Several Club members took part in a Regional Meeting with 12 other Clubs, held near Coventry on 12 March which also marked the 100th Anniversary of International Women’s Day. After hearing reports from the Regional Officers, Mr Stephen Jones, Chief Executive of Coventry NHS spoke about the challenges faced within the NHS and the Government’s plans for reform. Talking about Coventry, he stated that with its 67 GP practices, it has some of the best records in the country for child immunisation programmes. A lively Question and Answer session followed raising some controversial and interesting points.

Also at the meeting a report was given on the internationaql project - Project SIerra. Over the past four years, Soroptimists worldwide have supported Hope and Homes for Children in their work in Sierra Leone and through Project SIerra have raised over £800,000. Kidderminster Soroptimists have given nearly £400 from their charity fundraising to support this work aimed at women and children.

For more information on Project SIerra, please visit www.projectSIerra.org and link to the facebook page.

There is a Regional Study Day on 21 May 2011 being held at Warwick University on the theme of Domestic Violence. This theme has been part of a national campaign supported nationally by Soroptimists over the past few years to raise awareness and lobby Government. As part of their work in that area, Kidderminster Club are distributing bookmarks ‘Loves Me – Loves Me Not’ which give a simple message to educate young people that no-one has the right to harm or control you in a relationship and to create and sustain positive and safe relationships. These were developed by Soroptimists in Yeovil Club, with whom we have a Friendship Link and have been successfully distributed throughout the UK.

For more information on our 'Loves Me - Loves Me Not' bookmark project please email kidderminstersorop@gmail.com