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HONORARY SOROPTIMIST

Meet Alexandra (Alex) our new Honorary Member. She has come over to England with many of her family to support our local Hospice, Dr Kershaw's. Many of her relations are now scattered throughout the Oldham area and Alexandra has joined us to promote our work for Human Rights and the status of women.

Follow Alexandra's progress on our Facebook page

FRIENDSHIP LINK

Eunice(a martyr to the cause) who has taken on the role of President for a further six months has once again cemented another Friendship Link for SI Oldham.

This time she visited La Spezia in italy for their club's 50th Anniversary of it's Charter. She was welcomed by long standing friends Lena and Sandro Cori and made welcome by the club at all it's Charter celebrations which lasted a full weekend.

68th Charter Dinner

President Eunice hosted our 68th Charter Dinner at The Bower Hotel in Chadderton on Friday 26th March 2010. The Deputy Mayor and Mayoress of Oldham Cllr David Jones and his wife Jane attended, along with our Regional President Dr Sriya Kulupana and Mrs Margaret MacInnes a long standing firend of our President.

President Eunice presented cheques totalling £1300 to representatives from the Oldham Music Centre and The Christie Hospital, being the money raised during her year of office.

Members of SI Oldham also made presentations in the form of a celebration cake, good wishes, CD Player and a certificate signed by our Federation President, to Eunice as not only has she been President of the club this year, she has also celebrated a milestone in her Soroptimist career having served 50 years as a member of SI Oldham.

DIAMOND CELBRATIONS

In October 2009, our two Kath's made the headlines again when they both celebrated their Diamond Wedding Anniversaries.

The club celebrated this event with cake made by Kath Barnes and non alcohlic wine brought by Kath Walpole and in return membes presented both Kaths with a beautiful planter.

It was also Kath Walpole's birthday, which made this an extra special event.

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD

The club has continued it's work with this well run chairty in 2009 and this year was made all the more special due to the fact that Carol Hartley who works for Operation Christmas Child came to talk to the club about the work that is done in Belarus.

She has visited the country on many occasions and is also the patron of an orphanage over there. She told the club that the boxes are treasured for many years by the recipients and in one case, a girl now aged 18 still has the box she was given as a child of 6.

Carol brought many photos of the children opening their boxes, showing the delight on their faces.

FRIENDSHIP LINK CELEBRATIONS

In August 2009 President Eunice, cemented the friendship link between SI Calgary and SI Oldham with a visit to the home of Roberta Theaker, one of their club members during her trip to Canada.

It was a very enjoyable evening, where Eunice was picked up from her hotel, taken to Roberta's house and made very welcome by her hosts.

She took with her a banner from our club, along with a water carafe and glass engraved with the Oldham crest and in return was presented with a calendar from SI Calgary showing beautiful picotrial scenes of their city.

OLDHAM CARNIVAL
President Marilyn, Immediate Past President Jaya and other members and friends of the club, gave up their precious free time to man a stall in Alexandra Park during Oldham Carnival weekend. Although not in the main arena with other stalls who were raising money for charity, a total of £116 was raised for the President's two charities, in a "Pick a Straw and win a Teddy" tombola. An extremely heavy downpour on Sunday afternoon spoiled the event, as everyone dispersed to find shelter and even though the sun shone again later, the crowds had all gone home. Better luck next year ladies!

Two weeks later still optimistisic that the sun would shine Oldham's Intrepid Soroptimists braved the elements once again, this time to attend Failsworth Carnival - but mother nature caught us out - and winter woollies, wellies and macs proved the order of the day!!

On Sunday 22nd June President Marilyn Peel – held an “At Home” for club members, family and friends.
A strawberry afternoon tea party was planned which was to be held in a large marquee in the President’s garden. However the great British weather had other ideas and in the gale force winds of last Sunday, the marquee decided to dislodge itself from its anchorage and disappear over the fence into next door’s garden, damaging the framework beyond repair.
Plans were quickly changed and President Marilyn invited everyone into her home, including the Mayor and Mayoress of Oldham and with the Regional President of SI South Lancashire.
In the face of adversity a good time was had by all, and the sum of £400 was raised for the President’s Charities which are Oldham Cancer Care and Oldham Young Carers.
The club will also be hosting a stand in Alexandra Park this coming weekend for Oldham Carnival, once again to raise money for the President’s Charities.

RACE FOR LIFE
President Marilyn, Immediate Past President Jaya, and Membership Secretary Joan, all gallantly volunteered to enter the Race for Life in Heaton Park, Manchester
on Sunday 1st June. The day started well but by the time came for the race to start, the weather had deteriorated and our three intrepid runners "squelched" round the course - but in true Sroptimist style they finished the course and gained their medal for competing. The full total of money raised has yet to be counted and will be published in due course

AGM
The last job of the year before handing order the reigns to our new President Marilyn was for Jaya to present two of our members with long service awards. Kathleen Barnes received a certificate for 35 years service and Kathleen Walpole received a certificate for 30 years service, which came a great suprise to both ladies.

65th Charter Dinner

The 65th Anniversary Dinner of the Oldham Club, was held at Hotel Smokies Park on Friday 25th April.
In attendance were the Mayor of Oldham Cllr Anne Wingate and her husband Ken, her Consort.
Regional President Val was ill but her place was taken by Bernadette Platt, Regional President Eelect.
Our speaker was Irene Divine a former member of SI Oldham and now a member of SI Rossendale, and the entertainment was provided by The Partington Amateur Theatre Group.
We were also pleased to welcome visitors from many of the clubs in our region, along with friends of the club old and new.

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Presentation of Charity Cheque

President Jaya hands over the cheque for £1,900 raised for Dr. Kershaw's Hospice during her year of office to the Matron at the 65th Charter Dinner on Friday 25th April 2008.

Soroptimist Roadshow

The 2008 Oldham Roadshow, promoting the name of Soroptimist International, hit the road on Thursday 7th February at Shaw and Crompton District Library. Club members were serving coffee and biscuits and advertising our "brand" to all. This venue was the first of many as the roadshow is booked at libraries round the borough for the rest of the year.

Later in the year we are hoping to join with "Fair Trade" in a joint promotion across the borough.

President is Stricly Dancing!

In October we held an informal Dance and Potato Pie Supper, at Billingtons Dance Academy which was attended by the Mayor of Oldham Councillor Ann Wingate and her husband and Consort Ken, and also our Regional President Eileen and he husband Neville.
President Jaya is a very keen Ballroom Dancer as illustrated by the photo taken at a function earlier in the year, when she raised the highest bid to dance with Anton Du Bec. Then as with our event the funds were being raised for President Jaya's charity, Dr. Kershaw's Hospice.
SI Oldham's Strictly Ballroom event raised a handsome £625 and the evening was well supported by Soroptimists and dancers from Billingtons alike.

President's Garden Party

After weeks of prolonged rain - the sun finally shone just in time for our President, Dr. Jaya Rao to hold her Garden Party on Sunday 29th July 2007, where a good time was had by all.

President Jaya wwas pleased to welcome the Deputy Mayor and Mayoress of Oldham Mr Shoab Akhtar and his wife Shabena, who drew the raffle. The raffle prizes included dinner bed and breakfast and dinner for 2 at a Robbie Williams Tribute Evening which were kindly donated by The Swallow Bower Hotel, along with beauty treatments and hair styling from Champers and Tranquil Moments both of Failsworth; togther with a hamper which the members of SI Oldham had put together.

The event raised just short of £900 and all the proceeds will go to President Jaya's nominated charity which is Dr. Kershaw's Hospice.

64th Annual Charter Dinner

The Club's 64th Annual Charter Dinner was held on Saturday 31st March, at the Menzies Avant Hotel in Oldham where we had 74 guests, including the Mayor and Mayoress of Oldham, Cllr Bernard Judge and Mrs Anita Judge; the President of Soroptimist International South Lancashire Region Mrs Eileen Griffiths, our guest Speaker Mrs Elizabeth Hibbert MBE; along the President of Oldham Inner Wheel and the Club Presidents from SI Ashton-under-Lyne, SI Rochdale, SI Stockport, SI Bolton, SI Bury, SI Ormskirk and SI Widnes.

This photogragh is reproduced by kind permission of The Oldham Evening Chronicle

President of Soroptimist International of South Lancashire, Eileen Griffiths - President of Soroptimist International of Oldham, Norma Parry - and President of Soroptimist International of Ashton-under-Lyne, Ann Winstanley; taken at the 64th Annual Charter Dinner of SI Oldham, Saturday 31st March 2007.

On Soroptimist Sunday which was also Advent Sunday, 3rd December 2006 - President Norma and Social Chair, Euncie Garside attended a Church Service at St. George's Parish Church, Stalybridge, which was hosted by President Ann Winstanley and the members of SI Ashton-under-Lyne.

After the service there was a lunch of soup and rolls to raise money for President Ann's Charity - "The Pin Project" - which is supporting children orphaned by Aids in South Africa. A sum of just over £100 was raised and the soup, homemade by members of Ashton-under-Lyne was delicious

Saturday 22nd April, saw the Oldham Club celebrating its 63rd Charter Dinner. the Mayor of Oldham Cllr Kay Knox and her Consort Cllr Jim McArdle were present, as was Regional President Dot Mitchell along with her husband Ian. The guest speaker was Susie Mathis from "The Kirsty Appeal" at Francis House, which had been President Tricia's charity for the year. Tricia handed over to Susie a cheque for £1,000 which the club had raised during the year and the Mayor very kindly matched it from her fund.

Entertainment was by Morgan Lee James and a good time was had by all who attended.

A very special presentation was made at our Charter Dinner on Saturday 22nd April. Two of our members, both Past Presidents of the Club, Edith Howarth and Eunice Garside - were presented with Long Service Certificates (40 years) and also a bouquet of flowers from our own president Tricia and also Regional President Dot.

Both ladies were speechless, which is some going for a Soroptimist!

Regional President Dot visits the Oldham Club in the Sprindles Shopping Centre, on a whistle stop tour of the South Lancashire Region on Blue and Yellow Day held on 1st April, 2006. The aim of the day was to promote Soroptimist International throught the region.

We are a family of globe trotting teddies.  We were knitted by Elsie Simpkin who lives in Teneriffe  and is a friend of the Oldham Club of Soroptimist International. She sent us to Dorothy Fidler a Past President of the Oldham Club................

......................Dorothy then put all the stuffing into us, stitched us up and put a smile on our faces. Then she packed us up and sent us to the Children at the New Hope Leprosy Trust Hospital, Andhia Predesh, in India for some tender loving care.