The Preston Road Women’s Centre based in the east of Hull, is celebrating as it has received a grant worth over £24,000. The one year grant has been made by the Lloyds TSB Foundation for England and Wales through its Community programme.
Operating from their distinctive purple building on the Preston Road Estate, the Centre provides a safe and friendly space for the women and children of Hull. The grant will contribute to salaries for the centre’s two permanent staff and support the work of its team of thirty volunteers. The centre aims to empower women to overcome the obstacles they may face to reach their full potential in life.
A drop in centre, with an open door policy for all women, runs from 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday at 60-62 Preston Road. Trained staff are on hand to offer support and advice on a range of issues including housing, parenting, benefits and debt. Training courses are available to provide both informal learning and formal qualifications. A crèche is provided to care for children whilst their mothers access the Centre’s services.
The Centre runs a sexual health and family planning clinic specifically aimed at young people under twenty-one. They also operate a specialist domestic violence support service at the Centre which provides over 400 support sessions every year, to women who are lived with or are living with domestic violence and abuse.
Around one thousand women and their children were supported by the Preston Road Women’s Centre in 2007 and they expect demand for their services to grow this year.
Preston Road Women’s Centre co-ordinator Julie Walsh explained the purpose of the project, ‘We aim to provide a holistic support service for the women of Hull and those living on the Preston Road Estate in particular. It is very important to us that we are always led by the needs of local women.’ She added, ‘I believe that over the eight years that our doors have been open, we have developed into a unique service that forms an essential part of this community.’
If you would like to speak to somebody at the centre about their work or if you are interested in volunteering with the Preston Road Women’s Centre, please phone 01482 790 310.
