“Say No To Plastic,” a project which Soroptimist International Anguilla has been promoting for the past two years, has won its proud members the top Best Practice Award over many other Clubs around the world. It was presented by President Carwen Wynne-Howells at the Federation Conference in Cardiff, Wales, last week.

Environment Committee: L-R: Josephine Gumbs, Alison Carty, Brenda Carty, Patricia Gumbs and Raheema Sharma

The presentation was made to Soroptimists Josephine Gumbs, Councillor, and Brenda Carty, Programme Action Convener, who represented their Club at the Conference at which there were representatives from 28 countries in the Federation of Great Britain and Ireland, comprising 365 clubs.

The Anguilla Soroptimists and other Clubs from throughout the Federation presented their projects during the Conference. Anguilla, which was nominated as having one of the best projects in the Environment category, made its presentation through a film produced by Rocklyn Maynard.

President of the Soroptimist Club of Anguilla, Blondell Rodgiers, noted that it was not an easy win for the island, taking into consideration that there were many projects submitted by clubs from around the world. She thanked Soroptimist Brenda Carty and her team for a job well done. “It is not an easy project, and it certainly entails a lot of hard work, but it has paid off,” she added. “I am positive that we will continue to promote ‘Say no to Plastics.’”

The Conference attracted some 1700 Soroptimists from the United Kingdom and around the world. They were welcomed by First Minister for Wales, Rhodri Morgan, and the Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Brian Griffiths. Performances were given by Welsh singers, Welsh dancers from the Cardiff Folk dance Company, a harpist, a euphonium quartet from the Welsh College of Music and Drama and soprano Angharad Rees.

Inspirational speakers included Chris Moon, Ian Woodall and Christina Lamb, an award-winning journalist who was named Foreign Correspondent of the year in 2007. Moon, a victim of a landmine that caused him to lose an arm and a leg, spoke of how being positive pays and about the many challenges he faced and overcame. Woodall, one of the few persons to have climbed Mount Everest, spoke on how insights gained on the mountain could enhance personal inspiration and practical leadership skills.

The Anguilla Club is a member of Soroptimist International of Great Britain and Ireland Federation and each year sends representatives to the annual conference. The next conference will be in Manchester, England, in October 2010.

In the meantime, members of the Club in Anguilla are urging the public to assist them in their campaign by purchasing and using reusable bags for their shopping, and by purchasing biodegradable products in the form of plates, cups, bowls, napkins and garbage bags available at the Anguilla National Trust.

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