One of Barnstaple’s best-kept secrets marks 75 years of service

For three quarters of a century local women in Barnstaple have worked quietly but with great determination as part of a group dedicated to tackling serious issues that cause harm, hardship and even loss of life.

On Tuesday, September 15, Soroptimist International Barnstaple and District will mark its 75th anniversary.

The local club is part of the wider South West and Channel Islands region of Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland – once, membership was open only to professional women such as teachers.

But these days membership is open to any woman who cares about issues that affect women and girls in particular.

For the past 20 years, Barnstaple club members have scattered petals on the River Taw as part of the annual 16 Days of Activism for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, when female and male survivors of domestic abuse are celebrated and those who paid with their lives are remembered.

Throughout the year, the Soroptimists work to help raise awareness of domestic abuse and the support that is available.

Another vital effort has been the battle against drink spiking and for the past four years members have worked with the police licensing team on its drink spiking awareness campaign, with deterrents being placed in all licensed premises in Barnstaple and surrounding areas.

They have attended festivals and colleges, pointing out the dangers and myths of spiking and handed out packs of free deterrents, Spikeys, that fit over the tops of bottles and StopTopps, that cover glasses.

It all began in 1951 when Soroptimist International of Barnstaple was chartered as part of the international women’s service organisation.

The first club president was Margaret Brannam of the famous pottery family and the first attendance book illustrates the rules of membership back then, with being a ‘professional’ woman a requirement and the names of the headmistress of the local girls’ school and a midwife among those listed.

Current president Irene Hockin joined the Barnstaple club 30 years ago and has held the role of president multiple times.

She said: “I was a haulage contractor in a man’s world and did not have much contact with women’s groups, but I was introduced to the club and I felt that women needed a voice locally.

“At that time there was a lot of ‘service’ things that you could do that were cut back due to food hygiene and health and safety legislation, so we have to raise awareness these days rather than provide service in that traditional way.

“We still call ourselves the best-kept secret because we don’t go out banging our chests saying what we have done.

“We pick up on things we can make a difference with locally and internationally and try to raise awareness of them in the best possible way that we can.

“For example, the drink spiking initiative, the issue isn’t new and women knew about it years ago, but new methods keep appearing, such as spiking vapes. Going to the festivals and hearing peoples’ stories reinforces the need for us to carry on doing what we are doing.”

The past 75 years have seen the club react to news of the day by distributing leaflets on issues such as debt relief and domestic abuse or details on how best and where to recycle household items, long before this became commonplace.

When it hit the news that North Devon had a high number of teenage pregnancies, members raised funds to purchase infant simulators that were presented to two local schools, to demonstrate to young women how having a baby could badly affect their education.

Since 1982, the Barnstaple club has supported two secondary schools in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, through its friendship link with the club there and has raised funds through recycling clothing, enabling the schools to be supplied with items they can’t easily get.

One past member of the Barnstaple club, Marion Stallard, a local lawyer, was International President from 1967 to 1969.

She is quoted as stating, in her installation speech: “We do not seek any gain for ourselves, we believe wholeheartedly in the aims that unite us.”

Summing up what Soroptimists stand for, Irene said: “It’s meeting a need that we consider to be there, to raise awareness and to make people talk about things that concern them. When we go to festivals or our petal scattering every year, people come forward to talk to us about their concerns.

“I love being a Soroptimist; it’s opened up my world to needs out there that we can take action on and being able to work together with like-minded people to make a difference.”

Any local women that would like to find out more about Barnstaple Soroptimists or to join are welcome to get in touch via their web page at https://sigbi.org/barnstaple/about-our-club-2 or visit the Barnstaple and District Soroptimists Facebook page.