Soroptimist Stafford

06/05/2026

Random acts of kindness - one of our long term projects is to raise funds to provide toilets for communities in developing countries, through Toilet Twinning. These lovely people, visiting our stall on May Day Bank Holiday, recognised the need and the benefits and paid to donate a toilet. Donated toilets provide hygiene, safety and dignity, especially for women and girls. Thank you to the donors, your gift is priceless.

05/05/2026

Early May Day Bank Holiday coincided with Staffordshire Day. A day which brought together groups from across the County, town and villages in Stafford's Market Square. An opportunity for us to let people know who we are, what we believe and what we do.

04/05/2026

Maternal mental health week. Your mental health matters, my mental health matters, our mental health matters.💚 Samaritans will listen 116 123. 💚https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18jx7iEysK/

Maternal or perinatal mental health is the term used to talk about the mental health of people in the time during pregnancy and up to two years after they give birth.

It can be a hugely vulnerable time. Su***de continues to be the leading cause of direct maternal death between 6 weeks and 12 months after birth.

We want you to know that if you’re in this time of your life and you’re finding it really tough, we see you and we are here to listen to you without judgement on 116 123.

04/05/2026

Womens Health Matters. Soroptimists are getting the message out and standing up for women and girls.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1E97PYNv5Y/

03/05/2026

Know what's right for you and what's not. Learn the correct names for body parts that may be troubling you. Soroptimist Kath Mazzella has been leading the way for many years. Thank you Kath, thank you to The Eve appeal. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1couc8qdMq/

Do you know your gynae anatomy?

Early diagnosis all starts with knowing your body- the different parts, what they are called and what they do. That way you can get to know your body well and what’s normal for you, only then you can spot when something changes, and go get checked.

Every year during Get Lippy month we share life-saving information, so that everyone knows their body and the signs and symptoms of the five gynae cancers.

So let's start from the top, or the bottom as it were- the gynaecological anatomy.

To help you remember your va**na from your v***a our Get Lippy Ambassador, Karen Hobbs, has a great tip: the v***a is on the outside and the va**na is on the inside, va**na has the word IN in it, va**Na.

For more information and how to get involved with the Get Lippy campaign, visit getlippy.org.uk.

01/05/2026

Look after your own health, put on your own oxygen mask before helping someone else with theirs!
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1E8e6Yxdzh/

1st of the month

It’s time for your regular v***al self-check — an important part of caring for your health.
Try to do this at least once a month so you become familiar with what’s normal for you and can notice any changes early.

So, what should you be looking for during a v***al examination?

Take a few minutes to look and feel for:
• Any lumps or swelling
• Pain, itching, or soreness
• Changes in skin colour – redness, bruising, darkening, or paleness
• White or red patches
• Thickened, raised, or rough areas
• New moles or changes to existing ones
• Open sores, ulcers, or unusual growths
• Any new or unusual changes that don’t feel right for you

If you notice anything different or are worried, book an appointment with your doctor.
It doesn’t necessarily mean something serious — but it’s always best to get checked and rule things out early.

Regular self-checks can help detect conditions such as lichen sclerosus, lichen planus, fissures, precancerous changes, melanoma, and v***al cancers.
Early detection makes a huge difference in treatment and outcomes.

✨ Remember: early detection saves lives. Take a moment today to check in with your body. ✨

How and why to check your v***a is on the Ls guide - Lichensclerosusguide.org.uk

Please help by sharing 💜

29/04/2026

Staffordshire Women's Aid is offering training. Could you benefit? Please take a look. https://www.facebook.com/share/1DWxXX9Exy/

👉 FREE Online Webinar

Understanding Sexual Violence: the Impact and Effects on Children & Young People.

Staffordshire Women’s Aid is offering a FREE 1-hour webinar for professionals, students, frontline workers and anyone wanting to strengthen their understanding of this important issue.

🗓 Wednesday 13th May 2026
⏰ 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
💻 Online via MS Teams

Learning Objectives:
🔹 Understand Child Sexual Abuse and the broad range of offences this includes
🔹 Explore the prevalence and impact on Children & Young People
🔹 Learn how to support Children & Young People affected by s*xual violence

This is a valuable opportunity to build your knowledge and confidence in supporting young people. 💜

⚠️ Limited spaces available – please book by 11th May
👉 Register now via the link: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=Uj7zQizM00y71nT15feksW_8sqadgO1Bvqx2sBIFuKVUNjVBTVBIVTBLTEQ2UEk0V1pOV0s3OVJTUi4u

25/04/2026

Orange, the colour of hope, a colour that is not easily ignored, orange is not just a colour it's a statement, a state of mind. So today, the 25th of the month, Orange the World, say no to violence against women and girls, be bold, be orange!

23/04/2026

Our AGM on Tuesday was an opportunity to celebrate and give thanks for membership and service. Outgoing President Sue has completed two years leading the Club. She handed over to incoming President Michelle. President Elect Louise joined them in the line up. Lucy and Elizabeth were formally inducted as members, whilst Val and Eileen were recognised for their contribution to our Club, both celebrating 35 years of membership,, Food, friendship and fun. What a glorious evening.

23/04/2026

What's acceptable and what's not ok? This explains what s*xual assault is and how Staffordshire Women's Aid can support you if you're affected by this type of crime. *xualassaultisnotok https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DA7ZdmWjZ/

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. So, what is s*xual assault?

Sexual assault is any act of unwanted s*xual contact (including kissing or touching).

This may involve one or more of the following:

⚠️ Pressure - this includes trying to convince someone to change their mind
⚠️ Manipulation - this includes saying things like "you would if you loved me"
⚠️ Intimidation - making people feel like they can't say no
⚠️ Threats - saying something bad will happen if they don't "agree" to s*x (e.g. threatening to break up, tell others, share images)
⚠️ Deception - this includes things like saying you’re on contraception when you are not, or saying you'll use a condom and removing it
⚠️ Force - physically holding someone down or making it so they can't leave

If you or someone you know has been affected by s*xual assault or abuse, support is available.

📞 Staffordshire Survive Sexual Assault & Abuse Service on 0300 330 5959
📧 survive@staffordshirewomensaid.org

23/04/2026

Congratulations to Theresa, from all at SI Stafford.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1B68bwrK6a/

Announcing Theresa Lyford as Soroptimist International President Elect, 2028-2029!

It is my pleasure to announce that Theresa Lyford has been appointed President-Elect of Soroptimist International and will serve as President for the 2028–2029 biennium.

Theresa is a familiar and trusted face in our organisation, having served as Federation President of Soroptimist International South East Asia Pacific (2016-2018) and currently serving as SISEAP Company Secretary.

She brings with her a strong professional background in education programme management and legal curriculum oversight at RMIT University. I look forward to working alongside her and am confident that Theresa's experience and dedication will be a real asset to our global mission to educate, enable, and empower all women and girls.

Renata Trottmann Probst
Soroptimist International President, 2026-2027

I am deeply honoured to accept the position of President-Elect of Soroptimist International. I look forward to working with all of you to advance our shared purpose of enabling all women and girls to achieve their full potential in all they wish to accomplish. Together, we will build on the strong foundation of our organisation to create lasting impact.

Theresa Lyford
Soroptimist International President Elect, 2028-2029