Soroptimist International Bath and District

We had a special lunch celebrating 100 years of service at the Architect restaurant in Bath on 15th February.

Special guests included the Mayor of Bath, our Federation President Ruth Healey, Wera Hobhouse MP for Bath, regional club members and international soroptimists as far flung as Australia.

The celebration started with a welcome from the Bath club President Diane Steele and then candle lighting to represent all Soroptimists and the United Nations with whom we have special ties. A special cake was then cut. This was followed by a delicious lunch and then numerous heartfelt toasts towards our club and organisation.

Guests from like minded organisations were invited to our Centenary Reception at the Bath Royal Scientific and Literary Institution to help us celebrate our 100 years. We also had Friendship Link clubs attend from as far away as Australia as well as regional soroptimists. A short presentation was given and food provided by Food for Thought. The venue was much admired by our visitors.

How lovely it was to be invited to the Mayor’s Parlour in Bath by the Mayor, Michelle O’Doherty on Friday 14th February. The Mayor and her PA Elizabeth Mense gave us a most interesting talk and gave us the history of the City including the twinning links between Braunschweig, Germany and Alkmaar, the Netherlands. Our soroptimist sisters from both those cities were here amongst us.

We met up and took the opportunity of making preparations for our Centenary coming up next month. Making our own flower table decorations and preparing for the 4 events that are taking place 14th- 16th February.

We gathered pamper gifts for the ladies and some games for the children to go towards their Christmas this year. We are always happy to help where we can.

We did our usual monthly donation of sanitary wear as well.

Monday 25th November which is the starting date for 16 days of activism of Elimination of Violence Against Women, 2 members from the club joined a walk around Bath highlighting the issue. Orange is the significant colour which represents this cause and is used all around the world. The ladies were on television as well!

Janet Diffell received a Long Service certificate at our supper meeting last night. Janet has been dedicated to Soroptimism for 40 years and given much of her time and energy to the Bath club over these years. Congratulations!

The sun shone whilst a short service was held at the War Memorial in Bath on Remembrance Sunday. We were amongst many other wreath layers and the event was well attended by all the Services and the public. We made our knitted or croqueted poppies, and fixed them onto a willow wreath. It looked stunning against all the other wreaths. The service was very moving and attended by the Mayor of Bath as well.

We got together at our orange cafe and finished off our poppy wreath that we are going to lay down at the cenotaph on 10th November in Bath. Some members knitted the poppies and we just had to thread them through to make a lovely display.

It was with great pleasure that a certificate celebrating 40 years of long service was presented to our long standing member Pam Hawker. Pam has been a member since 1984 and has given much of her time and dedication to the club over these years. Congratulations to her!