At our AGM each year, members nominate and vote for a local charity to support through the year through our monthly raffle and cake sales at our meetings, our annual garden party and other ad hoc fundraising events.

Our chosen charity for 2023/24 is Samaritans.org

Garden Parties

We hold a Summer Party each August when a generous SR member opens up their garden to us. Proceeds from drinks, cakes and plants sales and a raffle contribute to fundraising for our chosen charity of the year.

Crafting for Macmillan Cancer Support

In 2022 members began crafting for Macmillan’s Cancer Support team at Whipps Cross Hospital. Our talented crafters have been sewing heart-shaped cushions destined for local women undergoing breast cancer surgery. As of November 2022 over 100 cushions have been donated.

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Crafting against coronavirus

In April 2020 we were approached by the local council, Waltham Forest, to ask if our members might be able to help make facemasks for their volunteers who were going out to the most vulnerable in the community to ensure they were kept in food and medicine supplies during the coronavirus lockdown.

We joined forces with neighbouring sisters at Stow Roses WI, also in the borough of Waltham Forest, and within 6 weeks we had satisfied their request and made over 700 masks!

A heartfelt thank you to all involved.

Protecting the public, providing for Solace

Once the local council’s needs for face masks were satisfied, our members were all sent a face mask for their own protection. Some of their friends and family kindly complimented their masks and asked if they could buy one from us. Our crafters kindly agreed to keep making masks and to sell them with all proceeds going to support Solace.

In helping to protect the public, our crafters have helped their own mental health and fundraised magnificently for Solace. We couldn’t be prouder of them.

Previous fundraising…