz, a Silent Auction, a curry evening and several smaller functions. Past President Sharon will present the cheque to Fledgelings shortly.
Gardening at 'Fair Havens' hospice
Since April 2005, a small band of Soroptimists from the Southend and District club has been helping with the gardening at 'Fair Havens' the adult hospice in Westcliff.
The 'Fair Havens' gardens are mainly laid to borders, shrubs and trees, with the delightful dry garden, a recent addition, at the back of the house.
A member of the Southend and District club is the fund raising manager for 'Fair Havens' and 'Little Havens' hospices and through her, we have agreed to help with tidying the gardens on a regular basis to keep them neat and colourful.
This is one of our 'service' projects, because all we need to give is time and a few plants or bulbs to keep the gardens colourful.
It is very pleasing to us that by giving some of our time, we can provide a quietness and orderliness in the gardens, where families can find sanctuary at times when they need it.
Further information about the Fair Havens Hospice can be found at www.havenshospices.org.uk
Updates
08/05/08: This week, the gardening team spent Thursday morning tidying up the front gardens at Fair Havens - it's looking good - the bulbs have finished but the shrubs are looking very healthy.
School in a Box
As part of our Programme Action, Southend club's members have been working to raise money for 'School in a Box.'
Members who supported the project were certainly inventive. Among other things, we had home-made Chrismas cards, hand made jewellery, Christmas Angels and a Christmas cake to Guess The Weight.
A Christmas gift project, which raised £250.
MIND
Supporting the mentally ill in Essex.
In 2006 - 2007, President Janice Langsman asked the club to support MIND and we were very pleased to do so.
The mentally ill are often ignored when it comes to fund-raising. Although the symptoms of their disability are not usually visible, their needs are as great as any other disadvantaged group.
Linda Kirton, a speaker from the Thurrock area committee of MIND visited the club and told us about the work of the local association of MIND in Grays.
One of their aims is to increase understanding of the problems experienced by the service users and their families. The inclusion and integration into society of this 'Cinderella' group of people, who are experiencing emotional and mental distress, is a cause that appeals to us all. One person in four will be struggling to cope with mental health issues at any one time.
Our fund-raising was extremely successful. We held a Strawberry Tea at Porters; a Fashion Show; a lunch on Canvey Island and a superb Musical Evening. Together with donations, these events raised £2 000.
Please read about these events in our News section.
International Day of Peace 2008
The UN's International Day of Peace falls on a Sunday this year - 21st September - and the club is again hoping to draw attention to this day, as we did two years ago. This year, we are hoping to organise a Peace Vigil.
This project is in the planning stage - please keep in touch for further information.
Plastic Bags!
Like all Soroptimists, we abhor the thoughtless distribution and use of plastic bags, which end up polluting our planet - a world-wide problem.
As a club, we have pledged to try to reduce to zero, our use of new plastic bags by 18th February 2008!
Link with Amnesty International
In December 2007, four members of the club again joined the local branch of Amnesty International to sign and send Christmas cards for prisoners of conscience.
This link with Amnesty International is supported through Soroptimist International's objective to 'Promote peaceful processes for conflict resolution through encouragement of intercultural and inter-racial tolerance and condemnation of all forms of genocide and terrorism'
We were pleased to help our local group reach a good target of 'signings!'
Night Shelter
Our work for the Southend Centre for the Homeless finished at the end of 2007.
Our regular monthly trips to the Night Shelter were much appreciated by the staff and clients. The 'shopping bill' each month was around £30, so in 2007, we donated approximately £360 worth of food and goods. As well as the regular shop, members also provided items from the month's 'wish list'.
Some members choose to donate their month's produce but this wasn't a requirement - the club's charity account covers the costs.
Many thanks to EVERYONE who helped by shopping or delivering the goods, thank you!
From January 2008, we have been supporting the Shoebury Women's Refuge in line with the more focused objective of Soroptimist International, to support women and girls.
Supporting UNICEF
Collecting 2p pieces to support the 'Born Free' Appeal
Our regular collection of 2p pieces enabled us to send another cheque for £50 to UNICEF in April 2007.
The club is continuing to collect 2p pieces through 2007 - 2008 and we have already collected £50+ so we're on target for a bigger contribution this year.
The new focus for Soroptimists targets a project to ensure more babies are Born Free of HIV. So ...please keep sorting out the 2ps and sending them in! Thanks.
Our Programme Action for 2007 - 2008
Programme Action Officer Irene is encouraging all members to take a more active role this year. The club has proved itself excellent at fundraising to support local, regional, national and international projects but the PAC wants members to TAKE ACTION!
We hope to continue many of our regular involvements but want to concentrate on improving the lives of women and girls in line with the international theme. With this in mind, we have decided to stop our monthly deliveries to HARP - the homeless centre - and to take monthly donations of toiletries etc., to the Women's Refuge in Shoebury. This was also the focus of a fundriaser during the autumn, when President Jan presented a cheque to help their work.
We shall support the International Day of Peace on 21st September 2008 with a major Peace Vigil - so watch this space!
We again supported Landmines Action Week in October, and have already sent £200 to the Regional President's 'Malawi' project, which has been used to buy winter clothes for the children and of course, we are supporting Project SIerra, the quadrennial project. Our first effort was lunch on Canvey Island, when we raised £380.
Some of our members will start the gardening at Fair Havens in early March and we are hoping that other members may find other ways to support the Day of Service.