To coincide with #Giving Tuesday, Brighton Women’s Centre today launched ‘A Christmas Gift’ Crowdfunding campaign to support women living with fear, insecurity and loneliness.
More than 490 women received support from BWC during 2020-2021, a 13% increase on the previous year despite adapting to remote working during the pandemic. With the increase in demand, we are urgently appealing for donations to raise at least £2,500 to continue providing our vital support services.
The Women’s Accommodation Support Service (WASS) supports women who are homeless or insecurely housed with advice, advocacy, and support for mental and physical well-being. A service user recently said:
“I honestly can’t thank you enough for everything you have done for me, not only did you help us find a home but you were there for me when I needed to talk and wasn’t coping with things.”
BWC relies on donations to provide this free support to women like 21-year-old Hannah*.
Last Christmas, in the middle of the pandemic, Hannah was thrown out of her home by her controlling and violent husband. Hannah didn’t have anywhere to go and spent the night sleeping in a park. She was alone and afraid, and a chronic health condition made sleeping rough even more dangerous for her.
Hannah’s GP referred her to BWC who spoke to the local authority on her behalf to secure a bed in emergency accommodation. She was also referred to the BWC foodbank who helped her to apply for emergency funding in order to buy bedding, some clean clothes, and essential toiletries.
BWC is a safe space for women to get practical assistance and advice from trained staff and volunteers, as well as specialist emotional support from traumatic experiences through our Women’s Counselling and Psychotherapy Service.
Every donation can help BWC provide essential items women need in emergency accommodation.
- £3 could provide basic toiletries such as a toothbrush and toothpaste, shower gel, period products and toilet paper
- £10 could pay for 10 women to receive food, toiletries and menstrual products from our foodbank
- £25 could pay for new bedding as it isn’t always provided in emergency accommodation
- £35 could provide a warm coat or extra layers to keep warm throughout winter.
- £50 could pay for a counselling session for a woman who is looking for specialist emotional support
- £69 could pay for a smart phone enabling a woman to be safe and stay in contact with essential support services
- £90 could train a volunteer to answer our Women Supporting Women phone line to offer women emotional support, advice, information and referrals to other BWC services
To support vulnerable woman across Sussex and Kent, donate to the BWC ‘A Christmas Gift’ Crowdfunding campaign.
The Crowdfunder is running until Friday 7 January 2021.
*name changed to protect her identity