projects.htm

A TASTE OF THE PROJECTS WITH WHICH OUR CLUB IS INVOLVED

	CARING & SHARING IN OLDHAM Saturday 5th March 2011 - Soroptimist International Saturday of Service. Celebrating United Nations International Women's Day - 8th March An exhibition of voluntary and statutory services available in the Oldham Borough, held in the Performance Area of Gallery Oldham, brought together by Soroptimist International of Oldham & District. The event was funded by Cllrs Bashforth and Harrison of Royton South, together with Voluntary Action Oldham and the organisations represented were:- Dr Kershaw's Hospice Princess Royal Trust for Carers Victim Support Oldham Community Leisure Fatima Women's Association Oldham Family Crisis Group Community Relations - GMP (Greater Manchester Police) Oldham Cancer Support Services SAWN (South African Women's Network) Volunteer Centre Oldham Oldham Community Health Girl Guides Oldham Cancer Family History Service Voluntary Action Oldham Home Start Children's Hub The youth woodwind section from Oldham Music Centre performed in the foyer and the event was opened by Shobna Gulati (Sunita Alahan from ITV's Coronation Street). Shobna visited each and every one of the stands and talked to all the exhibitiors and in her opening address pledged her support to the organisations in the Borough working on women's issues. In the afternoon the Mayor and Mayoress (having recovered from the Mayor's Ball the previous night) came also to talk to the exhibitors and to draw a Free Raffle of 11 prizes, all of which had been donated by local businesses. A commemorative booklet with details of all the exhibitors was handed out to visitors on the day and a lot of new friends and contacts were made. Our President and other members were able to visit International Women's Day Celebrations held later in the week by Fatima Women's Association and also the Oldham Indian women's Association.
	HELP FOR HEROES SI Oldham have been supporting the charity Help for Heroes, firstly by holding a faith supper and then holding a cake bake stall at one of the Thursday Coffee Mornings held at Trinity Methodist Church in Royton. At both events goods were on sale for the chairty, Norma bought the teddy and pinned on his medal. The sum of £450 was raised from the sale of goods and these two events. Later in the year the club are planning to collect shoe boxes for Save our Soldiers and send themto our troops in Afghanistan.
	Support for The Family Crisis Centres The support for the Family Crisis Centre has continued during 2009 and 2010. We have once again hosted Library Road Shows - this time trying to concentrate on material things to help the women from the three Oldham Refuges in the form of essential kitchen items which are needed when setting up a new home. The toiletries have continued to be collected and are so popular that the refuges hold "pamper days" which are enjoyed by all the participants.
Support for The Family Crisis Centres The Librarian from Uppermill Library one of our main supporters in the Family Crisis project, is pictured with Crisis Centre Manager, Jenny Taylor and members of the Oldham Club, presenting books, toiletries and other household items to the refuge centre Many of the other libraries in the Borough are also supporting our efforts for the Crisis Centre and to date with the help of Royton, Lees and Uppermill libraries we have delivered over 30 bags of useful items to the Refuges, and we are please to have received letters of acknowledgment from the Family Crisis Centre which have been passed on to the libraries involved.
	Oldham Club Support The Family Crisis Centres Soroptimist International of Oldham has once again resumed its connection, with the Family Crisis Centre's in the borough with the supply of needy essentials to the three Womens' Refuges in the Oldham area. Club members are gathering essential toiletry items, towels and bedlinen for the women and children who use them. We have also been helped in this project by several of the Borough's Libraries, where thanks to our visiting Roadshow (see news page for more details) members are assisting us in the collection of essential items for the Centres, and our sincere thanks go to all those involved.
	Soroptimists Support Water Aid During 2007 Soroptimist International of Oldham joined forces with “I Knit” who supported the Water Aid “Knit A River” Campaign. The river is a petition with a difference. By knitting a square and sending it in, people are saying we want the world’s decision makers to take notice, and do more to prevent children from dying. The completed river, which is so long that it "flowed" all the way down the side of the National Theatre, continues to be used as part of Water Aid’s campaigning activities – strengthening the call for water and sanitation for all. The picture shows three of our avid knittes, Kath Barnes, Joan Cook and Eunice Garside.
	Our club has knitted teddies which we have sent to New Hope Leprosy Trust in India, for the orphan children. The new project is for knitted hats, so the needles will be clacking away shortly.
	Each year we join in Operation Christmas Child, to fill shoe boxes with Christmas Gifts for the orphaned children of Eastern Europe. This is done in conjunction with Thorp Primary School in Royton, where one of our members is on the Board of Governors.