Since 2000, we have worked with over 570 women.
Drop-In
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Our base is open from Tuesday to Thursday, 12pm to 4pm, and from 4pm-5pm on Wednesdays for our mini-church, ‘Shine’.
Drop-In is for women who need somewhere safe to be, some practical help, some advice and support, or simply somewhere to come for a cuppa and a chat.
We also offer meals, laundry facilities, a shower room, access to clothing and toiletries. Drop-in also enables women to get involved in activities, learn new skills and grow in confidence.
‘Shine’ is a time for women to engage in prayer and worship with other women and members of our staff and volunteer team.
Street Outreach
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The Street Outreach Team take to the streets in the minibus up to three evenings a week, meeting women working in the red light district. Our devoted team of drivers, coordinators, and workers join together to support women by providing a listening ear, along with a hot drink, food, warm clothing and prayer.
This provides an opportunity for us to connect with the women - whether it’s a friendly chat or supporting them in accessing services, both at our project and across the city.
Prison Visiting and
Resettlement
We maintain contact with women we know who are spending time in prison, through letter writing, prison visits on alternate Tuesdays, Bible studies on Friday mornings, and a creative art therapy course called Create: New Beginnings on Friday afternoons.
Prison visits allow us to meet women face to face, listen to them and assist them with resettlement structures for their release.
We also provide support on their release from prison. This ranges from assisting contact with probation, giving them lifts, helping them organise details such as bank accounts, or bringing hampers of food and gifts to their homes.
Befriending
We have a team of befrienders who meet with women on a regular basis for a chat, to combat loneliness and isolation. They often meet for coffee in a local cafe and can offer friendship, advocacy and support with building confidence in life skills.
Our befriending scheme is designed to provide additional support, particularly for those who want to make positive changes in their lives. Our staff and volunteers build on relationships with women, to facilitate and empower women on the next stage of their journey.
One to One Appointments
Another way for service users to get support is to have a one to one appointment with us at our drop-in centre or in the community. These appointments are pre-booked, which you can do by phoning 0115 8453691 or heading to the Get Support page of our website.
At these appointments, we will chat through a woman’s support needs and respond accordingly. This could range from help with applications and referrals, to practical assistance, such as receiving one of our #scriptYR bags of essentials.
Off-Street Outreach
This service is currently suspended.
We visit venues across the city where women are working off-street. Through these visits we are able to make initial contact with women, and starting to build trusting relationships with them.
We have a person-centred approach and offer practical, relational and spiritual support to these women, depending on their need. This starts with offering a confidential chaplaincy service and relevant resources to help maintain health and wellbeing.
