Soroptimist International Toowoomba

17/06/2026

🧥 Got Spare Winter Woollies? We’d Love Your Help!

Tony’s Community Kitchen is collecting warm clothing and blankets to support local community members during the colder months.

Clean, quality donations of jackets, jumpers, blankets, scarves, beanies and socks are all greatly appreciated.

A simple donation from you could help someone stay warm this winter. ❤️

📍 Donate in-store today and help us care for our community together.

15/06/2026

Everyone deserves to feel safe, valued and respected 💜

On World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, June 15, we stand together to raise awareness of abuse, mistreatment and neglect of elderly people. Abuse can be financial, emotional, physical, psychological or social, and it’s often hidden.

If you or someone you know needs help, call the Elder Abuse Helpline on 1300 651 192. Free, confidential and anonymous support is available.

15/06/2026

United Nations - Wolrd Elder Abuse Awareness Day

2026 Theme: Beyond Awareness: Making Elder Abuse Prevention Work
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2026 will be marked by an event held at United Nations Headquarters in New York, alongside a major international meeting on the rights of persons with disabilities.

As populations age, more people with disabilities are growing older, and many older persons develop disabilities later in life. This overlap calls for closer coordination between efforts on ageing and disability, especially in areas such as protection, care, and community-based support—all of which are essential to addressing elder abuse.

Elder abuse remains widely under-recognized and under-reported. It can take many forms, including physical, psychological, and financial abuse, as well as neglect. It often occurs in situations where individuals lack visibility, support, or access to services. Addressing this issue requires more than raising awareness. It calls for stronger systems that can prevent abuse and respond effectively when it happens, while respecting the dignity, independence, and rights of older persons.

14/06/2026

🐝 Nature depends on bees far more than most people realize. Their daily work supports biodiversity, healthy ecosystems, and global food production. A future without bees is a future none of us want to see. 🌿💛

14/06/2026

13/06/2026

Technology is part of everyday life……. but it can also be used to control and intimidate.

Technology-facilitated abuse (TFA) isn’t always obvious. It can start subtly and often gets overlooked because it’s hidden behind “normal” tech use.

If something doesn’t feel right in your relationship, your instincts matter.

Ask yourself:
➡️Do they demand access to your passwords or control shared devices?
➡️Do they always seem to know where you are? Even when you haven’t told them?
➡️Do they manage the phone plan, internet accounts, or smart home devices?
➡️Do you worry your devices or online accounts are being monitored?

You deserve privacy. You deserve safety. You deserve control over your own digital life.

If you’re experiencing domestic or family violence, support is available.

Take a look at our Digital Safety section on our website for free resources and information: https://wlsq.org.au/resource/digital-safety/

If you need support:
🚨In immediate danger? Call 000
📱DVConnect (24/7): 1800 811 811
📱1800RESPECT (24/7): 1800 737 732
📱13YARN (24/7): 13 92 76 (for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)

⚖️Free DFV legal help – WLSQ’s Statewide Helpline: 1800 957 957 (Mon–Fri 9 AM–4:30 PM)

12/06/2026

11/06/2026

next time you consider using a plastic bag, remember this image, it breaks my heart.

This isn't just a photo of a monkey in a tree; look more closely it is a direct impact of our "convenience culture." When we use single-use plastic bags for a 20-minute trip from the grocery store, they don't just disappear. They end up in our oceans, our forests, and in the hands of wildlife who don't know any better.
1️⃣ Less pollution: Fewer bags blowing into trees, rivers, and oceans.
2️⃣ Safer wildlife: Animals can return to their natural diets instead of foraging through our trash.
3️⃣ A circular economy: Utilizing recycled materials reduces the demand for raw plastics.

It’s time to phase out disposable plastics for good.
The solution is simple: keep a few reusable bags in your car or by the front door. Small habits create massive change.

Instagram Our 15-minute convenience shouldn't become a lifetime threat to wildlife.
Seeing animals interact with our plastic waste is a stark reminder of why we must discontinue single-use shopping bags.
By switching to reusable, recycled materials, we:
● Keep plastics out of natural habitats and ecosystems.
● Reduce fossil fuel consumption used in plastic production.
● Shrink landfill waste dramatically.
It’s a simple switch with a massive environmental ROI. Let's leave the plastic behind.

Like what we do, have you considered becoming a Soroptimist, there is a club near you, or join our eClub. www.siseap.org

10/06/2026

It's a heavy time to care about women's rights.

Across Australia, we're watching coordinated attacks on abortion access, on safety, on the simple idea that everyone deserves agency over their own life and body.

It's a lot to sit with. But the antidote to feeling powerless is usually other people. And that's exactly what this is.

Last month, 6,000 of us gathered in Melbourne for Women Deliver, the world's biggest feminist conference. We heard from former Prime Ministers, UN representatives, First Nations leaders and grassroots organisers about how they keep fighting, and winning, where they are.

This Thursday, we're bringing some of that home: sharing what we learned, and spending an evening with the people who make this movement what it is.

A free online event. Open to anyone who cares about a fairer world, whether you've been organising for years or you're just starting to pay attention.

Thursday 11 June, 6:30–8pm AEST.

RSVP for your free ticket: https://www.fairagenda.org/women_deliver_20260611