Margaret Oldroyd was President of the Federation of Great Britain and Ireland (SIGBI) of Soroptimist International. As well as the UK and Ireland, SIGBI encompasses many other countries in Africa and the Caribbean together with India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal – 29 in total.
Margaret has been a Soroptimist since 1986. She was attracted by the international character of the organisation and the opportunity to work with like-minded women to improve the lives of women and girls worldwide. She has served as Club and Region President and been a Federation Councillor representing SI members in the Midlands. But first and foremost she is a member of Soroptimist International of Nottingham which she thinks is the best club in the world!
Margaret is a chartered librarian, is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals, and has been particularly involved in the assessment of both professional and para-professional qualifications. Margaret has a lifelong love affair with the theatre and is an avid reader. She is an active supporter of ActionAid, Book Aid International and the Africat Foundation (Namibia).
“Having been Patron during my year as Federation President, I am delighted to continue my involvement with the SI Leeds Literary Prize in 2016. By working in partnership with the Ilkley Literature Festival and Peepal Tree Press, promoting the creation and publication of fiction by black and Asian women, this initiative fulfils our Soroptimist goal of Educating, Empowering and Enabling Women. It quite literally gives a voice to women. I am looking forward to an exciting and stimulating time reading the entries for this year’s prize.”
