The Nelson Trust, which runs a women’s centre in Bridgwater and works with vulnerable women across Somerset, has launched a Christmas donation appeal. The charity is collecting items for the women it works to enable them to delivering a gift over the festive period to women in need, along with a warm meal.
The Bridgwater women’s centre was opened in July 2019 and provides a women-only space for vulnerable women with multiple complex needs, enabling them to access a wide range of support services in a safe environment.
The centre supports women across nine pathways: accommodation, drugs and alcohol, children and families, health (mental and physical), education, training and employment, finance, domestic abuse (previous and current), sex work and attitudes, thinking and behaviour (e.g. self-esteem and offending behaviour).
A spokesman for the charity said: “We strive to empower the women to make choices that will reduce their risk of reoffending and ultimately increase their wellbeing, therefore all-round life situation.”
Prior to the opening of the Women’s Centre in 2019, Nelson Trust staff were working with 150 women through outreach services across Somerset. They now work with approximately 650 women across Somerset, demonstrating not only the need for these specialist services in the area, but also the positive work that centre is delivering.
The spokesman added: “2020 has been an extremely difficult year for everyone in our community, and the support we provide to women has been more important than ever. We have worked throughout the pandemic, adapting our way of working, to ensure that the support we usually provide to these women has continued efficiently and safely.
“As Christmas quickly creeps upon us, we are collecting donations for the women that we work with and would be hugely grateful for anything that people are able to donate. We will be delivering these gifts over the festive period to women in need, along with a warm meal. This will help us to be able to bring belief, hope and long-term recovery to their lives after such a difficult year.”
Anyone who would like to make a donation can contact the charity by emailing somerset-womens-centre@nelsontrust.com or telephoning 01278 557730.
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