SI Cardigan*
Cardigan's Biblathon
Over four days (31 May – 3rd June) Cardigan’s Tabernacle Chapel was the focus of an ambitious Biblathon (a reading of the Bible from cover to cover) to raise funds for the Urdd, Wales’ largest youth organisation, to support their Eisteddfod in 2010. Pictured left are Jean Jones (centre front) with Mayor Cllr Mark Cole, Soroptimist President Cherry Hammett (on left of Mayor) and members of the Cardigan club.
Its undeniable success was due to close co-operation between Chairman Des Davies and Secretary Rhydian Evans of Cardigan’s Urdd Fundraising Committee, organisational planning from Jean Jones and her fellow members of SI Cardigan, generous hospitality for the venue from Tabernacle Chapel, collaboration from many religious denominations, and enthusiastic support from the general public who sponsored 15-minute Bible readings.
The Biblathon was kickstarted by Reverend Irfon Roberts in Tabernacle Vestry on Sunday 31 May. Around 250 readers chose their language and any Bible they wished and pledged a donation of £10 for 15 minutes’ reading. The final chapters of Revelation were concluded on Wednesday night by Reverend Roberts and Father Seamus Cunnane bringing the total reading time to 83 hours.
At the most recent count £6,000 has been contributed for presentation on 17 July to the Urdd Eisteddfod Ceredigion 2010 Fundraising Committee.
Conjecture as to why this event proved to be so popular was crystallised by a reader who said “Most of the time the Bible is being read at us – the Biblathon gave us the chance of reading for ourselves – the pleasure of reading in the peace of Tabernacle was a wonderful experience”.
IT Training Course
Members of SI Cardigan attended an Advanced six-week course, meeting one night a week for two hours to improve their IT skills.
Pictured left is Club President, Cherry Hammett, at the computer with tutor Kerry Winterbottom from Coleg Ceredigion and club members giving encouragement.
For many years the production of print and publicity material has been carried out by one now elderly member - the club felt that they should all learn to share these tasks and also improve their emailing skills - 20 members now have email addresses (two do not).
A detailed list of all aspects of club publicity material was submitted to local Further Education College (Coleg Ceredigion). The scope of the work was outside the 'General' Courses offered by the College so they set up a programme specifically for Cardigan Soroptimists. Each member paid just over £20 for the course.
Members have covered Group emailing techniques and netiquette, PowerPoint, the use of 'Table' function and Filing methods. It was remarkable to see the enjoyment of a mature group of women who discovered their latent skill in advancing their computer knowledge. The course certainly contributed to considerable confidence-building.
Communication within SI MUST take advantage of modern IT technology if we are to become a really efficient organisation. More clubs should be encouraged to set up Advanced computer courses through local FECs - in this century there is no room for adopting an ostrich-in-the-sand mentality regarding IT technology. We must progress!
This club does not have a website at present