In 1972, the Women’s Centre on Upper Brook Street saw a need for an organisation that specifically advocated and supported women across Manchester. Amongst other things, they created a helpline where women could ring and receive advice, share resources and be offered a sympathetic listening ear about anything that was impacting them.
They soon realised that what they really needed was a physical space. A safe place where women could come together in person to be supported. A refuge from their reality. They found out about a property that had been vacant for years and took action.
Angela Carter, Luchia Fitzgerald, Kath Caulfield and Fran Brody squatted the property and began spreading the word of their action. Support from the public came and within weeks someone came forward to purchase the property for them.
This was the foundation of Manchester Women’s Aid (MWA). The second ever refuge in the country and the first outside of London. It would take two more years for the local authority to formally recognise the refuge. That was in 1974, and 50 years later, we still use this property to this day to provide a home to women who have fled domestic violence.
MWA now has six refuges and five dispersed properties.
We are using our 50th anniversary with a year that will seek to make a difference to the lives of the children that it supports in its refuges and within the community. It wants to give these children reasons to smile and to bring them moments of joy.
The children’s perspective doesn’t always get the same focus as that of adults, but in fact children make up the greatest number of those living temporarily in our refuges.
Removed from their familiar environment and forced to move schools, they are unable to have their friends over due to the secrecy of their address and can sometimes struggle to express themselves with all the uncertainty of their new surroundings.
We want to transform the lives of these children by putting them front and centre. We are asking for your help to help us give these families a chance to make new memories.
£20 could help pay for a weekly tutor session while they wait for a new school place
£50 could help pay for a personalised welcome box
£100 could help pay for a refuge based activity
£500 could help pay for a day trip during the school holidays
Please donate now to help us put a smile on their faces by giving them places to play, days that bring joy and moments of happiness.
Would you like to get in touch about this campaign?
Please email fundraising@pankhursttrust.org.
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