SI Tynedale*

Meeting dates

You can access all the meeting dates for this club from this page.

Fundraiser for the Refuge

The club recently ran a fund-raising event in support of the Tynedale Women's Refuge, which is  called 60 80 30 - the Refuge's telephone number. The event was held at the Queen Elizabeth High School in Hexham and was attended by approlixately 80 people. There was a flower demonstration by international demonstrator from Carlisle, Derek Armstrong (he had recently produced some flower arrangements for Westminster Abbey), as well as a short fashion show demonstration by Katie Kerr of Corbridge, using models from the club.

The event raised £745, £500 of which will go to 60 80 30 to help women secure deposits on accomodation when they need to leave their homes. This is usually an initial problem (once they are settled most earn a living and can pay what is required). The remainder of the money raised from raffling off the flower arrangements, will be given to the club's Rwanda Orphans Training Catering Restaurant project.

The above picture shows club President, Susan Cresswell and, right, Georgie Cruddas, who runs the Tynedale Women's Refuge.

Links with Kigali

The Tynedale club first became aware of the needs of young people in Rwanda following participation by one of their club members, Maggie Allan, in a Peace Marathon established with the help of European Soroptimists.

The link with the Kigali Etoile club followed and the first £700 was passed over to the Rwandan club in February following a fundraising event last autumn. Kate Fawcett, who runs the Diane Fossey project in Rwanda, comes from Hexham. Her parents took over the money and met the Kigali Etoile Club. They may also contribute some training funds for orphans they assist in the Bisate region who would benefit from catering training. A recent bequest from the Durham club has boosted the funds, along with the QEHS support and both Durham and Tynedale are planning fundraising meals this year.

Whatever additional funds can be raised before the end of the summer, will be sent with the £1,100 already raised to Rwanda via the European Soroptimists Water Congress in July, attended by both Rwandan Soroptimists and Soroptimists from SIGBI’s Northern England. Teamwork all round.!