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NWC Policy Update – Spring 2025

Welcome to our Spring 2025 campaign & policy update, highlighting the progress of our ongoing campaign work, significant achievements, as well as work our partners have been driving forwards.

Download our Policy Updates paper

Contents:

  1. What We Are Doing
  2. What We Have Done
  3. Issues On Our Radar
  4. From Our Partners

1.  What We Are Doing

  • Prosecution and fines for School Non-Attendance and its impact on women 

We have continued our campaigning on the issue of women being punished for their children’s school absences. At Nottingham Women’s Centre, we are deeply concerned by the increasing number of women coming through our casework service —often single mothers—who are being prosecuted for their children’s non-attendance at school. Many of these women are facing prosecution and heavy fines (up to £2,500) for the first time, which adds stress and hardship to already challenging circumstances. We are committed to lobbying for a more compassionate and supportive approach to tackling school attendance, one that recognizes the complex challenges parents and children face.

In September 2024, we co-signed a joint letter to the Secretary of State for Education, Rt Hon. Bridget Phillipson MP, led by Place2Be, calling for a whole school approach to wellbeing to make school cultures inclusive, with a focus on mental health.

From September to December 2024, with funding from Priority Education Investment Area (PEIA) Nottingham Attendance Project, we hosted a series of listening sessions with over 50 women in Nottingham, including those with experience of prosecution for this issue. 

Next Steps:

Existing research and our ongoing engagement with women reveals that many children with severe attendance issues are often on long waiting lists for special educational needs provision or are in urgent need of mental health support. The issue of school attendance is complex, reflecting interwoven inequalities that demand a holistic, not punitive approach. 

We will be publishing a report sharing insights from these listening sessions and with recommendations to address school attendance challenges and support for parents. To receive updates, email: ezinwanne@nottinghamwomenscentre.com.

  • Women’s Health Matters

Our work on women’s health continues to grow, following on from our campaigns on endometriosis and the menopause, which saw our research with local women featured in the Women and Equalities Select Committee’s report on women’s health. 

Women’s Health Matters aims to bring education, empowerment & awareness to women about their gynecological health and well-being. Through a series of workshops and events celebrating women’s bodies, together with partners, we’re breaking taboos, enabling conversation and equipping women to take control of their health.

2. What We Have Done

  • Women’s health open day, September 2024

In September 2024, over 100 women gathered at our Women’s Health Open Day, part of  Women’s Health Matters, a project funded by the Women’s Health Community Fund, run by Wellbeing of Women and Holland & Barrett. This event, which brought together sector partners from the NHS, University of Nottingham, and local women’s organisations, featured workshops on menopause, general gynaecological health as well as wellbeing activities such as laughter yoga, and BP checks. Highlights of the day included:

– Workshop on menopause with Menopause Handbag and a Q&A interactive session on gynaecological health with Dr. Sanya Kurmani.

– Wellbeing activities including meditation, laughter yoga, rock painting, blood pressure and anxiety checks. 100% of participants found the event incredibly beneficial. When asked about the most useful part of the event, a majority of women stated the sharing and networking with other women passionate about their health and wellbeing’. 

  • Raising awareness on vaginismus

In November 2024, we hosted an online panel discussion on Vaginismus, a condition that affects approximately 1 in 500 women. Vaginismus can significantly affect intimate relationships and a woman’s quality of life. In spite of affecting so many women, there is still very little awareness about this condition leaving many women without the support they need. The panel, featuring Dr. Leena Maddock Khan (Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, NHS Nottingham Trust) and Carmel McCarthy (Contraception & Sexual Health Lead Nurse, and founder of MACEY SRH), shed light on the impact of this condition, and informed women about available resources and local services to support women. Together, we will continue to break the silence around this critical gynaecological condition. 

  • Reclaim The Night  

In October 2024, we joined forces with our partners, Notts Sexual Violence Support Services, Equation, and POW to lead Reclaim the Night – our annual march through the centre of Nottingham to raise awareness of violence against women and girls. Hundreds of women came together to demand safer streets and send a clear message to our leaders that residents and voters care about women’s safety. Find out more about Reclaim the Night.

  • Advocacy with Nottinghamshire Police 

On behalf of women across Nottinghamshire, Nottingham Women’s Centre submitted a response to the Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Plan Consultation. We  urged the Police and Crime Commissioner to recognise and address violence against women and girls as a systemic issue that often begins with harmful language. Our submission called for the Police to commit to changing the culture around hate incidents and ensuring that interventions are gender-responsive, trauma-informed, and culturally appropriate

We also reiterated the recommendations made in our Nottingham Women’s Manifesto, which focus on community-driven solutions to tackle violence against women and girls in Nottinghamshire. This manifesto was developed in consultation with our Women’s Organisations Network, which consists of over 100 local women’s organizations, groups and services.

3. Issues On Our Radar

  • Proposed changes to disability benefits

We know that the recent Government announcements about welfare reform, including the proposed changes to Disability Benefits and PIP are causing huge concern. Like many other organisations, we are worried about the impact this will have on local women and our clients. We are working on fully understanding the proposed changes as well as opportunities to influence these changes, and will keep you updated on our plans. In the meanwhile, remember that these are just proposals at this stage and there is no immediate change to people’s eligibility for benefits. 

  • Inconsistency in request for pre-trial therapy material 

The Crown Prosecution Service guidance on pre-trial therapy emphasises that the sensitivity and confidentiality of therapy notes should be respected. Police should only request access to these notes in specific situations where: 

a) They can show that it’s necessary to pursue a reasonable line of inquiry, after considering other options and respecting the victim’s privacy. 

b) They can explain to the therapist why the information is needed, being clear about what exactly is required. 

c)They only ask for the minimum amount of information needed to follow up on the inquiry. 

We have observed some cases where police officers request information they are not entitled to, and it seems they are not fully aware of the correct procedures. We are monitoring the situation and will identify next steps.

  • Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI)

The WASPI campaign continues to demand justice and compensation for the 3.6 million women who have been unfairly impacted by the rapid rise in the state pension age. These women—born in the 1950s—were not properly informed of changes first introduced in the 1990s, leaving many facing severe financial hardship and uncertainty. A recent poll showed strong public support for compensation for WASPI women, yet, despite clear recommendations from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, the government remains reluctant to act. WASPI has now issued a “letter before action” to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, urging an urgent reconsideration of the Department’s refusal to provide the compensation these women deserve.  

Our volunteers have started a local chapter of the campaign. You can get involved by emailing: nottinghamwaspi@gmail.com

4. From Our Partners

  • Angolan Women’s Voice Association UK 

The Angolan Women’s Voice Association is a community organisation dedicated to empowering the Angolan community through advocacy, outreach, and education. They leverage their expertise and lived experiences to help community members—especially those from non-English speaking backgrounds—achieve their goals and realize their full potential.
Through their work, they have identified critical challenges that many women in their community face. These include:

  • Securing stable and flexible employment that accommodates parenting responsibilities.
  • Supporting their children academically, especially when navigating behaviour challenges or unfamiliar educational systems.
  • Accessing and understanding their rights and entitlements in the UK, particularly for those with limited English proficiency.
  • Improving English language skills to foster greater independence and integration.

To tackle these issues, Angola Women’s Voice Association provides individualized support, signposts to available local resources, and hosts regular webinars addressing these and other pressing topics. These initiatives create safe spaces where women can learn, share, and find the support they need to overcome barriers.

However, as the demand for their services grows, Angolan Women’s Voice Association calls for increased funding to sustain and expand their programs, stronger partnerships with local services to ensure seamless support for women and their families as well as access to safe and welcoming community spaces to provide a consistent base for our work.

  • British Red Cross 

The British Red Cross is a lifeline for people in crisis, including women facing immense challenges due to insecure immigration status. A significant barrier for these women is the lack of access to legal advice and representation, a crisis exacerbated by the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, which drastically reduced the availability of legal aid. This gap has left vulnerable individuals, including: families on the brink of eviction, survivors of abuse seeking protection, and vulnerable people without the justice and support they need. The British Red Cross continues to advocate for the restoration of legal aid and access to justice to ensure no one is left behind. 

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!

Women’s Organisations Network Manifesto: Responses from Candidates

We sent all candidates standing in the General Election in Nottingham these six questions, about issues that women in Nottingham care about, alongside our Women’s Organisation Network manifesto.

Questions for candidates from the Women’s Organisation Network.  

  1. With the completion of the independent review of the Nottingham Maternity Service, completed, how will you fix the maternal care scandal with attention to the disparity and additional risk for Black and minoritized women during pregnancy, labour and post-natal care?
  2. Trauma can make us more vulnerable to developing mental health problems. Women who have experienced sexual assaults are currently experiencing astronomical waiting time to access trauma related support in Nottingham, leaving them at further risk of developing mental health problems. How do you plan to improve access to these crucial services?
  3. How will you protect and support women’s organisations and groups in Nottinghamshire, who are at constant risk of closures due to funding cuts, increase in running costs, and high demand? Women’s organisations and groups are often best placed to deliver the right service, at the right time, to those who need it most, and need access to long-term ring-fenced funding for this work in order to continue supporting our communities.
  4. How would you ensure women who are at the risk of offending or have offended receive appropriate rehabilitation and support in the community rather than in prisons which do not meet women’s needs or prevent re-offending? Especially for women on short sentences and considering that women are non-violent offenders?
  5. What actions will you take to ensure safety for women across private, public and online? What prevention and support strategies would you advocate for to ensure all forms of violence against women is eliminated and survivors can access appropriate and timely support?
  6. Many women are being prosecuted for their children’s non attendance in schools or experiencing punitive approaches that are shown to cause greater harm. How do you intend to deal with this issue in a way that supports women and their families rather than punishing them? What actions will you take to support families and schools to deal with issues of school attendance for children who are struggling?

Here are responses from candidates we heard back from.

Alex Norris

Labour & Co-operative Candidate for Nottingham North & Kimberley

  1. With the completion of the independent review of the Nottingham Maternity Service, how will you fix the maternal care scandal with attention to the disparity and additional risk for Black and minoritized women during pregnancy, labour and post-natal care?

    The stories that have emerged in recent years following failings in maternity services have been truly shocking. The pain and anguish suffered by so many deserve a proper review and I was glad when Donna Ockenden was selected to lead the inquiry in Nottingham. Donna has been fearless in her pursuit of the facts and the truth of what happened to all of those who have been affected. Along with other local MPs, I am in regular contact with Donna as she provides updates on her work. I think it is important to not pre-empt any of Donna’s conclusions and wait for the full review to be published. The review is in regular contact with the NHS locally to ensure that as the review’s work progresses, lessons are learned and information shared with the NHS ensuring changes are implemented speedily.
  2. Trauma can make us more vulnerable to developing mental health problems. Women who have experienced sexual assaults are currently experiencing astronomical waiting times to access trauma related support in Nottingham, leaving them at further risk of developing mental health problems. How do you plan to improve access to these crucial services?

    After 14 years of mismanagement by the current Government, the NHS is on its knees. Whilst the pandemic placed the NHS under serious strain, waiting lists were at record high even before the pandemic struck. We are seeing the impact of this not just locally but right across the country too. Labour is determined to build an NHS fit for the future. We will reform the NHS so that mental health receives the same attention and focus as physical health. Labour will also bring waiting times down and intervene earlier. We will recruit an additional 8,500 new mental health staff to treat children and adults through our first term. As part of our mission to reduce the lives lost to suicide, these new staff will be specially trained to support people at risk.
  3. How will you protect and support women’s organisations and groups in Nottinghamshire, who are at constant risk of closures due to funding cuts, increase in running costs, and high demand? Women’s organisations and groups are often best placed to deliver the right service, at the right time, to those who need it most, and need access to long-term ring-fenced funding for this work in order to continue supporting our communities.

    In so many ways, after 14 years of the current Government, public services are crumbling. Too often it feels as if nothing seems to work in the country anymore. It will take time to fix these issues so Labour has been clear that if we are elected we will lead a decade of national renewal. To achieve this we have set out five bold missions to restore stability and change the country for the better. I hope this will provide a much better environment for women’s groups to operate in, with well-run public services and support provided where it is needed.
  4. How would you ensure women who are at the risk of offending or have offended receive appropriate rehabilitation and support in the community rather than in prisons which do not meet women’s needs or prevent re-offending? Especially for women on short sentences and considering that women are non-violent offenders.

    Prisons in England and Wales are in crisis. Judges are being advised to delay sentencing. Prisoners are being released early. And fewer dangerous criminals are locked up because of a lack of space.

    Labour will act to reduce reoffending. We will work with prisons to improve offenders’ access to purposeful activity, such as learning, and ensure they create pre-release plans for those leaving custody. We will support prisons to link up with local employers and the voluntary sector to get ex-offenders into work. The children of those who are imprisoned are at far greater risk of being drawn into crime than their peers. We will ensure that those young people are identified and offered support to break the cycle.

    After 14 years of chaotic reorganisations, the national probation service is also struggling to keep the public safe. A lack of co-ordination between prisons, probation and other local services also means prison-leavers are not getting the right support, raising the risk that they go straight back to crime. In some areas of the country, we have seen Labour Mayors pioneering a more joined-up approach to reduce reoffending. In Greater Manchester, probation is linked up with housing and health services to ensure offenders leaving custody receive the support they need. Labour will conduct a strategic review of probation governance, including considering the benefits of devolved models.
  5. What actions will you take to ensure safety for women across private, public and online? What prevention and support strategies would you advocate for to ensure all forms of violence against women is eliminated and survivors can access appropriate and timely support?

    Violence against women and girls is a stain on our society that shames all of us. For too long this issue has been ignored so Labour is determined to tackle it. That is why we have made it part of our mission to halve levels of violence against women and girls.

    That starts with tougher enforcement and protection. With Labour, there will be specialist rape and sexual offences teams in every police force. The most prolific and harmful perpetrators will be relentlessly targeted, using tactics normally reserved for terrorists and organised crime.

    Prosecution rates for rape are shamefully low with many victims dropping out of the justice system when faced with years of delays. Labour will fast-track rape cases, with specialist courts at every Crown Court location in England and Wales.

    Victims deserve better support. Building on the success of the approach adopted by Labour Police and Crime Commissioners, we will introduce domestic abuse experts in 999 control rooms so that victims can talk directly to a specialist, and ensure there is a legal advocate in every police force area to advise victims from the moment of report to trial.

    Violence and abuse against women and girls does not come from nowhere. Misogyny is one root cause, and therefore Labour will ensure schools address misogyny and teach young people about healthy relationships and consent. We will ensure police forces have the powers they need to track and tackle the problem.

    Stalking has not been treated with the seriousness it deserves. Labour will strengthen the use of Stalking Protection Orders and give women the right to know the identity of online stalkers. Spiking is a devastating crime for victims, leaving many women feeling vulnerable when they go out. Labour will introduce a new criminal offence for spiking to help police better respond to this crime.

    We will strengthen the rights and protections available to women in co-habiting couples, as well as for whistleblowers in the workplace, including on sexual harassment.
  6. Many women are being prosecuted for their children’s non-attendance in schools or experiencing punitive approaches that are shown to cause greater harm. How do you intend to deal with this issue in a way that supports women and their families rather than punishing them? What actions will you take to support families and schools to deal with issues of school attendance for children who are struggling?

    As the Chair of the Board of Governors at a local primary school, I know school absence is often a symptom of deeper problems in the education system. It important that we look at this issue in the round to ensure that every child receives the education they deserve.

    For instance, one problem facing children is a lack of mental health support. I therefore support Labour’s plans to provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school, so every young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate.

    Breakfast clubs can improve attendance, behaviour and learning. Labour will fund free breakfast clubs in every primary school, accessible to all children. This will also support parents through the cost-of-living crisis.

    By addressing these other important issues, I believe we can develop a holistic approach to tackle school attendance problems and ensure every child receives a good education.

Shaghofta Akhtar

Independent Candidate for Nottingham South

  1. With the completion of the independent review of the Nottingham Maternity Service, how will you fix the maternal care scandal with attention to the disparity and additional risk for Black and minoritized women during pregnancy, labour and post-natal care?

    The biggest scandal in NHS history stands in Nottingham. As a mother of 7 children, I value the vital life saving services during the entire journey of pregnancy. I have faced difficult decisions with very little support during a time, when I was informed to expect a neo natal death or at best a baby that would not expect to survive beyond a few weeks. I share your concerns and would do everything in my power to support all women facing any maternity related issues. I would like to propose a special task force set up for maternity related complaints, these would be picked up at the first point of a distressed call being made and women would not be placed in a queue to jump through many hurdles in order for their complaint to be heard. The Ockendon enquiry talks about professionals not listening to families. There needs to be accountability. Those charged with breaching their duty of care need to be prosecuted. Its as simple as that. Our lives and that of our unborn or newly born child are to be protected at all costs.

    A dedicated hotline number should be available for those using maternity services 24 hours a day, dedicated to listening to those using maternity services and trouble shooting problems.

    The ratio of midwives per patient should also be addressed. So midwives are not understaffed or left rushing around looking after too many patients. I have also spoken with nursing students, who claim that securing a place at university for midwifery is very competitive and many future midwives are prevented from joining the profession.
  2. Trauma can make us more vulnerable to developing mental health problems. Women who have experienced sexual assaults are currently experiencing astronomical waiting times to access trauma related support in Nottingham, leaving them at further risk of developing mental health problems. How do you plan to improve access to these crucial services?

    I have 10 years experience of working on an acute mental health ward. I am on the frontline facing patients and their families. I therefore fully appreciate the concerns you are raising. Many patients and their families complain how difficult it is to access mental health support. This is even more difficult as a female and also if you belong to a minority community.

    I am proposing for GP surgeries to be able to offer in-house mental health services, rather than sending vulnerable women to services where the waiting list is just too long. It is not acceptable that vulnerable women should be waiting as long as they are to access some basic support. I have personally referred women to Nottingham’s women’s centre. The ladies have given me very positive feedback of the support you have offered them. There’s another lady that I’ll be signposting over to yourselves. If elected I will ensure that funds are ring fenced for Nottingham’s Women’s Centre and I will champion all the work that you do. Women suffering from trauma, abuse, discrimination, and violence should be prioritised.
  3. How will you protect and support women’s organisations and groups in Nottinghamshire, who are at constant risk of closures due to funding cuts, increase in running costs, and high demand? Women’s organisations and groups are often best placed to deliver the right service, at the right time, to those who need it most, and need access to long-term ring-fenced funding for this work in order to continue supporting our communities.

    Fundamentally, I will advocate for funds to be ring fenced for women’s organisations who have a track record of delivering on the ground. I have worked with POW during my time at New Deal for Communities as a community engagement worker. I have also signposted ladies that I know to Juno Women’s Aid. I have also been the head of an Asian women’s group consisting of almost 150 ladies. They regularly speak to me about their issues, and I am always signposting them to women’s groups for support. Therefore, I will be making women’s issues at the top of my priorities. I will ensure you get the funding you so need.
  4. How would you ensure women who are at the risk of offending or have offended receive appropriate rehabilitation and support in the community rather than in prisons which do not meet women’s needs or prevent re-offending? Especially for women on short sentences and considering that women are non-violent offenders.

    I believe there is no safe place in prisons for ladies who are pregnant.

    Alternative arrangements need to be made for women to serve their non violent, short term sentences from a place of safety. They should be offered counselling and rehabilitation within a safe place where a working relationship is formed to support them. There should be a medical team, probation and social workers involved in this. The needs of the unborn child also need to be prioritised. Root causes to their issues need to be identified and appropriate and targeted support given in a timely manner. I believe such a package should be known as, “Caring for offenders”. I believe nobody sets out to be a criminal; its their social and economic environment that leads some women to engage in criminal activity. I believe an attitude shift is needed in treating root causes of criminal behaviour, which hopefully will lead to a drop in reoffending. I do believe some women are victims and not criminals, they are acting from a place of desperation, therefore those individuals should be identified and supported, so they do not reoffend.
  5. What actions will you take to ensure safety for women across private, public and online? What prevention and support strategies would you advocate for to ensure all forms of violence against women is eliminated and survivors can access appropriate and timely support?

    Misogyny should be addressed very early in schools; I believe education is the way forward. I believe a new innovative approach is needed, whereby there are male ambassadors right across the public, private and voluntary sector to challenge peer bias and coercive controlling behaviour. For our male ambassadors to be present in the workplace, in the same way we have first aiders. Gender bias and prejudice impact on how safe women feel. Women who suffer from domestic violence need specialist support, which is best provided by women’s organisations. I believe the police should prioritise domestic violence and the courts should hand tougher sentences; the threshold for CPS should be set at a level that cases can be prosecuted and the burden of proof should not be set so unrealistically high, that no prosecution can be made. I will work with the police crime commissioner to look into this.
  6. Many women are being prosecuted for their children’s non-attendance in schools or experiencing punitive approaches that are shown to cause greater harm. How do you intend to deal with this issue in a way that supports women and their families rather than punishing them? What actions will you take to support families and schools to deal with issues of school attendance for children who are struggling?

    Punitive measures should only be applied as a last resort. For parents who consistently show no interest in their child’s education and future, they should face up to their responsibilities and as such I support the measures that are already in place.

    However, we have single mums who are struggling in extraordinary circumstances and desperately need help and support. There are other instances when young children are pushing boundaries, here I believe parents need support and the schools need to show sympathy and work with single mothers to support them through these difficult times. As a former parent governor, I understand the legal duty schools have on enforcing attendance. Having faced these truancy officers myself, I fully sympathise with mothers who are put through this ordeal. We have all been there, there is always one black sheep in the family, who takes it upon themselves to be as wild as they possibly can be. Lets work together and get through this. I am here to support you through these challenges, and will do everything I can to be of real assistance.

Nadia Whittome

Labour Candidate for Nottingham East  

  1. With the completion of the Independent Review of the Nottingham Maternity Service, how will you fix the maternal care scandal with attention to the disparity and additional risk for Black and minoritized women during pregnancy, labour and post-natal care?

    While I don’t want to prejudge the outcome of Donna Ockenden’s review, which is due in September next year, she has been sharing learning and recommendations from her work with NUH as she has carried it out. I have met regularly with both Donna and the senior leadership at NUH to receive updates on the review, communicate feedback from constituents, and hold the trust to account over the improvements that still need to be made – for example, inequality in the provision of care. I would continue to do this if re-elected.

    I want to see the next government implement all the essential actions recommended in the two reports into the Shrewsbury maternity scandal. These must include tackling staff shortages and putting more money into maternity services.

    I also think action on maternal health inequality is a key priority. In April 2023, the House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee’s ‘Black maternal health’ report identified multiple, complex causes for disparities in maternal mortality, including pre-existing health conditions, socio-economic factors like deprivation, and bias and racism in the healthcare system. Action to tackle all of these must take place. I support the Five X More campaign and their calls for more research into maternal health outcomes of Black women. I believe that medical professionals should receive compulsory targeted training that addresses the needs of women of colour.

    I am pleased that Labour has committed to ensuring that trusts failing on maternity care are robustly supported into rapid improvement. We will also train thousands more midwives as part of the NHS Workforce Plan and set an explicit target to close the Black and Asian maternal mortality gap.
  2. Trauma can make us more vulnerable to developing mental health problems. Women who have experienced sexual assaults are currently experiencing astronomical waiting times to access trauma related support in Nottingham, leaving them at further risk of developing mental health problems. How do you plan to improve access to these crucial services?

    Support for those who have experienced trauma is something I care deeply about. I was forced to seek private treatment for PTSD myself due to the lengthy waits for NHS-provided support. As an MP, I regularly received casework from people who have been waiting months or even years to access specialist mental health support.

    Labour has committed to bringing mental health waiting times down. We will recruit an additional 8,500 new staff in our first term. While further details are yet to be set out, it is vital that these should include specialists in sexual violence and trauma-related support.

    I also recognise that specialist women’s organisations are often best placed to provide or host this support, and so sustainable funding for the sector is crucial.
  3. How will you project and support women’s organisations and groups in Nottinghamshire, who are at constant risk of closures due to funding cuts, increase in running costs, and high demand? Women’s organisations and groups are often best placed to deliver the right service, at the right time, to those who need it most, and need access to long-term ring-fenced funding for this work in order to continue supporting our communities.

    I have been outspoken against the cuts to women’s organisations over the last 14 years, especially those that provide support to women who have experienced domestic abuse and sexual violence.

    I support sustainable, long-term, ring-fenced funding being provided to women’s organisations and groups and would advocate for this as an MP.
  4. How would you ensure that women who are at risk of offending or have offended receive appropriate rehabilitation and support in the community rather than in prisons which do not meet women’s needs or prevent re-offending? Especially for women on short sentences and considering that women are non-violent offenders?

    The statistics on prison leavers re-offending speak for themselves: it is clear that prisons are not rehabilitating those who have committed crimes, with many people being sucked deeper into a cycle of re-offending instead.

    Labour has committed to working with prisons to improve offenders’ access to purposeful activity, such as learning, and ensure they create pre-release plans for those leaving custody. A Labour government would support prisons to link up with local employers and the voluntary sector to get ex-offenders into work.

    I would like to see a greater use of alternative sentences to prison, especially for non-violent offenders. I have also supported campaigns against births in prison, for the decriminalisation of sex work, the repeal of laws criminalising those who are homeless, the reform of drug-related offences, the decriminalisation of abortion and against the prosecution of parents for their child’s non-attendance.
  5. What actions will you take to ensure safety for women across private, public and online? What prevention and support strategies would you advocate for to ensure all forms of violence against women is eliminated and survivors can access appropriate and timely support?

    Labour’s landmark mission is to halve violence against women and girls in a decade through a wide range of measures. One of the most important, from my perspective, is about tackling the root causes: Labour will ensure that schools address misogyny and teach young people about healthy relationships and consent.

    A Labour government would also fast-tracking rape cases, with specialist courts at every Crown Court location, to end the scandal of victims waiting years to their case to be heard. We would introduce domestic abuse experts in 999 control rooms and ensure there is a legal advocate in every police force area to advise victims from the moment of report to trial.

    As mentioned in a previous answer, I am also keen that those who have experienced violence are able to get the support they need quickly. This means ensuring that specialist organisations and services have the funding they need and increasing the number of mental health staff working in this area.
  6. Many women are being prosecuted for their children’s non attendance in schools or experiencing punitive approaches that are shown to cause greater harm. How do you intend to deal with this issue in a way that supports women and their families rather than punishing them? What actions will you take to support families and schools to deal with issues of school attendance for children who are struggling?

    I know that almost all parents whose children have low attendance rates believe it is important that their child attends school and would like their attendance to improve. Punitive approaches have been shown to be ineffective and even counterproductive: they fail to address the root causes of why a child might not attend school.

    Crucial for improving many children’s attendance is effective mental health support. Labour will provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school, so every young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate. A Labour government would also introduce Young Futures Hubs, to make sure every community has an open-access hub for children and young people with drop-in mental health support.

    Another of Labour’s flagship policies, free breakfast clubs in every primary school, aims to help improve attendance, and I’m pleased that Labour will reinstate the School Support Staff Negotiating Body to help address the acute recruitment and retention crisis in support roles.

    For children and young people with persistent non-attendance, I would like to see a supportive rather than punitive approach, with schools working with parents, mental health professionals, SEND specialists, youth workers and others to develop specialist plans which target the root causes of a child’s non-attendance, rather than prosecuting their parents.
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NOTTINGHAM WOMEN’S ORGANISATIONS NETWORK MANIFESTO

The Women’s Organisations Network presents our manifesto, which contains proposals for achievable change to improve the lives of women and girls in Nottinghamshire and beyond.

We ask all political parties to ensure that women and girls are at the heart of their General Election campaigning and that women’s voices are listened to in policy and practice by Government.

The Women’s Organisations Network (WON) is the largest coalition of women’s organisations in Nottinghamshire. With over 100 members, WON works to foster a cohesive and joined up approach to change the lives and future of women and girls in our communities and beyond. This 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) incorporating contributions from WON member organisations, survey responses from our wider network of women, and current research on 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.

We stand in solidarity with all women and girls, who make up 51% of the population and who so far in this election campaign have heard very little about the issues that affect their lives and how the changes proposed will benefit them.

NOTTINGHAM WOMEN’S ORGANISATIONS NETWORK MANIFESTODownload
DOWNLOAD A COMPRESSED VERSION OF THE MANIFESTO

We present our six questions for all General Election candidates from all parties in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.

Our Questions for GE CandidatesDownload

Essential Election Information 

Have you registered to vote in the upcoming General Election on 4th July? It only takes five minutes to get registered! Five minutes is an excellent investment in time for the change we want to see in government! 

Countdown to the General Election 2024
Countdown to the General Election 2024

Here is our essential checklist of dates and links, counting down to the big day!! 

Need More Help? 

Nottingham Women’s Centre is encouraging more women to VOTE in the upcoming July 4th election, so if you need help registering to vote, please speak to NWC Reception or pick up a paper registration form at the Centre. It only takes five minutes to register!   

You will need: 

  • Your personal details, name, address and date of birth. 
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If you think your name and address being on the electoral register could affect your safety, you can vote anonymously. 

Want to Vote by Post? 

You don’t need a special reason to vote by post. It’s simply your choice. It’s for everyone and can make it more convenient. Busy and don’t want to queue up on the day? Vote by post! No childcare cover on the day? Vote by post! But plan ahead and register to vote by post today! 

First Time Voter?  

Are you a first-time voter, check what you need to know here in this handy guide!  

Want to find your local team?  

Local electoral registration team for Nottingham City:  

Electoral Registration Officer 

Loxley House 

Station Street 

NG2 3NG 

http://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/ 

0115 8764111 

elections@nottinghamcity.gov.uk 

If you do not live in Nottingham city, you can find your local electoral team here.

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…  

 

She Votes: Nottingham Women’s Manifesto

Nottingham Women’s Centre is pleased to launch our manifesto for the 2024 local elections!

On 2nd May 2024, people across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire will head to the polls to elect their first ever Mayor for the East Midlands Combined County Authority. In Nottinghamshire, we will also be voting for a Police and Crime Commissioner, making this a hugely important local election that will shape the lives of local communities for decades to come.

This Manifesto is based on contributions from over 100 women’s organisations in Nottinghamshire that form our Women’s Organisations Network (WON), survey responses from women and evidence from current research on women’s rights and needs.

She-Votes-Nottingham-Womens-ManifestoDownload

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

A Women’s Manifesto Survey

It’s an election year! A time to choose MPs who best represent our values. In Nottinghamshire, we have a new opportunity! We can choose our first Mayor of the East Midlands, and a Police and Crime Commissioner.  

Nottingham Women’s Centre is putting together a Women’s Manifesto. The aim is to ensure that women’s voices are at the centre of decision making for the new government.   

What issues affecting women would you like the new government to address?   

Have your say here!

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

Autumn / Winter Policy Updates 2023

Nottingham Women’s Centre is excited to bring you this autumn / winter update on our policy and campaign work.

1. What we are working on right now!

The Impact of Alcohol Tags on Women

Background

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 bans 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.

Through its case work, Nottingham Women’s Centre has identified the case of the use of alcohol tags and its adverse impact of its use on women.

Action

We are calling on relevant stakeholders to feed into our briefing proposing that the government looks into the women’s health needs and possible impacts on alcohol tags.
We are working with Alcohol Change UK as well as Severe and Multiple Disadvantage (SMD) Partnership Nottingham to better understand the prevalence of this issue and make changes at local and national level.

If you have lived experience of or work with women who have experience of alcohol tagging, or would like to feed into our briefing to the government please email ezinwanne@nottinghamwomenscentre.com.

Prosecution for School Non Attendance – a disproportionate impact on women

Women who are single parents have to split their finances between the rising cost of food and energy bills with childcare costs, making it almost impossible to work or survive. This is further complicated where single mothers have children with special needs. Recent evidence shows that single mothers are over represented in the Criminal Justice System for failure to secure their children’s attendance in school.

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. We have worked with women at the Centre who have been sentenced (mostly for the first time) because they ‘failed to get their children to attend school’ where in reality, such children either have unmet special educational needs or are bullied in school. These huge fines (up to £2500) further puts women under enormous financial pressure in the current climate.

Action

We are calling on the Council to look into the root causes of the prosecution of parents for their children’s school non-attendance, especially for single mothers as this is an unfair burden in the current cost of living crisis.

2. On our radar…

Other issues we are aware of:

Rehousing from Refuge: There is an increased risk of homelessness as women seeking rehousing in Nottingham city are in Refuge for significantly longer which seems to have a direct correlational impact on symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Impact of proposed Public Order Bill: In April 2023, the Public Order Bill passed its final stages at the House of Lords. This bill will introduce more powers to restrict people’s fundamental rights to peaceful protest. This will impact us in two ways:

  • Reclaim the Night and many other peaceful protests for women’s rights will be impeded as the law gives police power to define disruptive protests and issue protest bans preventing people from attending protests.
  • Stop and search without suspicion, interferes with women’s rights to privacy and the right to freedom from discrimination particularly for Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority women.

Lack of access to GPs for prison releases: Women released from prisons are struggling to register with GPs as their prison badges are not accepted as valid proof of ID/address.

Lack of support and inconsistency from solicitors and judges for domestic abuse survivors through the court processes

3. What We Achieved!

We were at Parliament on December 6th!

In October, we submitted evidence to the Women and Equalities Committee highlighting the impact of the rising cost of living on women in Nottingham. We were invited to give further oral evidence on the experiences of women in Nottingham.

Watch our oral evidence here

Read our evidence submission here

Free hours for childcare from April 2024

We submitted evidence to the Education Committee on the impact of unaffordable childcare costs on women after a survey and focus group conducted with women. The Department of Education has now announced new changes for free childcare to support more parents returning to work after parental leave.

Read the full announcement here

Read our evidence submission here

Women’s Health

Our evidence submission to the Women and Equality Government Committee, asking the committee to look into the health challenges women face and the impact of these experiences on their health and lives was published. We also fed into the ongoing health needs assessment for women in Nottingham. We believe this brings us a step closer to ensuring women’s health needs are taken seriously.

Read our evidence submission here

4. Partner Radar

Issues From Some Of Our Partners

A common issue across all partners is the limited funding to deliver services. Nottingham City Council’s issue of a section 114 notice in late November, has resulted in funding cuts and subsequent reductions in service provision. Other emerging issues experienced by our partners are noted below.


Notts LGBT+ Network

Notts LGBT+ is an all-volunteer organisation that provides a comprehensive database of LGBT+ information, 5 nights-a-week helpline, training, volunteering opportunities and an active presence for LGBT+ people in Nottingham.

Emerging Issues

  • People struggling to come to terms with their sexuality and/or gender status
  • People being unaware of local routes to socialising

Base 51

Base 51’s OutBurst provides a safe space for LGBTQIA+ young people (aged 11-14).

Emerging Issues

  • Supporting young people who identify as LGBTQ through their transition from high school to college to ensure they are able to deal with the challenges and emotions involved.

Kairos

A network run by lesbian volunteers for Lesbian and Bisexual Asylum Seekers and Refugees around Nottingham

Emerging Issues

  • Supporting members with mental well-being
  • Cost of living / hardship
  • Housing shortage

Notts Trans Hub (formally Trans Space Notts)

Notts Trans Hub is a trans support charity which runs two in-person support groups a month as well as an in-person social event.

Emerging Issue

  • Challenges about national news stories about trans people and comments made by people affecting mental health.

Nottingham Muslim Women’s Network

Nottingham Muslim Women’s Network continues to provide women and girls (primarily Muslim women and girls) with advocacy and support around issues that affect their daily lives.

Emerging Issues

  • Encouraging new attendees to attend services
  • Limited funding

Vanclaron CHATS

Vanclaron CIC is a community interest company with a mission to shape the design, development and provision of health and wellbeing services to be inclusive.

Emerging Issue

  • Organisational capacity
  • Limited funding

POW

POW Nottingham supports sex workers and empowers vulnerable exploited people so they can be safe, secure and have choice.

Emerging Issue

  • Housing needs
  • Rising Cost of Living

5. Policy Updates


Autumn Statement/King’s Speech

The King’s Speech and the Autumn Statement in November respectively outlined a number of important updates and policy decisions relating to the UK economy. Here are some highlights from the autumn statement:

  • National Insurance contributions will be reduced from 12% to 10% next year for employees paying the standard rate
  • Benefits will increase by 6.7% (in-line with September’s inflation figure)
  • State pension is being increased by 8.5% to £221.20/week
  • As of April 2024, the national living wage will increase to £11.44/hour
  • Class 2 National Insurance will be abolished for the self employed

There is a ‘back to work plan’ by the government to get more people into employment as there are actions around reforms to work capability assessment before people qualify for benefits.

Read more here

Discretionary Friday/pre-Bank Holiday Release Scheme Policy Framework takes effect

The framework/process for bringing forward the release date of a person leaving prison by up to 2 eligible working days, where release date falls on a Friday or the day preceding a bank/public holiday has been published, will take effect from 30th Nov.

Read more here


People will no longer have to disclose sentences for most jobs

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act has brought new changes to spending period for convictions. This means that people will no longer have to disclose sentences for most jobs, although there is a list of excluded offences which will still remain unspent for life. People sentenced to community orders will be free to move on and stop disclosing their conviction as soon as the order ends.

Find more info here


Employers to take steps to prevent sexual harassment from happening in their workplace

The landmark Worker Protection Bill has passed its final stage in the House of Commons which means it will become law before the end of the year. This bill requires employers to take steps to prevent sexual harassment from happening in their workplaces including making clear policies, training and conducting proper and impartial investigations. This also means that the Equalities and Human Rights Commission will be able to take action against organisations that breach this duty, and employers will be liable to individuals at an employment tribunal for sexual harassment claims.

Read more here

6. Upcoming Policy & Campaign Work

Manifesto for Women

Are you a woman or a representative of a woman’s organisation? Come join us at our next Women’s Organisations Network (WON) meeting as we put together a Manifesto for Women that represents specifically women’s needs for the forthcoming general elections.

Get your voice heard! If you would like to attend, RSVP here: samra@nottinghamwomenscentre.com


We hope to disseminate this Manifesto widely and hold our candidates accountable through our Hustings event.

Read more about our campaign work 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