Dignitaries, partners, funders and supporters of BWC (Brighton Women’s Centre) congregated on Friday to celebrate 50 years of achievement with staff and volunteers – past and present.
Councillor Bella Sankey, Leader of the Brighton and Hove City Council, hosted the event in the Clarence Suite at the DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropole. BWC Chair of Trustees, Melissa Drayson, reflected on the last 50 years and the journey to where the charity is today while journalist and author, Nell Frizzell, spoke about the role of women’s centres.
The formalities concluded with Lisa Dando, BWC Director, launching a new Strategic Business Plan before everyone celebrated the 50th milestone with delicious vegan birthday cake and gluten free cupcakes.
“It is an enormous achievement for BWC to reach this milestone. As the leader of Brighton and Hove’s Council, I would like to thank Brighton Women’s Centre, and all who have been a part of it, for 50 years of service, and to say how proud I am to live in a city that can still boast the exceptional support of one of the early women’s centres.” Councillor Sankey said
Guests heard from Councillor Bella Sankey about the council’s vision for an inclusive and fairer city and the importance of collaborating with organisations like BWC to empower local communities and remove barriers that prevent women from succeeding.
Melissa Drayson acknowledged that BWC’s achievements across the last 50 years would not have been possible without the dedication, expertise and hard work of staff, volunteers and trustees, both current and previous. From its origins as a volunteer-led organisation, BWC now has a staff team of 40 women working alongside 30 volunteers. Baroness Joyce Gould played an important part in supporting BWC as Patron from 2000 to 2016.
In a statement Baroness Gould said “The history of Brighton Women’s Centre is one of commitment, determination and resolve; resolve to provide support, advice and guidance, needed by so many women, in a safe and secure environment. Today, celebrating its 50th year it is recognised as the leading women’s charity in Brighton and Hove and beyond; the hub of a partnership with other specialist women’s charities – a community of organisations. Its success has been achieved by the foresight and vision of Director Lisa Dando, the team of committed staff, trustees and volunteers.”
Talking about the importance of women’s centres in the community and how sometimes a woman can better understand what another woman needs, journalist and author, Nell Frizzell, spoke eloquently and emotionally about “a quiet, everyday magic to women’s spaces”.
“Every day magic is having shelves you can reach and women you can laugh with and case workers who have been where you are now and want to help move you forward. Every day magic is in packets of pasta and text messages and mothers handing on their old cot sheets and remembering who takes milk in their tea. Every day magic is having buildings and staff and policies and partners, all dedicated to helping self-identifying women, of all backgrounds, to live happier lives.”
50 years of BWC
There was ample evidence on show to back up this sentiment as the 50-year timeline catalogued a comprehensive history of support offered by BWC to women in Brighton & Hove, and more recently Sussex and Kent, since 1974.
The idea of a women’s centre in Brighton was conceived as early as 1969 during meetings of the Brighton Women’s Liberation group. The Women’s Centre was formed in November 1974 by a collective of women who were determined to offer space where women could meet, on their own terms, to gain mutual support and overcome social isolation, and most importantly – feel safe.
“Over 50 years, BWC has weathered many storms and encountered many highs and lows, much like the lives of many of the women we meet. Whenever I’m asked about BWC, I describe our longevity as bittersweet. We’ve been successful in surviving the last 50 years, and we celebrate that we are still here for women. But I don’t think our founders in 1974, who created this safe space for women, would ever have dreamed we would still be needed to help fight for equality 50 years on!” said BWC Director, Lisa Dando
BWC remains true to those same ideals today, working holistically with women in trauma-informed, inclusive safe spaces to enable them to thrive. Run for women by women, BWC offers diverse services to support women who are homeless or insecurely housed, women involved in the criminal justice system, survivors of abuse and discrimination, elderly women, women on low incomes, living in poverty and those struggling with long-term mental and physical health conditions. An onsite Ofsted Registered nursery, awarded Outstanding (July 2023), provides low-cost childcare for mothers and families on low income.
Building With Conviction
The landscape has changed greatly since 2018 when its last Business Plan was published. BWC has seen demand for services increase and has grown to meet this need. In 2023 – 2024, BWC supported 868 women and 14 children and for the first time, in 2024, turnover will be over one million pounds.
The five aims of the business plan have been produced to ensure the charity is equipped and resourced to harness the opportunities that arise from its growth. For the next three years BWC will future proof for sustainable growth – building resilience into its services, amplifying the voices of its community, integrating Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, and strengthening its path to co-production of services with the women it supports.
When launching BWC’s new business plan, Lisa Dando shared the charity’s vision for the future of supporting women in Sussex:
“As we look ahead, we stand firm in our roots of centering women’s voices, co-producing solutions and living our values. At this key milestone, our Strategic Business Plan will allow us to take stock of where we have come from and build with conviction our ambitions for a fairer and more equal society.”
This Strategic Business Plan will ensure the organisation is ready to meet the next 50 years with the conviction that has brought it this far. So that for as long as BWC is still needed, it will still be here.