On Saturday 10 March, six members of the Club attended the Spring Midland Arden Regional Meeting hosted by SI Coventry at Wolston which also marked International Women’s Day. Opening the meeting, Regional President Ruth Longville welcomed members from the 13 clubs in the Region which stretches from Birmingham West in the north to Hereford in the south west. This region is one of 15 in the Great Britain and Ireland Federation of Soroptimist International.

Members were treated to a very inspiring speaker, Wendy Friar, who instigated the Black Country Food Bank, based in Halesowen. This volunteer run centre with a Christian ethos opened in 2006. Since its inception it has provided food for people who are referred by various agencies including the Red Cross, Macmillan nurses, Age UK and the CAB with numbers of clients reaching over 5,000 in 2010. Each person receives 10 balanced meals for 3 days as crisis support only and not for long term dependency. The food is supplied by local churches and schools and surpluses from supermarkets and fresh fruit producers.

The Midlands Region is holding a Study Day on 28 April in Birmingham with the focus being ‘Women in the Criminal Justice System’.

For more details regarding the activities and membership of the Club, please email on kidderminstersorop@gmail.com or look at our website link on http://sigbi.org