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Women’s Health Matters at Nottingham Women’s Centre

Nottingham Women’s Centre is thrilled to be hosting the Women’s Health Matters series of workshops and events, funded by the Women’s Health Community Fund, run by Wellbeing of Women and Holland & Barrett.

Nottingham Women’s Centre’s Women’s Health Matters project aims to bring education, empowerment & awareness to women about their health and well-being. Women’s Health Matters is here for you, because your health is so important. We’re here to increase knowledge and raise awareness about women’s health issues. We’re creating spaces for conversation to break down barriers. Together, we’ll smash taboos about gynaecological health! And we’re here to listen to your lived experiences on these matters too. 

Louisa Matthews, CEO of Nottingham Women’ Centre said:  

“We are delighted to receive funding from the Women’s Health Community Fund. This money will help us to ensure that we can reach more women in the communities that we work with, to provide education and empowerment on gynaecological health. We are excited to create space for important conversations, remove stigma and to celebrate women’s bodies and health.  

Our workshops will give women the opportunity to feel seen and heard, and feedback to us on what topics are the most important to them. Thank you to Holland & Barrett, and Wellbeing of Women for the grant!”

Janet Lindsay, Chief Executive of Wellbeing of Women, comments:  

I am thrilled to continue our partnership with Holland & Barrett and the important work that we are doing to improve women’s health education across the life-course from within local communities working with marginalised women. This aligns closely to the work that our Health Collective is doing to give a voice to women from marginalised communities, enable them to influence policy and provide a space for them to share experiences and solutions to common problems. 

This new funding initiative will enable grassroots organisations to reach more women from marginalised communities. From periods to menopause, the workshops being funded by the Women’s Health Community Fund will provide critical resources, education, and support, fostering an environment where every woman can thrive and be heard.

Clare Stafford, Director of Communications at Holland & Barrett said:  

We’ve already seen the huge impact that community-based projects like Women’s Health Matters can make, so we’re pleased to be able to offer much needed support and funding in partnership with Wellbeing of Women. At Holland & Barrett, we are on a mission to increase education and access to women’s health, break down stigmas, and offer women a safe space to go for support at all life-stages from menstruation to menopause and beyond.

The fund, which has committed a total of £75,000 since September 2023, forms part of Holland & Barrett’s ‘Women’s Wellness Commitment’.  

NWC Policy Updates – Election Edition: Summer 2024

The year 2024 brought with it local and general elections across the country. For people in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, this included a unique opportunity to elect the first ever Mayor for the East Midlands Combined County Authority, and a Police and Crime Commissioner. A hugely important local election that will shape the lives of local communities for decades to come!

Nottingham Women’s Centre is excited to bring you this Election Edition of our policy updates, featuring our election campaign and current issues on our radar!

1. What We’re Working On

Prosecution for School Non-Attendance and Impact on Women

Prosecuting parents for their children’s non-attendance in school is yet another government intervention that has failed to consider and support the intersecting needs and experiences of women. In previous research by the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, 71% of the 16,406 people prosecuted for truancy in 2017 were women, 74% of those convicted were women, 80% of those given a suspended sentence were women, 83% of those given a community order were women, and nine of the ten people sent to prison were women.

Recently, through our Ministry of Justice project, Nottingham Women’s Centre has seen several women prosecuted and fined with huge sums of up to £2500 for their children’s absence from school. These women are often single mothers with no previous prosecutions. Our preliminary findings show significant negative impact, evidenced in the experiences of these women. These impacts include enormous financial pressure in the current high cost of living, damaged parent-child relationship, negative barriers to work due to a criminal record, and separation from children due to prison custody.

In the words of one woman:

I was trying to change jobs during the time and my new employer asked me, ‘What were you sentenced for?’

Another woman told us:

My daughter is being bullied in school and I have to choose between watching her get bullied and self-harm as a result, or face prosecution.

Research shows that reasons for school absences – which includes bullying, and lack of support for children’s mental health – are often beyond the control of parents/mothers and require a holistic and supportive approach, rather than the current punitive stance.

Our Actions

We have steered strategic meetings with Nicholas Lee (Director of Education, Nottingham City Council) and Councillor Cheryl Bernard (Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education), Councillor Georgia Power (Bestwood ward) and MP Nadia Whittome towards driving crucial change to support women and parents towards improving school attendance.

Following this, in February MP Nadia Whittome submitted two written parliamentary questions regarding school places and the waiting times for Special Educational Needs (SEN) Assessment which impacts on school non-attendance.

As part of our campaign on school non-attendance, we will be running listening sessions with women who have experience of this issue to learn what works and how to support parents, children and schools to improve school attendance.

Your Voice

We would like to hear from you (or if you are a group / organisation that works with women) if you:
• Have experience of prosecution or fines for children’s school non- attendance.
• Are passionate about this issue and would like to contribute to this campaign.
Please email ezinwanne@nottinghamwomenscentre.com.

WOMEN’S HEALTH MATTERS Project

We’ll soon be launching our Women’s Health Matters (WHM) project! Women’s Health Matters will run as a series of workshops aimed to raise awareness about gynaecological conditions and reproductive health issues, to educate and empower women on health issues, and to celebrate women’s health and bodies.

Your Voice

If you have specific topics on women’s health you’d like to hear about or would like to be involved in the project, please email ezinwanne@nottinghamwomenscentre.com.

2. What We’ve Achieved


The Impact of Alcohol Tags on Women

Since March 2021, courts in England have introduced Alcohol Abstinence and Monitoring Requirements (AAMRs) where drinking was a factor in a crime. An alcohol tag is imposed within an AAMR for adult offenders as a requirement of a community order or suspended sentence order for an alcohol-related offence, or an associated offence that is alcohol-related.

AAMRs ban offenders from drinking alcohol for up to 120 days and offenders must wear an alcohol monitoring tag as part of their community sentence. Compliance is monitored electronically through the alcohol tag which monitors the presence of alcohol in offender’s sweat. A recent report shows high compliance rates, however there is yet no evidence of their impact on offenders. It is reported that 70% of persons recovering from alcohol addiction will relapse during the first year, particularly the first three months.

Our Actions

Through its case work, Nottingham Women’s Centre has identified a case on the adverse impact of alcohol tags on women’s health and wellbeing. We submitted a request for a written parliamentary question on alcohol tags to MP Nadia Whittome. On our behalf, she asked the Secretary of State for Justice whether the Department conducted a women-specific impact and health needs assessment prior to the roll out of the use of alcohol monitoring tags.

Read the response from the government here

Your Voice

If you’ve worked with women undergoing alcohol tag monitoring, or would like to feed into our briefing to the government please email ezinwanne@nottinghamwomenscentre.com.

Our Letter to Nottingham City Council on Budget Cuts

Nottingham Women’s Centre wrote a letter to Councillor David Mellen, the previous Leader of Nottingham City Council, and Mel Barrett, the previous Chief Executive of Nottingham City Council stating the collective stance of women and women’s organisations on the proposed budget cuts. We expressed a deep concern for the disproportionate impact of budget cuts on women and women’s organisations, and emphasized the importance of considering gender equality implications in budgetary decision-making processes, urging the Council Leaders to prioritise the needs of women and marginalised communities.

3. What’s On Our Radar

Shortage of Refuge Spaces: Shortage of refuge spaces can put survivors of domestic abuse at risk. In addition to the lack of available spaces, refuge providers face significant challenges in resettling women with no recourse to public funds as they do not have access to housing benefits and therefore tend to stay longer in refuge spaces.

Lack of support for parents who have experienced child removal in Nottingham. Pause Practices that work to improve the lives of women who have had – or are at risk of having – more than one child removed from their care, closed their service in Derbyshire due to no further funding from the local authority. Other support organisations that serve England and Wales are Family Rights Group, and Post Adoption Centre.

Lack of school places for child survivors of domestic abuse. In a 2023 report from The Domestic Abuse Commissioner, “five key themes emerged from the discussions with frontline practitioners about the challenges they face while supporting child victims of domestic abuse. These were (1) a lack of professional understanding of domestic abuse, (2) a lack of co-ordinated multi-agency working, (3) a high level of local variation in approach, (4) a lack of knowledge and consensus regarding best practice and (5) a lack of support and funding.” According to Nottinghamshire Police, earlier this year, “an amendment to the Victims and Prisoners Bill was made which once enacted will make it a legal requirement for all forces in the country to participate (with Operation Encompass). The hope is that the initiative will help reduce the long-term impacts of domestic abuse on children through providing them with early intervention and will enable teachers to gain a better understanding of the impact of domestic abuse on young people. It may also help partner agencies to direct resources where they are most needed, reducing risk to children and families.”

Women released from prison with no fixed abode are often assessed as not having priority needs, increasing the likelihood of their reoffending. This is despite recognition by The Prison Reform Trust that “appropriate accommodation for people who offend is the foundation of successful rehabilitation(… and) can provide the anchor for a previously chaotic life and act as a springboard for other crucial steps – such as getting and keeping a job, and accessing health care or drug treatment.” Despite this recognition, “an inspection of Through the Gate resettlement services for short-term prisoners by HM Inspectorate of Probation and HM Inspectorate of Prisons, found that 13% of women were released from prison to no fixed abode and only 22% were released with secure permanent accommodation. Social housing can often not be applied for while the women are still in prison which means it has to be resolved at short-notice on release.”

4. Women’s Voices & Votes

Political Engagement Workshops

This March, we hosted two workshops to encourage women to be more politically engaged!

We Vote! Women in Nottinghamshire! was a brilliant workshop to celebrate the power of women’s voices & our right to vote! There was discussion on how Parliament works, voter registration, and how to vote.
Get to Know Women Councillors in Nottinghamshire was an inspiring and insightful event, where women could connect with local women councillors to discuss the experiences of being a politician and the different pathways to starting a political career.

Councillors in attendance at the second workshop were Councillor Audrey Dinnall (Leen Valley), Councillor Neghat Khan (Dales), Councillor Kirsty Jones (Mapperley), Councillor Faith Gakanje-Ajala (Bilborough), Councillor Shuguftah Quddoos (Berridge), Councillor Linda Woodings (Basford), Councillor Helen Kalsi (Bilborough) and Councillor Georgia Power (Bestwood).

Get to Know Women Councillors in Nottinghamshire
Get to Know Women Councillors in Nottinghamshire

Check out this great blog about this event written by Penny, one of our volunteers…

Read Penny’s blog piece!

LOCAL ELECTIONS: EAST MIDLANDS COMBINED COUNTY AUTHORITY AND POLICE AND CRIME COMMISSIONER (PCC)

In May, Nottinghamshire had two important elections. That of the Police and Crime Commissioner and the new East Midlands Mayor for the Combined County Authority.
Nottingham Women’s Centre would like to extend our congratulations to Claire Ward for her recent victory in the mayoral election for the East Midlands Combined County Authority and Gary Godden for his win as the new Police and Crime Commissioner for Nottinghamshire. We look forward to collaborating with the Mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner to bring about meaningful change for women in our communities.

She Votes: Nottingham Women’s Manifesto for the Mayor & PCC
Nottingham Women’s Centre launched a manifesto, aimed at ensuring that women’s needs were not only heard but also prioritised at the Mayoral and PCC elections. Being our first Mayoral election, it was an opportunity to ensure that the voices of women fundamentally shape the policies and operations of the new Mayor and Combined Authority.

This manifesto is a reflection of the diverse challenges and aspirations of women in our communities, on issues that fall within the powers of the Combined Authority: housing, transport, skills and economic development, and net zero.

Our Overarching Asks to the EMCCA Mayor & PCC

  • Establishment of mechanisms through which women’s voices in all their diversity are heard and consulted in decision making across the region with representation from a diverse range of women’s groups and organisations.
  • Funding for specialist women’s organisations and groups who provide valuable support to women across these policy areas and are often best placed to deliver the right services, at the right time to those who need it the most.
  • Transparency and accountability through the publication of comprehensive equality impact assessments for all decisions, especially where investments are being made, and collection of disaggregated data across gender, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and other protected characteristics.

Read our full Mayor/PCC Manifesto for Women here:

Read the #SheVotes Manifesto

She Votes Women’s Hustings in April

Nottingham Women’s Centre was delighted to welcome candidates standing for Mayor and PCC from across the political spectrum to our She Votes: Women’s Hustings on 24th April. This included: Claire Ward (Labour), Frank Adlington Stringer (Green), Helen Tamblyn-Saville (Liberal Democrats), Alan Graves (Reform UK) and Matt Relf (Independent), for the East Midlands Mayor Election, and Caroline Henry (Conservative), Gary Godden (Labour) and David Watts (Liberal Democrats) for the Police Crime Commissioner Election. It was a well-attended event that provided a space for women to question the candidates on issues that impact their lives. Those who could not attend sent questions in advance through the Centre.

Read about the Hustings here:

Read about the #SheVotes Hustings

THE GENERAL ELECTION

Nottingham Women’s Centre would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to the elected Members of Parliament (MPs) in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. We are keen to work with the new government to ensure the needs of women are at the centre of policy. The 2024 General Election brings us closer to the goal of 50/50 representation as women now make up 40% of the House of Commons. Now the election is over, we ask the elected MPs to take tangible steps to address the Women’s Organisations Network Manifesto asks for women in Nottingham and ensure that the needs of women and girls are at the heart of policy making.

Nottingham Women’s Organisation Network (WON) Women’s Manifesto

The Women’s Organisations Network (WON) is the largest coalition of women’s groups and organisations in Nottinghamshire, with over 100 members. We launched our first combined women’s manifesto before the general election. There are proposals for achievable change to improve the lives of women and girls in Nottinghamshire and beyond. The manifesto was developed by a steering group of five organizations (Nottingham Women’s Centre, Juno Women’s Aid, Equation, Nottinghamshire Sexual Violence Support Services, and POW Nottingham). It incorporates contributions from WON member organisations, survey responses from our wider network of women, and current research on women, by women.

This manifesto includes and supports the policy asks of many other women’s organisations and coalitions nationally that we are connected to – the #SheVotes24 Coalition, the National Women’s Justice Coalition, Agenda Alliance, Women’s Resource Centre, End Violence Against Women Coalition, Women’s Budget Group, and Rape Crisis England and Wales amongst others.

Nottingham Women’s Organisation Network calls on the new Government for a commitment to:

  • A dedicated role for a Secretary of State for Women and Girls in cabinet to champion and prioritise the needs of women and girls, at the highest level of politics as called for by Agenda Alliance.
  • Policy making that centres women through a gendered approach to the design, monitoring and evaluation of policies. Central to this is the collection of disaggregated data at the local and national level.
  • Sustainable funding for community-based women’s centres and specialist women’s organisations, especially those that are run by and for specific groups (such as Black women’s organisations).

Read our WON manifesto asks here

The WON Manifesto & Asks

OUR QUESTIONS TO PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES

Nottingham Women’s Organisations Network wanted to know about the commitment of all political parties to the issues affecting women and girls. We asked six questions to all parliamentary candidates in Nottingham/ Nottinghamshire to find this out. Read our six questions and the responses we received from candidates:

Responses from Candidates

COUNCILLOR NEGHAT KHAN & MAYOR CLAIRE WARD AT WON MEETING IN JUNE

June 2024 WON Meeting
June 2024 WON Meeting

Nottingham Women’s Centre congratulates Councillor Neghat Khan on her appointment as the new Leader of Nottingham City Council. We were excited to welcome Councillor Neghat Khan and Mayor Claire Ward to the Women’s Organisation Network Meeting in June. This was an opportunity to hear about the priorities of the two new local leaders, and share perspectives from the women’s sector. We hope to continue this collaborative relationship to ensure that women’s voices are heard in all decision making!

Notts Pride 2024

Join Nottingham Women’s Centre and our partners on the march!

NOTTS PRIDE 2024

Want to be a part of this celebration of equality and inclusivity in our city? Then join us at the march for visibility, education and celebration on Saturday 27th July 2024! Meet up with us before the march at Nottingham Women’s Centre (NWC) from 9.30am if you’re coming on your own or want to arrive as part of a group. Then head over to Lister Gate with us, to lead the march through Nottingham city centre. 

We’ll be up at the front of the march this year, proudly representing an inclusive women’s sector. We’ve been providing support and sanctuary to all self-identifying women, in the heart of the city for over 50 years. We’re proud to take part in the East Midlands’ biggest all-embracing Pride event. As part of Notts Pride and the global Pride movement, we believe in celebrating all LGBTQIA+ people and challenging discrimination. Nottinghamshire should be a place to be proud of – a city and county where everyone feels safe and is not afraid to be themselves. 

Join us on the day!
Join us on the day!

We’ll be at the Centre from 9.30am with tea and biscuits and other refreshments. There’ll be info about NWC and our partners, free period products, as well as stickers, badges and other fun and festive items for the day! We’ll be heading over to Lister Gate to join the start of the march at around 10.30am. You can also meet us at Lister Gate between 10.30am and 11am. Just look out for the big purple banner that says ‘Nottingham Women’s Centre’!  

March with us!
March with us!

Want to join us on the Notts Pride march? Get in touch with NWC Reception and leave your name, email address and mobile number: 0115 941 1475 / reception@nottinghamwomenscentre.com, or come along to the Centre or the start of the march at Lister Gate on the day.  

*Please note, when joining us on the march at Notts Pride, there will be press and photographers present in a public space. This means that photos may be taken of us all as part of the march and crowd, without the requirement for prior consent.  

See the route planned for this Saturday 27th July!

NOTTS PRIDE

Women United 2024!

We have a really special event coming up this weekend. It’s the Women United 2024 football tournament, which takes place every year to fundraise for Nottingham Women’s Centre in Tara Newbold’s name.  

Women United Football Tournament 2024
Women United Football Tournament 2024

We wanted to tell you all a bit more about why this event is so important to us, and the amazing impact that Women United’s fundraising has had over the years.  

Women United was founded in 2018. Raising funds for Nottingham Women’s Centre through a women’s football tournament and huge raffle in memory of Tara Newbold.  
   
Tara was a family member & friend to those who organise the tournament. Tragically, Tara lost her life as the result of domestic violence in October 2016, and as a group they wanted to turn something devastating into a positive in Tara’s name.

The Tara Newbold Memorial Cup
The Tara Newbold Memorial Cup

The trophy teams are playing for is the Tara Newbold memorial cup and Tara’s Mum will once again be presenting the trophy to the winning team on the day.  
  
With the help of their amazing supporters Women United have contributed to the vital work we do, creating a safe and supportive space for all women, including those experiencing domestic violence and abuse. By supporting this event you really do make a difference.  

Over the years, Women United have raised an incredible £12,021.68 since the first tournament back in 2018! This year the group have set a very specific target amount to raise – £2,978.32, taking the total raised since the beginning to £15,000!!!  

We wanted to share some of the truly inspiring feedback from those accessing our support. These quotes really show what an amazing impact the work here at NWC has had on the lives of women. 

We’ve also heard from those delivering the support about how the funds raised have helped them continue the amazing work they do.  

We hope you can join us on the day to show your support!! Whether as a player or spectator, it should be lots of fun! There’ll be plenty of game time, a friendly atmosphere, epic raffle prizes, pitch side snacks, and legendary post-game celebrations!!   

You can also show your support in the best way by purchasing some raffle tickets to help fundraise. You can buy raffle tickets in person on the day of the event, or by popping into Nottingham Women’s Centre ahead of the day, or by heading over to Women United’s Facebook page and following the link to their Local Giving page.   

We look forward to seeing you there!!! Thanks again for your support, especially to Women United for your incredible fundraising over the years!! We couldn’t do it without you!!  

Women United 2024
JOIN US ON THE DAY!!

Fundraising Friends Finish Inflatable 5K

Our amazing caseworker Joanna and her fab friends took part in the Inflatable 5K last month.

They were raising money for our Crisis Fund, which helps provide vital support for women in Nottingham.

Joanna (right) and her friends at the finish line
Joanna (right) and her friends at the finish line

Hear about Joanna and her friends’ adventures completing the course…

On 13th April my friends and I completed the Inflatable 5K to help raise funds for Nottingham Women’s Centre’s (NWC) Crisis Fund. I wanted to do something for fitness and fun, and to help others.  Alongside me were a team of 3 mums and their 3 children. As we set off the weather was good, and so were the friends I ran with. They breezed through the course, but I quickly realised I’d been left behind! My friend’s son decided to hang back and we walked it together.  

Clamouring over giant inflatables, which was lots of fun if a little bit risky! Swinging over one obstacle, crawling through tunnels, dodging holes, racing past inflatable hammers, or stepping round inflatable pillars which bounce back almost knocking me out, up huge steps, down huge steps, running and jumping over inflatable walls!! I was lucky not to lose a shoe or pick up an injury!! I then realised we had to do the course twice!  

The finish line slide
The finish line slide

We had lots of fun and banter as we went round again. Through bungy wires and over inflatables, we made it to the finish sliding down a giant inflatable bouncy castle slide for a photo. Even if it was 10 minutes after everyone else! It made for a really fun day! As a team we raised over £600 for NWC’s Crisis Fund. Thank you to all our supporters for all the generous and kind donations. 

Joanna's finish line slide
Joanna’s finish line slide

It was a great day, a lot of fun to be running through the inflatable obstacles with friends and family. I’m proud of raising money for Nottingham Women’s Centre as it’s such a worthy cause.

Tamsin
A well deserved medal and an amazing effort!
Joanna with a very well deserved medal! What an amazing effort!

Well done Joanna and friends!! Incredible effort all round, and we’re so grateful to you all for your support!

If you would like to take on a fun challenge to raise some much-needed funds to support women in Nottingham, have a look at our Fundraising page!

DONATE TO NOTTINGHAM WOMEN’S CENTRE

She Votes: Women’s Hustings

What did we hear from the candidates?

What did we hear from the candidates?
What did we hear from the candidates?

We were pleased to welcome candidates standing to be East Midlands Mayor and Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) to our hustings on Wednesday 24th April. Ahead of the event, we published our Women’s Manifesto, setting out our demands for what we would like to see from the newly elected Mayor and from the PCC across the areas that they will have influence over.

Our CEO Vandna was chairing:  

Our CEO Vandna was chairing
Our CEO Vandna was chairing

“Our mission at Nottingham Women’s Centre is to enable women to reach their full potential. To have their voices heard and overcome barriers to creating a better future for themselves. To achieve this, engaging in the political process is an imperative. Women have fought long and hard for the right to vote. A staple of every election in discussion is of women’s votes, as if women are distinct from the normal vote. Given that women make up 51% of the UK’s population, they are an even greater proportion of eligible voters. And they are just as likely to vote as men. The average voter is in fact a woman. So those standing for elected positions here today would be best advised not to ignore our potential for driving election results!”   

Questions to The Police and Crime Commissioner Candidates:

How will you ensure women’s voices are listened to in improving the experiences of women when they interact with the Police?   

All candidates started with outlining their experience, background, and key priorities for the role, which you can read about on their websites.

Key points from their answers are summarised below:   

Gary Godden  

Gary Godden, Labour
Gary Godden, Labour
  • Tackling violence against women and girls is a key pledge.  
  • Specialist staff in control rooms along with a Labour national pledge to implement ‘Raneem’s Law’.   

“I don’t know if you’ve heard the name Raneem and the story of how she called the police 13 times, and guess what? She ended up being murdered. Not good enough on my watch. That’s not good enough. It’s not acceptable.”   

  • Making sure women’s services are supported and women are believed – working with women’s organisations to make sure that if a woman or girl comes to the police with a complaint, they are believed.   

“My job is to hold the police to account, and I will make sure that that happens.”   

  • Increase conviction rates in line with Labour’s national targets   
  • Support resources for women coming out of prison or experiencing domestic violence and abuse   

Caroline Henry  

Caroline Henry, Conservatives
Caroline Henry, Conservatives

Caroline talked about her achievements in her current role as Police and Crime Commissioner and outlined the following:   

  • A violence against women and girls strategy developed in collaboration with different organisations and groups .
  • Prevention:

“We all know that we’ve got to prevent crimes from happening in the first place and I’m passionate about early intervention and going into schools, and for the first time we’ve been funding through Equation a programme called GREAT”

  • Response:

“I want to make sure that if somebody rings the police, first of all they are believed, they are supported and they are really listened to. That’s really important. And also I want to make sure we capture best evidence which is why I invested in a new sexual assault research referral centre and also a children’s sexual assault referral centre. So we capture best evidence when needed and respond.”  

  • Support – introducing ‘opt out’ rather than opt in for victim services and supporting the role of independent sexual violence support.   
  • Support for hard-to-reach communities to be able to report to the police, such as for those with English as a second language, and Deaf communities .

David Watts   

David Watts, Liberal Democrats
David Watts, Liberal Democrats
  • Need to completely change the male dominated culture to enable women’s voices to be heard.  

“And that change has to be at every level of the police. So it means not just that bobby on the beat, but their supervisors have to make sure that that sort of attitude is not accepted”   

  • Training for police officers to listen to and believe victims.  
  • Root out police officers who will not change.  

“And say sorry, but that is not good enough. It is not acceptable to have misogynistic behaviour within the police.”   

  • Role of the PCC is to hold the police to account  

“If things don’t change, then that’s a failure of the Police and Crime Commissioner.”  

Other questions for the PCC candidates included issues around the behaviour and training of police officers; the response to post-separation domestic abuse; the ability for the PCC to hold the police to account if they themselves have been part of institutions such as the police before; prosecution and conviction rates for different crimes relating to violence against women and girls; and safer streets for women.   

We have summarised key quotes from their answers below:  

Caroline Henry 

“I’m really sorry about that experience and none of that has been brought to my attention before. Surviving economic abuse is a massive issue. Absolutely needs more training. Obviously been a mistake there. Happy to look into it. There’s been a lot to do and I’m sorry that’s not been on my radar. It will be, going forward as well.”  

“The way to solve this is a whole system approach like I spoke of before about preventing crimes from happening in the first place. Changing violent behaviour, so women feel safe to walk down the street, getting allies and bystanders to step in because there is a plan. It’s part of the budget that’s put in place for 2024. It’s already in place. We are increasing labour but it’s a whole system approach.”  

Gary Godden 

“We talk about training. Police officers are trained, but this is about accountability, and this is about holding the Chief Constable to account and if we don’t have that confidence, then we lose confidence in terms of our communities and you in your homes. It’s really important to try and understand and work with the training aspect of the police, but it’s also more important that those police officers that don’t want to toe the line or follow that path, or feel that the training isn’t appropriate, then they are removed. I’ve worked in the police; I’ve seen behaviours that I do not condone. And one of the reasons that I’m here today is because of that experience and because I want to make a change, I want to make that difference. It was exactly because of that institutionalisation. I went into the police when I was 32 years old. I’ve lived a life. Some of my experiences within the police have led me to being here today, and part of that experience is about being able to challenge them because they don’t like to be called out, which I did in the police in 2015. But this is about accountability. And for me, it comes from the top. It comes from the Police and Crime Commissioner holding the Chief to account.”  

“For me part of the issue with Nottinghamshire and the lack of confidence in the safety of Nottinghamshire, is that there’s no police officers. We don’t have police on the street, so we will be looking to rebuild policing. This is about how we work more collaboratively and in trying to raise money within our current system. There’s lots of people that I talk to at the moment, they don’t seem to have that access. That’s got to come back on the table. To be able to deliver a neighbourhood policing plan that actually fits the community for service is not complex. It’s actually about communication and knowing your communities and being able to talk to police officers when you want one.”  

David Watts 

“So that’s a 16 year failure by the police and unfortunately it’s not at all uncommon… As I mentioned at the start, it’s changing that culture within the police and it has to be zero tolerance of the police. You cannot behave like that. And if you do, you are out. I do not accept the explanation that it’s hard to get rid of police officers. If the will is there, the way is there and you can get rid of bad police officers. Now what we need are good police officers. That needs to be at every level, not only the officers on the ground, but those who supervise them insisting on those standards and making sure that things are done properly. The other bit of your question that hasn’t been addressed yet is the police in special measures. But I think the answer is the same. It’s insisting on improvement at every level of the police and that is a key job of the Police and Crime Commissioner. It’s not going to be just sat in an office and filling in forms and looking good for leaflets, but it’s going to be out there in the community talking to people, talking about their real experiences and making sure that does not happen.” 

“Get police on the beat so that people know there is a police officer around. I was talking to the National Farmers Union yesterday and they were complaining that in the north of the county they never ever see police officers.  That’s absolutely wrong. We need to make sure that every community has police officers. One way of making sure that improves is making sure the police have accounts. I did a freedom of information request a couple of weeks ago about the number of or the percentage of domestic burglaries that the police in Nottinghamshire respond to. They are not holding them accountable in terms of the number of incidents and the way that they’re responded to. It is a way of making sure that the streets are improved. How long is it going to take? It’s an ongoing thing. There will never be a state where we say, well, we have achieved that unless we get to a state where there is no crime and I probably can’t promise that, but we should see early improvement by getting officers out there and by people seeing them.” 

Questions to the Mayoral candidates   

How will you make sure women and women’s organisations will be involved in shaping the priorities of the new combined authority?   

All candidates started with outlining their experience, background, and key priorities for the role, which you can read about on their websites.

Key points from their answers are summarised below:   

Matt Relf  

Matt Relf, Independent
Matt Relf, Independent
  • Bring an independent approach to the mayoral role that is based on consensus and agreement.

“It is far more important to have somebody who is able to speak up when it is right to speak up but is able to agree when it is right to agree rather than having predispositions as to what position they should take based upon pre-existing animosities between different political parties”   

  • Support asks in the She Votes Manifesto on drive to bring more women into certain industries.  
  • Housing – try to grow the housing stock available while also lobbying for change on the funding available for social housing.    
  • Transport – improve accessibility, coordination between different modes of transport and connectivity with integrated ticketing. Design accessibility in for wheelchairs, prams and buggies.   
  • Culture and working practices of the new authority – utilise existing council headquarters so people across the region can work for the authority, flexible working to enable people to fit work around their lives and childcare.   

Alan Graves  

Alan Graves, Reform UK
Alan Graves, Reform UK
  • Would abolish the Combined Authority and Mayoral role.

We actually have an East Midlands Secretary of State and they should actually be doing this work   

Frank Adlington-Stringer 

Frank Adlington-Stringer, Green Party
Frank Adlington-Stringer, Green Party
  • Leader for men in confronting misogyny and calling out abusive behaviour .
  • Green industrial revolution with a complete overhaul of transport system and making it public .
  • Investing in youth services.
  • Adult education – investing in sustainable and future technologies.
  • Housing – affordable and sustainable homes.
  • Citizens assemblies as a way to give everyone a seat at the table.

“As your mayor, I’m not just going to sit and listen to business or to other politicians, but make sure that people like me and you, voters, those who are actually affected by our policies, have a real way of coming into the Mayor’s office and making their voice heard.”   

  • Free menstrual products.
  • Accessible and beautiful public spaces including toilets.
  • Set up LGBTQIA+ accreditation for venues.
  • Progressive employer – paid menstrual leave and 4 day working week.

Helen Tamblyn-Saville   

Helen Tamblyn-Saville, Liberal Democrats
Helen Tamblyn-Saville, Liberal Democrats

“Women are not represented and that has to change and that’s one of the reasons I’m sat here in front of you today. I want to hear your voices. I want to work with women’s groups. I want women’s perspective to shape policy.”   

  • Housing as a priority – Increase in social housing and ensuring that safe homes are available to women fleeing domestic abuse. Building energy efficient homes for Net Zero but also to bring down energy costs.    
  • Transport – own experiences of a lack of family friendly transport. Audit for accessibility e.g. to look at step free access. Integrated simplified ticketing that works better for families, tying into Net Zero by 2030.   
  • Work with women’s groups to put in place free transport when fleeing to safety.  
  • Grassroots approach.  

Claire Ward    

Claire Ward, Labour
Claire Ward, Labour

“There are more mayors named Andy than there are women mayors”  

  • Pledges shaped by listening including visits to women’s groups.  
  • Transport in East Midlands currently inconsistent – connect communities by expanding public transport to rural areas and outside the city. Fare caps in the region   
  • Make childcare part of our infrastructure using the adult education budget – addressing the challenges of juggling childcare and job hunting.   

“And that’s why childcare for me is a huge part of what we need to do, and my pledge is about raising childcare to a level as a part of our infrastructure. It is important to getting everyone back into work and to getting those opportunities for skills, as it is when we provide transport, or we provide those extra skills.”   

  • Investment in a Green Growth Skills Fund   

“So that we can have digital skills and skills to retrofit our homes because if we can retrofit our homes, if we can have new homes that are more low carbon or zero carbon, more energy efficient, we can start to tackle some of the fuel poverty that we see across our communities.”   

  • Support high street and new green technologies – use of apprenticeships to make sure women and girls are part of these industries.  

Other questions included themes around building trust with women, and how to engage women who are experiencing multiple disadvantages and are marginalised and stigmatised in many ways. Candidates also responded to the question about safe streets asked to PCC candidates.

Here is our summary of quotes from their answers:  

Matt Relf  

“For me the proof is in the pudding. You know we need to get out there and deliver services in a fair and equitable way that is very clearly not built on prejudice… I do think it’s a real shame that we even within this debate, we’re sort of saying, you know, we have to have a woman at the top to care about women. Well, I’m sorry. That’s a prejudice against me that I couldn’t possibly care… We need to get away from this prejudice position and make sure we are delivering services that are visibly equitable for all and I think it is when you start doing that that people then start building the trust in what you’re doing and a big part of that is communication. You know, we don’t do enough communication of public services. To explain how we’re going about. You know, this election itself has been really poorly communicated. Very few people out there are even aware it’s on next week and what it even means. You know that I’m forever getting comments saying, you know, what are you doing about this? Well, it’s nothing to do with the combined authority. It will stay with the existing councils. And so we need to do a much better job of communicating with our society about what all these democratic roles do, how we go about it, and how you can influence what we are doing in the decision making. That feedback loop of input to result is what builds trust.”  

Alan Graves  

“All I can say is that I’ve been a local councillor for a long time and I’ve engaged with women for many, many years and it’s quite important that you do that. It’s about what you actually do and what I actually do is I engage with people. I believe in equality, so it’s it doesn’t matter who comes to me. I have to engage with them. I don’t ignore women. I don’t ignore men. I don’t ignore anybody. If somebody comes to me with a problem, you engage with them. I engage with the women’s refuge in in my local area. Very important. It’s very important in lots of ways because obviously when a refuge has to be fairly secret and you know you’ve got to be sensitive to those sorts of issues, but I also engage with the local rehab. It’s about listening to people and engaging directly with them and finding out what their problems are. And let’s see what we can do to solve them.”  

Frank Adlington-Stringer  

“Trust is built through honesty, and that comes from both directions. We need you to be honest with us as politicians, but also as politicians, we have to be honest with you. I’ve been elected in North East Derbyshire since last year. I have put every single one of my pay slips online available. For anyone to see. I have said that when I become mayor, I will continue to show that and I will only take an average wage, take £38,000 a year rather than the full amount, because I believe people are suffering and I should stand with my communities.”

“I’m trying to take tangible steps to make sure that I’m standing with people. I’ve said already that I’ll set up Citizens Assemblies. What is a Citizens Assembly? That is a forum for you to come to the mayor’s office and to speak to us, and I will make sure that that space is as diverse as possible. It isn’t just a space where those who are politically engaged can turn up. We’re making sure that people from all backgrounds are coming along and able to participate. Because I don’t have all the answers, none of us do. Of course not. But what we’re here to do is speak up on your behalf.”  

Helen Tamblyn-Saville   

“People don’t trust politicians particularly right now. I mean, we’ve seen a certain previous Prime Minister who apparently couldn’t stop lying. It’s no wonder that trust has gone. But we also need you to be honest with us as well… We need to listen to you. An elected mayor needs to listen to you. To truly represent you, we need you to be honest with us. We have these hustings so that you can hear from us. And also so that you can scrutinise us later. Are we doing what we said we would do? And as your mayor, I would carry on those conversations. I don’t just want to listen to you. I want to engage with you. I want you to tell me if I’m doing stuff wrong and what I can be doing better. So if elected, I would pledge to come and meet with you and hear from you. Hear your experiences, hear what’s happening. But more than that, scrutinise me. Say to me, Helen, you pledged this. What’s happening? Where are we? Hold me to account. Hold us all to account. We have to build up that trust. I talked about a grassroots up approach and there shouldn’t be grandstanding from the top down. It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach.”  

Claire Ward  

“I think people feel really disengaged with politics and I get it. Particularly the last 14 years, what we’ve seen is Westminster politicians doing something and then telling us to do something else…And our country feels broken. Our local councils certainly feel broken. Our roads are broken, our cars feel like they’re broken. Certainly, if you’re driving across them. And because of that, our confidence and trust in the democratic institutions and in the way in which we communicate to those politicians, it was broken. And I sat outside of that for the last 13 years and the reason why I’m standing now is because I want to bring a different approach to it.”

“I don’t want to make promises to people that I can’t deliver… The reality is there is so much wrong right now that we have to do things differently, and we have to engage with people, and we have to collaborate in order to make this work. So my commitment is to do that with whoever. And wherever it takes me. And that’s not just with the community. But I know if I’m elected next week, Ben Bradley is the Conservative leader of the County Council, and will still be the Conservative leader of the County Council afterwards, and I’ll still have to work with him. And that is something that everybody needs to understand is that the way in which we get change is by having that ambition to say this region is going to be the best place to live in, to work in, to learn in. And that means no stone will be left unturned, but we will have to work together to deliver it and it will take a lot of work.”  

Whatever you do, don’t forget to vote in the East Midlands Mayor, and Police and Crime Commissioner elections tomorrow, Thursday 2nd May 2024!! Your vote is your voice! Use your vote to choose a better future for all women in the East Midlands!   

Find out where to vote…  

  

Find out what ID to bring…  

 

Women Voters Will Make the Difference this Election Year! 

Our incredible volunteer Penny has written about her insightful experience attending the events we’ve hosted recently about politics in the UK.

Hands up if you find politics a confusing place to be?

Sometimes it feels like you need a degree in political science just to understand even a part of what’s happening at a national level, and that’s before taking into consideration local politics. There are so many questions, like how does an MP differ from a councillor?, who’s making all the decisions?, and how do we know who to vote for and when?, and the answers aren’t always that easy to find out online or in papers, which seem to rely on a level of understanding that many of us weren’t taught in any formal setting.  

This year there’s a general election (when all the country votes to appoint a new government, and 650 MPs are to be elected), but did you know that there are some Nottinghamshire elections are happening this May?! In fact, the first ever elections for a Mayor of the East Midlands, and the Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner will take place on Thursday 2nd May.  

An elected mayor should give the East Midlands a voice at a national level to make the case for much greater investment from both government and private sector.

The mayoral elections for the East Midlands and the Police Crime Commissioner (PPC) elections are happening in May, but the Nottinghamshire local councillor elections are not; that would be too easy! Taking all of this into consideration, it’s a real minefield. But with women making up over half of the electorate, it’s an important time for us to flex our voting muscles and help shape the future of the UK both on a local and national level.  

That’s why Nottingham Women’s Centre has been arranging sessions to help all women understand the political system a little better: how to vote, why we should vote – especially as women – and what our vote could mean. There have also been sessions on what Parliament does; what the House of Commons is, and how it differs from the House of Lords.  

We vote! Women in Nottinghamshire!
We vote! Women in Nottinghamshire!

I’ve attended the past two sessions, the first – We Vote! Women in Nottinghamshire! being an introduction into voting, focusing on a woman’s right to vote. We also covered the basics of national politics, with quizzes and a question-and-answer session so we could learn even more about who is in power at a national level, and how our vote can change the future of the country. We also discussed our ability to vote – how to do it, what to bring to the polling centre and how to vote by post, which gives you a longer window of time to submit your polling card.  

Get to Know Women Councillors in Nottinghamshire
Get to Know Women Councillors in Nottinghamshire

The second session, Get to Know Women Councillors in Nottinghamshire gave us the chance to sit in a room with some incredibly inspiring and passionate women. Women are incredible: we’re not perfect but we’re brave and strong and resilient, while also being caring and wise. Why wouldn’t we want more women in politics?  

Although local women councillors from all the political parties were invited, each of the eight councillors who chose to attend were all Labour. Nottingham is historically a Red (Labour) city. All of the women councillors who attended brought their own stories to the event and shared with us how they came to stand for local council, what being a councillor means to them, and how they found being women in politics.

Attendees, staff and local councillors.
Attendees, staff and local councillors.

It turns out our Nottingham councillors are an inspiring bunch. For instance, Councillor Faith Gakanje-Ajala came to the UK as a political refugee from Zimbabwe, who fought in Zimbabwe’s liberation movement as a chimbwido (junior fighter). This has influenced her political life, allowing her to employ ‘guerilla strategies’ when seeking answers to political problems. Helen Kalsi is a working-class woman who came to politics after being disenfranchised by the lack of jobs in her area. After joining a strike, she realised that the political world was where she needed to be to create a better life for those around her, and for her children. Neghat Khan was the first British Pakistani woman to be elected councillor in Nottinghamshire and took on the role while also juggling being a young mum. Shuguftah Quddoos, currently suspended from the Labour Party for standing against the newly introduced budget cuts in the city, explained how she stood for the first time after the first UKIP member was elected. It was a long road to position for her, but she never quit and found her political voice through the first Women Into Political Leadership programme set up in memory of MP Jo Cox, who was murdered in a politically motivated attack in 2016.  

All the councillors had the same thought in common as to why they entered political life: to make a positive change, despite everything. Councillor Georgia Power mentioned when she first got into politics, she felt like she shouldn’t be in the room as a young woman but reminded herself – and us – that men wouldn’t think like that, so why should she? Faith Gakanje-Ajala noted how as a Black African woman some thought she shouldn’t have a place at the table, ensuring that she stood her ground and demanded respect with her political acumen. Councillor Linda Woodings noted how people are reluctant to knock on doors when campaigning and how that is amplified as a woman, but explained how a desire to make positive change and shape the area you live in gives you the will to knock on those doors and speak to the people inside about the issues they face. With all this passion to invoke positive change how do they switch off? “My phone is always on for everyone, all the time” says Councillor Audrey Dinnall, “I want to be visible and accountable for my constituents, whenever and whatever.” 

Attending Councillors discuss questions from the host and audience.
Attending Councillors discuss questions from the host and audience.

At the end of the night the collective councillors were asked if they ever felt they’d failed in their political endeavours. As Linda Woodings so aptly put it, “all the time, but that doesn’t mean we give up. We’ll never deliver everything to everyone, but we’ll do the best we can.” And there, to me, lies the crux of local councils: they may not be able to give everyone in the area exactly what they need, but they sure as hell will try their best to make their ward a fairer, more equitable place for all. As Shuguftah says “what matters to you, matters to me.” 

If you missed the sessions and would like more info on how to vote and / or the voting process, then Nottingham Women’s Centre can help you: just pop in on any Tuesday before 16th April and get the support you need to register to vote, or register online!

ONLINE REGISTRATION TO VOTE
APPLY FOR A POSTAL VOTE

Castle Rock Brewery’s IWD Brew Day 2024 

Our fantastic caseworker Wez has written about the fabulous day we spent at Castle Rock Brewery, on Wednesday 7th February, during their preparations for International Women’s Day… 

[The following post contains references to alcohol and alcohol production]

For the second year running, Castle Rock Brewery has chosen Nottingham Women’s Centre as their charity of choice for International Women’s Day!  

Like last year’s Crystal Clear, a new beer will be brewed especially for IWD and will be launched at a special event on the evening of 8th March at the Old Cold Store. This year’s beer will be called ‘Order and Disorder’ and will be a hazy pale. The Brew Day event at the Old Cold Store on 7th February was a chance for women interested in brewing to take part in the process of making the beer.   

This year, the Brew Day was in collaboration with No Half Measures, a group of female beer and brewing enthusiasts from Nottingham. It was an early start, at 7am, but Castle Rock Brewery kindly provided breakfast. There were guided tours of the brewery, with the brewers showing participants around, and describing the brewing process. All the brewing staff who participated were really helpful and accommodating, willing to answer all our questions.  

Also, on hand to advise us on the more technical aspects was Steph from Murphy’s. I was asked to give a short talk about our work here at Nottingham Women’s Centre, and how the money raised will help us continue the work we do supporting women in Nottingham. We were also given a chance to take part in the brewing process. I chose digging out the spent grain from the mash tun: a messy job but lots of fun!  

Designing the pump clip with Pop Up Print Making
Screen printing at the Brew Day
Wez's pump clip design!
Lots of paints to print with!
Some of the finished designs
Lucy from Let's Beer
Steph from Murphy's
Attendees listen to the talks
Everyone enjoying the brewery tour!
Digging out
Inside the mash tun
Inspecting the mash tun
Getting involved with the digging out!
Loading up the mash for farmers to use
Hard work!
More digging out!
Inside the brewery
Steaming mash!

We were treated to a tutored beer tasting with Lucy Simons from Let’s Beer. Lucy also co-runs The Abdication Micropub in Daybrook with her partner Matt. The brews we sampled were Elsie Mo and Oatmeal Stout. The name ‘Elsie Mo’. comes from the variety of malt used, Low Colour Maris Otter – L C MO! Initially the pump clip showed a 1940’s pin-up, of the style often seen on the side of US aircraft during WW2. However, as a result of a campaign to remove sexualised images of women from beer advertising, the picture was changed. Now she’s now the pilot! 

Another interesting fact we learned was that the yeast used by Castle Rock is a ‘heritage yeast’ and is actually older than the brewery itself! Sorry, I never thought to ask where it came from in the first place – possibly a now defunct brewery in Nottingham. 

There was also an opportunity to try your hand at screen printing with Lizzie from Pop-Up Printmaking, to design a pump clip for the new beer. I had a go, it was brilliant fun and some really striking designs were produced. 

All in all, it was an interesting and informative day, with some brilliant hands-on opportunities. It was fabulous to see so many women with an interest in brewing coming together to meet, talk, learn and to join Castle Rock in supporting Nottingham Women’s Centre. 

Follow the link below to read more about the event and the evening launch event! 

IWD @ Castle Rock Brewery

AGM & Annual Review 2022-23 Launch

50+ Years of Support and Sanctuary at the Heart of Nottingham 

Download a copy of our Annual Review 2022-23 here

Nottingham Women’s Centre is celebrating over 50 years at the heart of the city, providing much needed support and services for all self-identifying women, from all backgrounds, in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. On Wednesday 10th January 2024, we held our Annual General Meeting at our headquarters in the historic 30 Chaucer Street building to mark this fantastic achievement! 

NWC CEO Vandna Gohil and Councillor Shuguftah Quddoos, The Sheriff of Nottingham
NWC CEO Vandna Gohil and Councillor Shuguftah Quddoos, The Sheriff of Nottingham

The event showcased the vital work of Nottingham Women’s Centre over the last 50+ years, supporting women through many challenges, including isolation; access to mental health services; seeking asylum; escaping abuse; financial difficulties and leaving the Criminal Justice System to name just a few. 

“I truly believe in the difference Nottingham Women’s Centre can make to the lives of women in Nottingham, be it learning new skills, meeting new friends or accessing affordable support for wellbeing and mental health.”

Vandna Gohil, CEO of Nottingham Women’s Centre.
Protest artwork at Nottingham Women's Centre
Protest artwork at Nottingham Women’s Centre

The support at Nottingham Women’s Centre today includes counselling services, person centred support, advice, guidance, courses, activities, volunteering opportunities, and a welcoming space for all women to meet, visit Nottingham Women’s Library and Archive, and join campaigns for women’s rights and women’s voices to be truly amplified together.  

These services and spaces were of utmost importance during the difficult times of the Covid-19 pandemic, in which isolation and abuse were most severely felt, and support and safe spaces such as Nottingham Women’s Centre provided much needed sanctuary. 

AGM attendees
AGM attendees
Protest artwork at NWC
Protest artwork at NWC
Vandna and Helen
Former NWC CEO Helen Voce and current NWC CEO Vandna Gohil at the AGM
Attendees mingle at the AGM
Attendees mingle at the AGM
Sam, one of the speakers at the AGM
Sam, one of the speakers at the AGM
Chair of the Board of Trustees, Justine Weston, CEO Vandna Gohil and Sheriff of Nottingham, Councillor Shuguftah Quddoos
Chair of the Board of Trustees, Justine Weston, CEO Vandna Gohil and Sheriff of Nottingham, Councillor Shuguftah Quddoos
AGM Celebration Food
AGM Celebration Food
Attendees in front of banner artwork at NWC
Attendees in front of banner artwork at NWC
The AGM Celebration Cake
The AGM Celebration Cake
Heritage Banner at NWC
Heritage Banner at NWC
AGM Attendees
AGM Attendees

“We noticed that the call on our services increased post-pandemic, and with the cost-of-living crisis having a disproportionate impact on women. We are proud to offer a free, safe community space in Nottingham City Centre where any woman can drop in for a cup of tea in our Welcome Space or relax and browse our Women’s Library”

Justine Weston, Chair of The Board of Trustees.  

During the evening AGM event, stakeholders, supporters, members and partners heard first-hand evidence and testimonials about the services provided, and the lasting positive impact this has had on the lives of so many.  

NWC Annual Review 2022-23
NWC Annual Review 2022-23
Download a copy of our Annual Review 2022-23 here

The AGM also saw the launch of Nottingham Women’s Centre’s Annual Review 2022-23, further detailing how the work of the last year has supported so many women throughout communities in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.

Recent figures show that in 2022 there were 476 referrals from the probation service, 766 hours of much needed low-cost counselling for women on low incomes was provided, 104 women received specialist domestic abuse counselling and support, and 265 women were referred for emotional wellbeing support.  

Services users have said of their experiences: 

“The strength and support have given me both mental and emotional stability and I aim to do the same for others.” 

“Coming to the Centre has let me be in an environment surrounded by passionate and positive women. There is light at the end of the tunnel.” 

This just goes to show how vitally important Nottingham Women’s Centre is, and how crucial it is that we continue to provide a safe, supportive space for all women to flourish and gain strength, and have their voices heard for another 50 years and beyond! 

Download a copy of our Annual Review 2022-23 here

How to be more politically engaged

Woman holding a placard

More than ever, political engagement is so important! Women’s issues, and women’s voices on these issues, have often been side-lined by those in power. We ALL have the right to be heard!!

We live in a democracy, so we have the right to express different opinions. We can protest, campaign and vote according to our beliefs and values! We have the right to be heard!!

The last general election had a turnout of around 67%, meaning a huge 33% of people (a third of the population!!) not having a say. This means the majority result could completely change if more people participated and turned up to vote! For example, in the East Midlands, the Gedling seat was won by a less than 1.5% majority in the 2019 General Election.

This shows how it is vitally important for us ALL to have our say, or we could end up getting represented by those who don’t share views at all!! Your participation in elections and democracy throughout the year can have a big impact on policies and laws!

The last general election had a turnout of around 67%, meaning a huge 33% of people (a third of the population!!) not having a say.

Last month we hosted a fantastically informative workshop on ‘How to be more politically engaged’ with Clare Mullin, the UK Parliament’s Senior Education and Engagement Officer for the West Midlands and all-round political expert! The workshop introduced how parliament links to your life in the UK, in ways such as voting, and issues which we are all affected by and care about, such as period poverty, feminism on UK A-Level syllabuses, the recent menopause debate and policy changes, and the recent Domestic Abuse Act legislation which was passed.

Clare laid out some eye-opening facts which got us all thinking about the current political system and how it is run. Did you know that women are often less likely to be involved in parliament? However, 34% of MPs are women, which is enough to have a significant impact on parliament! We are not there yet though! Unfortunately, political parties are more likely to put women in unwinnable seats, and women are also more likely to stand down.

In the 2019 General Election men were more likely to vote than women (63% compared to 59%); younger people were less likely to vote than older people (47% of 18-24 year-olds compared to 74% of over-65s); and white people were more likely to vote than Black, Asian and minority ethnic people (63% compared to 52%). This all has an impact on who the voting public are choosing to represent ALL of us!

So why vote?

  • You’ll have a louder voice for your issues if more women vote.
  • Voting shows your support for the issues you care about, even if your candidate doesn’t win.
  • Your voice, your choice!

So, what is going on with MPs and their seats in Parliament? Clare took us through what happens when an election is called, when there are no more MPs, only candidates. We learnt about how the Houses of Parliament are comprised, with 650 elected Members in the House of Commons, MPs, and around 800 members in the House of Lords.

Have a look at our recent voting guide to find out more here.

We learnt how Parliament and Government are not the same thing! Parliament passes laws and also represents all views and opinions, including those of the opposition. Government runs the country and is made up of 123 people – 1 Prime Minister, 23 cabinet ministers and 99 other ministers, normally all from the party in power, who can be MPs or Lords or Baronesses.

But what does Parliament do? The role of Parliament was outlined for us as the scrutiny of Government through questions and debates. Select Committees are created to look deeper into particular issues, and are informed by experts from the public, and by politicians. Parliament can make and change laws, also called legislation, and sets the budget, makes decision on taxes, and checks and approves Government spending.

So what happens when you vote? When you are voting, you are voting for the person representing that party, rather than the political party in general. This means that if an elected MP has to stop being the MP, a by-election is needed to choose another candidate.

There are 3 ways to vote in the UK:

  • In person – photo ID is now required.
  • Postal – You need to request this beforehand, in good time!
  • Proxy – Someone you really trust can put your vote in for you.

You can also vote anonymously if for safety reasons, you don’t want your name and address to be on the electoral register. You will need an address, but can use somewhere such as Nottingham Women’s Centre to register as an anonymous elector.

ID Checks

Polling station clerks verify voters’ photos and making sure the name on the ID matches what is on the electoral register. Unfortunately disabled people and people of colour got turned away at the last local election more often due to ID issues, and nearly a quarter of trans people and one in five non-binary people said they were without ID.

While gender markers are irrelevant for the purposes of voter ID, under the law, people won’t be allowed to cast their vote if the officer thinks there’s “reasonable doubt” that the individual isn’t the person they claim to be based on their photo ID, despite the lack of clarity around the phrase ‘reasonable doubt’ in the Elections Act 2022.

Who is eligible to vote? 

Anyone 18 or over who is a UK or Irish citizen. Although you can’t vote until you are 18, you can register to vote if you are 16 or over. EU, Commonwealth and BNO citizens can also vote in local elections. Settled status is equivalent to citizenship and means that you can vote. Those on a Tier 4 visa cannot vote however. Find out more about qualifying Commonwealth and EU countries here.

Have a look at our recent voting guide to find out more here.

You will need to re-register to vote if you move house, and if you have two address (such as university students) you can register to vote at both addresses (as long as they’re not both in the same council area). At local elections you can vote in both places. At national elections, like a General Election, you can only vote in one place, but you can choose which place you vote in. Voting in more than one place at a national election or referendum is a criminal offence.

What else can you do to get involved?

Its Parliament week Nov 6th to 12th 2023! Come into the Centre for some handy resources and an activity pack about politics and Parliament. More info here…

Have a look at our recent voting guide here

And follow these links:

100 years later, what does voting mean to women today?

Women’s Suffrage: Women Of Colour

UK’s new voter ID law: What trans and non-binary people need to know

Stonewall & LGBT+ Voter ID Report

Ensuring that voting is accessible

How to Vote

Register to Vote

Acceptable forms of Voter ID

Who is your local MP?

  • Look up your MP’s contact details
  • Phone the House of Commons Enquiry Service on 020 7219 4272 or email hcenquiries@parliament.uk
  • Contact your town hall or local library.
  • Many MPs also have local constituency offices and phone number.

How Government Works

Turnout at Elections

General Election 2019: Marginality

Domestic Abuse Act 2021 Factsheet

International Women’s Day 2023

We’ll be celebrating International Women’s Day at the Centre on Tuesday March 14th this year with cake, crafts, creative words and more…

Come along!

When: Tuesday 14th March | 10:30am – 3pm

Where: Nottingham Women’s Centre, 30 Chaucer St, NG1 5LP

No need to book, just come along!

What’s planned?

10:30am Coffee & Chat: Drop-in anytime between 10:30am-12:30pm for free coffee, cake and some friendly faces. It’s the perfect opportunity to visit the Centre and find out more about us if you’ve never been before, or come and have a social catch-up if you’re a regular!

11am-3pm Chat with NCVS about volunteering opportunities: NCVS will be in the Welcome Space throughout the day to chat with you about how to get involved with volunteering opportunities in Nottingham, as well as ways to get involved in the community.

12:30pm: Wellbeing activity with Nottingham Muslim Women’s Network: Pop in to Room 4 and say hello to our newest building sisters – the brilliant Nottingham Muslim Women’s Network, as they run a small wellbeing activity.

12:30pm Light lunch: As above, you’re very welcome to drop-in at lunchtime for some snacks. Why not speak to us about our courses and events or other services whilst you’re here? It’s a very informal opportunity for you to see the Centre, find out what’s going on here and meet and chat with other women (if you’d like to!)

Women Write at the Centre (our fabulous creative poetry group) will also be giving a small performance over lunch!

All day! Nottingham Women’s Library: The jewel in the attic – tucked away on the top floor of Nottingham Women’s Centre you’ll find the wonderful Nottingham Women’s Library. Overseen by a dedicated team of volunteers, there’ll be a small IWD display in the Library and friendly faces on hand to answer any questions you might have. It’s also a lovely quiet place to come and have a rest or breastfeed a baby.

1pm Women Write (poetry workshop): A free, friendly and creative atmosphere as well as a safe space to have your say. Come along to Women Write where women are encouraged to explore their creativity and produce a bit of poetry. This group is for all levels and there are no rules, just respect.

1pm Crafty Club: A friendly informal group where no special skills are needed, Crafty Club encourages you to just come along and join in with some of the craft projects they’ll have on offer. You can also have a chat, a coffee and meet new friends in a warm, welcoming environment.

There’s more!…

We’ve got lots more things going on in March too! if you can’t come along to our IWD celebrations then check out the following instead:

  • Endometriosis Campaign March is Endometriosis Awareness Month – Don’t suffer in silence. Find out more about how endometriosis can affect anyone assigned female at birth and if you think you might be affected, learn how to get support.
  • Bonington Art Gallery Exhibition (Launch date March 25th – May 13th): An exhibition exploring the rich history of the Centre and the fight for women’s rights in the city.
  • Castle Rock IWD beer launch (Launch date March 8th): Castle Rock is celebrating International Women’s Day with, you guessed it, a beer! They’ve teamed up with Sara Barton of Brewster’s Brewery to create a golden ale together – and they’re donating 10p of every pint sold to the Centre!
  • Swing Dash studio is holding a 24 hour dance music live stream with 24 female + non-binary DJ’s for International Women’s Day in aid of the Centre! The event will be live to watch on their Twitch channel between midday Saturday 11th March to midday Sunday 12th March. There will also be in an in-person watch party on Saturday 11th March 12 noon – 6pm at Running Circle Records at Sneinton Market for anyone wanting to meet up on the day and listen to the live-stream.
  • Phlexx X Mimm Collective are hosting an International Women’s Day event on March 12th with a roster of wonderful female musicians and programming. All proceeds will be donated to the Centre.
  • South Notts Real Ale Festival This brilliant real ale celebration is also fundraising for the Centre next month.

Free life coaching sessions

Feeling stuck or want to move your life forwards in some way? Our life coaching sessions are here to help you.

Join us on Zoom or face-to-face to help you work out your goals and how to obtain them. It’s a great way to increase your self-confidence and put yourself in the driving seat of your progression.

When: Appointments take place on Wednesdays.
Where: Nottingham Women’s Centre or virtually via Zoom.
Cost: Free!

(Please note that life coaching is not therapy or counselling!)

How to book

Contact our Reception team in person, by calling 0115 941 1475 or emailing: reception@nottinghamwomenscentre.com. You’ll then be contacted to arrange an appointment slot, which will be on a Wednesday.