Please scroll down for the full programme and keep checking because it is updated regularly… you will also find more details about where and how we meet at the bottom of this page. If you would like to attend an event, be a speaker, or are considering membership, please click on “Contact Us” on this website, or email sistalbans@hotmail.com
Programme of events for the Club’s 67th Year 2023-2024
We now hold our face to face meetings (2nd Monday of most months) at Cottonmill Community and Cycling Centre – please click here for more information https://sigbi.org/st-albans-and-district/2023/cccc/ There is ample car parking and a clear signpost to the carpark, but you will need to use your satnav or google maps to start with. The full address is: Cottonmill Community and Cycling Centre, Old Oak, Cottonmill Lane, St Albans AL1 2EF
2024
Mon 15 Apr – Club AGM Cottonmill Community and Cycling Centre 7-9pm (please note this starts at 7pm and is the 3rd Monday of the month). Snacks and refreshments will be served to celebrate all that we have achieved in the last year. We will also have an update from the SAHWR Women’s Refuge and present them with a cheque from our fundraising.
Sat 20 Apr 1pm-3pm SIGBI Programme Action on Zoom . All members are encouraged to come along and find out what Programme Action is all about and how we can make it even more effective. You can register on the SIGBI Hub for this event until 19 April 08.00am. The link to the Zoom meeting will be sent to everyone who has registered on Friday 19 April 2024. This is the link to book – its simple if you are registered to access the Hub https://thehub.sigbi.org/events/660d04b1d26ace0008595dc0/description
Fri 26 -Sun 28 Apr – Friendship Link visit from our Soroptimist sisters in Muenster – with get togethers planned for Friday evening, Saturday day and Saturday evening.
Programme of events for the Club’s 68th Year 2024-2025
Mon 13 May – Club Meeting 7.30pm – 9.30pm at Cottonmill Community and Cycling Centre. This is the first meeting of the new Club year. We will celebrate Joan’s 90th Birthday, and we will have some activities recognising Mental health Awareness week 13-19 May.
Tue 28 May – Zoom 7.30pm – 9pm (please note this is a Tuesday because the Monday is a Bank Holiday). We will hear from Ann Beatty, CEO of the Steve Sinnott Foundation, www.stevesinnottfoundation.org.uk “Changing Lives Through Education”. The Club supports the charity by making a donation every year and Ann is going to give us an update on projects. Click here to read about when Ann last spoke to the Club https://sigbi.org/st-albans-and-district/2022/queen/
Fri 7 – Sat 16 June SustFest24 – St Albans Sustainability Festival. Click here to read more https://sustainablestalbans.org/sustfest/. 2024 will be the most ambitious SustFest yet! Helen Byrne and the Club’s Planet Team will co-ordinate the Club’s activities during this annual event.
Fri 7 – Sun 9 June Sustfest EXPO at the St Albans Arena https://sustainablestalbans.org/sustfest/#expo This is a new event with two full days of free talks, workshops, stalls and activities.
Mon 10 Jun – Club Meeting 7.30pm – 9.30pm at Cottonmill Community and Cycling Centre. This promises to be a lively and interesting evening because we will be joined by members of the St Albans Women’s Cricket Team. The Club sponsors women’s cricket in Hertfordshire as a lasting legacy in memory of their Member Audrey Collins OBE – click here to read more https://sigbi.org/st-albans-and-district/projects/cricket/
Sat 15 Jun SILC Region Conference – hosted by SI Milton Keynes. The plan is for a face to face event with hybrid capability for those who need to join on Zoom – more details to follow… https://sigbi.org/london-chilterns/
Sat 22 Jun – Harpenden Community Health Fair at Harpenden Library 10am to 2pm – with stalls and speakers. Soroptimists will have a stall alongside the Herts Domestic Abuse Helpline. The theme of our stall will be “orange day” – to raise awareness and take action to end violence against women and girls. As a bright and optimistic colour, orange represents a future free from the scourge that is violence against women and girls. www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/unite/orange-the-world
Thu 27 Jun – Social Event early evening – Chiswell Community Garden (weather permitting) – Helen Byrne and the Club’s Planet Team are co-ordinating this event.
Mon 8 Jul – Club Meeting 7.30pm – 9.30pm at Cottonmill Community and Cycling Centre. We will hear from Gill Clegg about her most recent trip to Zambia – click here to read about when Gill last spoke to the Club about her projects there sigbi.org/st-albans/zambia/. Gabie Aurel from the Steve Sinnott Foundation is visiting and will give us a first-hand update on the situation in Haiti and the projects the charity has out there www.stevesinnottfoundation.org.uk/haitians-supporting-themselves . Barbara Saunders and the Club’s People Team are co-ordinating this event.
Sun 21 Jul – Charity Bookstall Sustainability Market Harpenden – we will be selling second-hand novels and children’s books. Any books left over are donated to the Lions Charity Bookshop in Hemel Hempstead, and any books they can’t sell are pulped, so this is a perfect recycling project. This will be a Soroptimist “orange day” – to raise awareness and take action to end violence against women and girls. As a bright and optimistic colour, orange represents a future free from the scourge that is violence against women and girls. www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/unite/orange-the-world
Mon 22 July – Zoom 7.30pm-9pm – Cosima Wiltshire will be our guest speaker on “Digital Safety” – Denise Powell and the Peace Team are organising this event.
??? August – Club Social/Summer Outing – Visit “Passion, Determination, Vision” exhibition St Albans Museum and Gallery – includes artwork inspired by Soroptimist Peggy Hodges OBE – plus lunch – all details TBC
Mon 9 Sep – Club Meeting 7.30pm – 9.30pm at Cottonmill Community and Cycling Centre – this will be a catch up after the summer break.
Mon 23 Sep – evening TBD – out and about? ideas please…
Sat 12 Oct – SILC Region AGM/Conference – 10am to 3.30pm – Lancaster Hall Hotel London – more details to follow…
Mon 14 Oct – Club Meeting 7.30pm – 9.30pm at Cottonmill Community and Cycling Centre (NB 10 Oct is World Mental Health Day).
SIGBI Conference Edinburgh – Fri 1 – Sun 3 Nov – Members of the Club are going so if you would like to join the group please email sistalbans@hotmail.com
Mon 11 Nov – Club Meeting Zoom 7.30pm – 9.pm – please note this is an online meeting because we have a number of face-to-face events in November and December. Being online will enable out Linked Members to join in too. This the last Club meeting for preparations for the Orange the World Campaign – 16 Days of Activism to End Violence Against Women starting on 25 Nov.
Mon 25 Nov – Tue 10 Dec Soroptimists Orange The World 2024 – 16 Days of Action to End Violence Against Women. As a bright and optimistic colour, orange represents a future free from the scourge that is violence against women and girls. www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/unite/orange-the-world
Orange the World is a Club Project for all Members to be involved in, co-ordinated by Denise Powell and the Peace Team click here to read about last year’s successful campaign sigbi.org/st-albans/orange23
Mon 25 Nov – 4pm St Albans Museum and Gallery – the official St Albans launch of Orange The World 2024. 25 November is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. This marks the start of 16 Days of Activism to end violence against women. These campaigns aim to bring together individuals and organisations around the world to tackle violence against women and girls.
Wed 27 Nov – 4pm (TBC) Hertfordshire County Hall will light up orange for Orange The World 2024
?? date TBD – Harpenden Orange The World 2024 Launch Event
Mon 2 Dec – Shake Rattle and Sing! Soroptimists and friends, will sing festive songs at St Albans City Station raising funds for SAHWR Women’s Refuge. Join us sing, shake a bucket and join us at a local hostelry afterwards. Singers are asked to wear orange to continue with our campaign to #OrangetheWorldHerts !
2025
Mon 13 Jan – Club Meeting 7.30pm – 9.30pm at Cottonmill Community and Cycling Centre.
Mon 27 Jan – TBD
Mon 10 Feb – Club Meeting 7.30pm – 9.30pm at Cottonmill Community and Cycling Centre.
Mon 24 Feb – TBD
Mon 10 Mar – Club Meeting 7.30pm – 9.30pm at Cottonmill Community and Cycling Centre. (NB 8 Mar is International Women’s Day).
???? Mar – Annual Charity Quiz Night
Mon 14 or Mon 28 Apr – Club Meeting and/or AGM TBD – Cottonmill Community and Cycling Centre (NB Easter is 18-21 Apr)
The Soroptimist Club of St Albans and District holds Club Meetings on the 2nd Monday of most months either on Zoom or at Cottonmill Community and Cycling Centre, Old Oak, Cottonmill Lane, St Albans AL1 2EF – please click here for more information about the venue https://sigbi.org/st-albans/where-we-meet. Zoom meetings are usually 7.30pm to 9pm. In person meetings are usually 7.15pm for 7.30pm start, coffee break during the meeting and end at 9.30pm. Club Members also meet on most 4th Mondays – either at the URC Church Hall (as above), on Zoom or out and about at other venues. Coffee mornings are adhoc – usually 10.30am to 12.30pm and are held at different venues. In addition there are social and fundraising events.
Our Club holds a Planning/Executive meeting at the beginning of the first week of most months – the schedule is on this website www,sigbi.org/st-albans/club-programme/exec/. We are an open and transparent Club and Members’ are encouraged to attend and participate in these meetings.
If you would like to attend an event, be a speaker, or are considering membership, please click on “Contact Us” on this website, or email sistalbans@hotmail.com Guests are always given a warm welcome so please come and meet us.
For more details about where and how we meet please scroll down to the bottom of this page.
For guidance on joining a Club meeting on Zoom please click on this web page www.sigbi.org/st-albans/zoom
Women Serving the St Albans Community Since 1957