BWC Bulletin April 2025

Updates from Strategic and Partnership Board meetings Lisa attended between January - March 2024.

This activity makes up an important part of my role as Director. This ensures BWC maintains a profile locally, regionally and nationally which attracts potential new funding streams, sustains current income and bolsters our reputation as an exemplar of good practice in trauma-informed care for women and children.

I attended the Worshipful Company of Weavers partnership event with Clinks to showcase best practice in working with women in the CJS. As founding members of NWJC, I also regularly attend the National Women’s Justice Coalition meetings and the NWJC Strategic Influencing group.

I recently met with Anne Clark, Community Safety Manager, BHCC and I was invited to sit on new Oversight Board for the refreshed VAWG Strategy and chair one of the four subgroups – Support for Survivors. I attended the SVA partnership for Sussex.

I have attended the KSS Adult Secure Care Provider Collaborative Women's Pathway Project Steering Group.

I met with Frances Crook, ex CEO of Howard League for Penal Reform and also met with Harriet Morgan, the CEO Cambridge Women’s Centre.

Many local meetings were also attended as Mental Health Rep include regular meetings with MH VCSE representatives across Sussex and monthly B&H Mental Health Transformation and Mental Health and Learning Disabilities and Autism Board and Mental Health Operational Group meetings where scheduling is feasible.

I had the pleasure of attending Rise’s 30-year celebration event.

We take a look at the Women’s Accommodation Support Service. (WASS)

WASS run three women’s hubs (safe, trauma-informed spaces) where women can access a multitude of items such as basic toiletries and FareShare Food where possible. These hubs provide women with the space to find emotional and practical support; the chance to meet other women, to get help and advice around housing and other worrying issues.

The hub in Worthing, run by the West Sussex WASW and an Inspire worker, is run in partnership with Worthing Probation Services.

The two hubs in Eastbourne and Hastings are run by the East Sussex WASW and the Senior Practitioner.

WASS Manager Ruth Britsch was appointed Interim Head of Services at the beginning of the year while Rachael Mackenzie is on maternity leave. Nicky Robinson Dalton stepped up to the role of Interim WASS Manager.

We are also happy to announce that Geri Lawrence was appointed to the Interim Senior Practitioner role at the beginning of March.

Nicky has taken over team recruitment and inductions, and we’re very pleased to welcome Michelle Bulley as the new Women’s Accommodation Support Worker (WASW) in East Sussex. Michelle joined BWC on 16th April and will be working on Wednesdays and Fridays covering the East Sussex Hubs with Geri.

Interviews are taking place soon for the vacant West Sussex and Brighton WASW posts, and once those posts are filled the WASS team will be at full capacity.

As the WASS service is pan-Sussex it is important that that there are enough support workers in post to provide trauma-informed care across the whole county - even if this is remote support.

The WASS team supported 108 women in the last quarter, either through support in our-trauma informed Women's Hubs or individual casework. They have also signposted women to other agencies, such as Shelter, BHT and CGL, for specialist advice.

As Interim WASS Manager, Nicky attends external meetings relating to funding and service provision to make sure there is a continued focus on the emotional well-being of the women that are supported at BWC. The role also encompasses working in partnership with other organisations to ensure BWC is a key voice in discussions around women’s homelessness and the housing crisis across Sussex. Nicky will attend seminars, forums and strategy discussions to keep women’s rights and intersecting needs at the forefront of commissioners’ minds. And will report on quarterly outcomes pan-Sussex for funders and commissioners as well as looking for new funding opportunities.

Nicky regularly attends both Brighton and West Sussex TAGG and the Homeless Operation Forums HOF’s run by Justlife in Brighton and the South East Homelessness Forum. Nicky was recently invited to attend the VAWG homelessness and rough sleepers’ strategy meeting to feedback about BWC concerns about women's experiences of emergency accommodation and the intersectional issues that they face.

Nicky is in discussion with the Partnership Manager at Community Base about BWC being involved in future training of housing officers at BHCC as part of an extension to a pilot project they are running. This link was made through Nicky’s partnership with RISE colleagues, the domestic abuse charity in Brighton and Hove.

As Senior Practitioner Geri will put her extensive skills and knowledge into the smooth running of WASS services and trauma-informed women’s hubs in East Sussex, particularly supervising the WASW with regular check ins through her probationary period. Geri will represent BWC at the East Sussex Temporary Accommodation Action Group (TAAG) currently run by ESTAR.

After completing a skills gap audit in early 2024 the Board of Trustees recruited four new Trustees with specialisms and networks in key areas. Joanne (Joey) Bautista-Connor, Tallulah Frankland, Gillian Holmes and Dr Helen Bowen were all appointed for a one-year term at the AGM in November 2024.

In line with BWC’s constitution that a third of the board be appointed for a three-year term each year, Mary D’Arcy, Amy McConnachie and Amber Woodward-Brown were re-appointed as Trustees. Having served two years on the Board, Amber Woodward Brown became the new Chair after Melissa Drayson (outgoing Chair) stepped down, having served on the Board for nine years.

Amber Woodward-Brown (Chair)

Amber has served 2 years on the BWC Board. She was appointed for a three-year term in 2023.

Amber has a very strong background in Fundraising and Communications, having worked for charities including St John Ambulance, Alzheimer’s Society, Make a Wish UK and Vision Action. Passionate about the social change agenda, she has worked closely with partner charities to drive the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion agenda forward and brings a balanced understanding of the complex and evolving landscape facing charities.

As a director, she is a member of the Institute of Fundraising and also brings real energy to her role as a mentor in the Global Peer to Peer Support Network, which facilitates young talent to access the world of fundraising.

Mary D’Arcy, (she/her) Treasurer

Mary has worked in public service for over 30 years in many roles. These include as a social worker/probation officer, frontline as in probation including for Holloway Prison, in leadership/management most recently as Chief Executive of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Rehabilitation Company (HIOW CRC).

Mary has also worked in Her Majesty’s Courts & Tribunals Service as a national performance manager, the Judicial Appointments Commission and the private sector arm of Probation. She was also a Senior Leader in local Government since 2016, as a Director and Executive Director for three Councils.

Mary first moved to Brighton nearly 36 years ago and has lived here continuously for the last 20 years and is now at a stage in her life and career when she can give more time to those things she is personally invested in and passionate about, such as working to eradicate gender inequality and misogyny and support those women who need our help the most.

Amy MacConnachie, (she/her) Safeguarding Trustee

Amy is a Senior Strategy Manager for Ofgem (the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets) who work to deliver a greener and fairer energy system. Prior to this Amy was the Director of External Affairs at The Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA).

Amy started her career in the charity sector where she worked for over ten years managing teams in policy, public affairs, media, and campaigns. Amy has always been
extremely passionate about social justice and improving the lives of vulnerable people.

She has worked on homelessness, health, and welfare policy, influencing local and national Governments. Prior to working at the REA, she was with Macmillan Cancer Support, where she was responsible for strategic campaigns.

Gillian Holmes

Nominated for appointment for 1 year.
Gillian brings 40 years of experience working in the development sector, having worked for the UK Department for International Development (DFID), various bodies across the UN, as well as two UK charities – the International HIV/AIDS Alliance and, most recently, as the Director of Programmes at the Clean Air Fund.

She has worked on women’s rights and health throughout most of her professional life – notably at the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) where she coordinated and ran the UN’s first programme focussed on the impact of AIDS on women and subsequently at UN Women, combatting rape in war.

Gillian has also been a trustee on the Board of the UK Family Planning Association and has been a Magistrate in Brighton since 2020.

Gillian feels passionately about the need to support and empower women who have suffered institutional, systemic and societal discrimination.

Joey Bautista Connor 

Nominated for appointment for 1 year.
With over a decade of experience in credit control, debt management, and financial strategy, Joey brings a strong track record of driving financial improvements and operational efficiency.

Joey is currently, serving as the Global Head of Revenue Collection, where she leads a team spread across various regions, focusing on collections and financial operations.
Throughout her career she has taken on senior roles in which she implemented effective risk policies, managing complex debt portfolios, and building productive relationships with third-party agencies—all to optimise financial outcomes. She has developed a particular strength in revenue generation and financial planning, and is passionate about using these skills to deliver meaningful results.

Joey says "I’m truly excited to join Brighton Women’s Centre because I am deeply committed to supporting an organisation that empowers women and creates lasting, positive change in the community."

Helen Perry-Bowen

Nominated for appointment for 1 year.
Helen has worked in the violence against women and girls’ sector for most of her career and has engaged with women’s centres in Salford and Manchester.

She is passionate about the need to defend the rights of women and was involved in the merger of Manchester Women’s Aid with the Pankhurst Trust which is based in a heritage centre in Manchester.

Helen was CEO for the Pankhurst Trust incorporating Manchester Women’s Aid (PTMWA) for 7 years and prior to this worked for several local authorities as Multi-Agency Domestic Violence Coordinator. Helen completed an MBA at the University of Sussex having recently been a company director and brings Board experience as a non executive director for Southdown Housing.

She has worked as independent MARAC (Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference) chair in Brighton and admires the work that BWC does to support local women.

Tallulah Frankland 

Nominated for appointment for 1 year.
Tallulah has lived in Brighton since she was 11 years old. She first came to BWC in 2019, to facilitate a focus group with women and staff while working for central government. She went on to write the first policy on how pregnant women and mothers should be supported in prison. This was a proud achievement for her as she understands how deeply the impact of imprisonment is felt within families and more broadly within society.

Tallulah was really inspired by BWC’s 'one-stop-shop' approach. She was also Assistant Ombudsman at the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, so she has also seen the impact when strategy and policy go wrong. Tallulah has since moved into the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, where she is a policy manager on social cohesion and extremism.

Tallulah would like to help ensure the Board is inclusive and representative of all of the communities the centre serves.

Outside of work, she has  been an independent visitor to a child in care for over four years. This experience has developed her understanding of the children's social care sector.

Tallulah says "I am really passionate about improving early years for disadvantaged children in particular. I live in Brighton, near the centre, with my partner and our kitten. I love being around my friends and family and am a big foodie and reader."