Celebrating sisterhood

Oldham women will play a major role when the national Soroptimists conference comes to Manchester for the first time in October.

They will join around 1,500 women from around the world at the 75th anniversary event.

Soroptimists — which means best of sisters — will meet at the Manchester Central Convention Centre.

Norma Parry, publicity officer for the Oldham club, said: “During the war, Soroptimists in Manchester ran a soup kitchen there to feed the boys arriving on the troop trains. Now that’s some years of service for you.”

Members from Oldham will be acting as stewards and helping out with the conference organisation, as well as helping organise entertainment, which includes students from the Royal Northern College of Music.

Delegates include many visitors from Commonwealth countries, and there will be a colourful presentation of national flags by local service cadets.

Soroptimist International began in Oakland, California, in 1921, and has over 90,000 members in 125 countries.

They believe in advancing human rights and the status of women, and working on practical projects aimed at improving life for women all over the world.