WELCOME to Soroptimist International of Yorkshire’s Website

My name is Judith Alce and I have the honour of being President of Soroptimist International of Yorkshire and a member of Soroptimist International of Wakefield. What does the word Soroptimist mean – loosely translated – ‘best of sisters’. In this world where there is conflict, where there is poverty and where there are disasters, women and children are frequently left to cope on their own. In many countries today women and children live in poverty, and with abuse, torture and starvation. Soroptimists DO make a difference and if you are a woman who wishes to do more than just have direct debits or standing orders to various charities, if you wish to be involved in making a positive difference then this is the organisation for you. Soroptimist International has four Federations that cover the World. World Wide Soroptimist International has clubs in 124 Countries and 90,000 members. In our Federation there are 26 Countries from Anguilla to Zimbabwe with hundreds of clubs and thousands of women working together in partnership, to make a difference to the lives of those less fortunate than themselves. For instance the club I belong to recently took part in a fund raising effort by riding on exercise bikes (in a local Health club) the equivalent of the mileage from Wakefield to Lusaka to raise money for bicycles for the medical officers in Zambia. They raised £1500 and bought 15 new bicycles. The following year members of clubs across Yorkshire were challenged to swim the length of the Zambezi River (again in their local swimming pools) to raise money for water pumps. They raised £2500 and with the assistance of our sisters in Zimbabwe and in partnership with Pump Aid we will eventually have five pumps in areas around Kwe Kwe, Harare and Bulawayo and in this way provide people with fresh clean drinking water and thereby hopefully prevent them contracting cholera. The amounts may seem small in comparison to the thousands raised by international charitable organisations, but with friendships across the world, by having fun with the members of your own club and by ensuring that every pound raised goes to our sister Soroptimists, we know our money is used to alleviate the problems they know exist within their own Countries. On this website you will find information about all the clubs in Yorkshire, there will surely be one near you, either where you work or where you live. If you wish to be involved in making a positive difference then please look at some of the Yorkshire club websites, the links are available, and if you are interested then please contact the club’s Secretary – to belong to Soroptimist International can be a life changing experience not only for the members of our Organisation but hopefully for those women and children on whose behalf we work. Judith Alce President Soroptimist International of Yorkshire.