Commissioner Visits WOW the ‘Women Out West’ Centre, Whitehaven as Phase One Is Now Completed
Cumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner is visiting the ‘Women Out West’ (WOW) centre Haig Enterprise Park, Whitehaven on Wednesday 26th June at 10am, as Phase One has been completed. Building work has recently ended and the new facilities include amenities such as interview suites, a laundry room, social areas and private 1-on-1 spaces.
Women’s Centres use a gendered approach based on core values such as understanding inequality, trustworthiness and building women’s strengths and skills. Once the WOW centre is officially completed and running to full capacity, bespoke services and activities will vary according to the needs of the women that use the centre eg. counselling courses, workshops and drop in sessions. By tailoring specific services around the needs of local women, relationships, friends and support networks will be formed.
Peter McCall comments: “In recent years, Barrow and Carlisle Women Centres have become well established, very well attended and have been delivering critical services to help keep vulnerable Women in our County safe, building their confidence and resilience. It’s early days yet but, this is a welcome completion to Phase One of the ‘Women Out West’ centre and Rachel is a ‘tour de force,’ doing a fantastic job getting the centre up and running.
“There is still much more to do and it is an exciting time. Over the summer months there is a busy programme of open days, agency drop ins, staff recruitment and training that will take place in order that the centre can operate fully on all levels, as soon as possible.
“The benefit of Women’s centres are that they provide women-only safe spaces (both physical and emotional) and information, advice, support, training and education. Women’s Centres are often able to reach women who would not otherwise engage with other service providers. The concept is as much about supporting Women to take control of their own lives, helping them to be more robust and giving support for the challenges they face. We are aiming for the WOW centre to be fully staffed, volunteers recruited and training up to date and completed by September and it is really encouraging that so much interest has already been generated about our third Women’s Centre here in the West.”
Rachel Halliday, Project Lead at the WOW centre comments: “We are so grateful to the Police and Crime Commissioner for funding the WOW Centre initially. It helped us secure the 170K capital grant from the Ministry of Justice to build our wonderful Women out West Centre. So many people have told me how desperately needed this Centre is in West Cumbria, I’m excited to be part of it”
If you would like more information about the Women’s centres across Cumbria contact the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner email: commissioner@cumbria-pcc.gov.uk or telephone 01768 217734 Website: www.cumbria-pcc.gov.uk
