The pros and cons of broadcasting!


SI Amber Valley report on their (mostly positive) media experience BBC Radio 4 listeners and keen gardeners


may have heard the broadcast at the end of June of Gardener’s Question Time hosted by SI Amber Valley.


The event took place one early evening at The SI of the Americas Convention, San Fransciso


We could not fail to be tempted to travel to Montreal in 2011 by Convention Chair, Yvonne Machuk’s presentation. This will be an historic meeting when we review our Programme Focus, fully launch our Long Term Project and our new international corporate identity. The ‘Live Your Dreams’ Lunch followed, at


which young women told, how by being assisted by SIA, they had achieved their dreams and become independent confident women.


Sharon Fisher. This occasion, held at lunchtime, was a diversion from the usual evening dinner and ceremony. A final speaker in the afternoon was lively and entertaining but with a serious message on how to ‘Party Your Way to Your Club’s Future Success’.


the beginning of June. The recording was a joy. A capacity audience of 200 enthusiastic gardeners was warmed up with a glass of wine and some old jokes. Selected questioners were summoned to the front row and the chairman introduced us. Twice as much material was recorded as broadcast - almost all the banter was edited out and only one Soroptimist question included. The flawless evening was the result of frantic work by SI Amber Valley members. We had applied to host Gardener’s


Delegates at the SI of the Americas Convention


Remaining Federation business completed, the rousing music of a Gospel choir, and the Convention was brought to a close. Kate and I had dinner with a number of SIA members, and IP Hanne continuing the pattern of international friendship apparent throughout. The SIA Governors and the incoming


SI President Hanne at SIA Convention The afternoon session was dedicated to


workshops, and at the invitation of International President Hanne, members from each Federation met with her for informal discussions on many aspects crucial to Soroptimism, not least of all, membership. The evening was ours to enjoy – and we did! The final day started with workshops.


Kate Moore and I attended the ‘Soroptimist International and the UN’ workshop. This was really interesting with explanations of the change in the role of our valuable United Nations Representatives.


The Recognition Lunch followed, focusing


on the service given by members during the year. Although the President would continue to hold Office until 1st September, just as with our Change of Insignia Ceremony, retiring speeches were made by President Cathy and an inaugural speech by the incoming President,


Directors held meetings on the two days following Convention. I was privileged to be invited and regretted that I was unable to stay for the full meeting. This meeting cannot be rushed with regular breaks essential. Not all Governors and Directors have English as their first Language and the interpreters present require regular breaks.


IMPORTANT EXPERIENCES I left for home later that day. My memories


of these visits, are not only those of a warm welcome, of friendship and generous hospitality, but of the opportunity to experience the ways in which Soroptimist business and Programme is managed. Despite our differences, we are the same in our goals; determined to improve the lives of women and girls.


Do I think the experiences and opportunities


to attend the meetings of other Federation are of value? I certainly do and feel these will become increasingly important if we are to work together as a truly international organisation, certain of achieving our vision and mission.


Question Time five or six years ago and forgotten all about it. Eventually our name must have reached the top of the pile. Arranging future broadcasts is obviously a rolling programme with short lead-in time scale. We were contacted by the Assistant Producer only a few weeks before the scheduled date. We needed to find a venue for 250 people, was available on the selected date, had parking for the BBC vans, a room for the producer and the recording engineer, a central stage and be available for eight hours in the afternoon and early evening. Schools were not considered appropriate. We could charge £2.50 for the tickets, but out of that we had to provide wine or juice for all the audience, pay for the room hire and give the BBC team a meal. The BBC team preferred to choose between several proposed venues to select the best. Inspections by the SI team were underway when we lost touch with the assistant producer. She was stranded the other side of the volcanic cloud and the date for recording was moved forward.


Amber Valley is quite a large area, with


Church Halls, Community Halls, Village Halls – lots to consider. Almost all are in frequent use and the eight hours booking time ruled them out. Of the remainder, one was too small, one had an immovable stage, one had unacceptable acoustics. Ironville Church Hall is on the edge of Amber Valley, but it met all the criteria and came with enthusiastic support. A local historian provided the introduction for the chairman and we managed two mentions of Soroptimist International in the broadcast. We had excellent coverage in the local


press complete with a photograph of Soroptimists gardening and one of the Gardener’s Question Time team taken at the event. BBC posters included the word Soroptimist and were widely displayed. The BBC team commented on the


quantity and excellence of the questions – which were collected as people arrived – and the excellence of their refreshments. After all the effort, a profit was made for this year’s charities.


Soroptimist News SEPTEMBER 2010 21


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