Women's Community Matters is Runner Up in National Award

Barrow’s Women’s Community Matters programme, to which Cumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner has provided funding, has achieved second place in a prestigious National Award.

The Howard League for Penal Reform is a national charity working for less crime, safer communities and fewer people in prison. Women’s Community Matters (WCM) came runner up in this year’s Community Programmes Award from the Howard League.

WCM run ‘Being, Feeling, Keeping Safe (BFK Safe)’ is a holistic programme it aims to give the women involved a sense of purpose, safety and autonomy in their lives through a variety of programmes. It is primarily for women who have experienced domestic abuse or who have experiences of the Criminal Justice System, whether as a victim of crime or an offender.  The ethos at Women’s Community Matters is to engage non-judgementally with women, seeing them as women first and victim or offender second, giving much greater potential for growth and change. The women attend three one-to-one sessions throughout the programme to explore what they hope to change in their lives and evaluate their experience of BFK Safe.

Rebecca Rawlings, the Centre Manager said “We were really proud and pleased to be nominated for such a prestigious award. The staff attending the event were inspired by all the speakers and the other nominees. The winner in our category was Lancashire Women’s Centres who we work alongside and who have supported the development of our Centre, so we were really pleased for them that they received the recognition they deserved. The event has given us food for thought and lots of ideas and opportunities for development, and that can only be good for those women and families who access our service.  Thank you to the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for taking the time to nominate us and for funding the Being, feeling, Keeping Safe project.  The recognition and ideas we have gained from the event have already helped to shape and improve the project and all the women we work alongside were ‘over the moon’ that their Centre had received national recognition.” 

Police and Crime Commissioner, Richard Rhodes said “The work undertaken by Women's Community Matters is making a real positive difference to women in Barrow. I am delighted that the team came runner’s up for the Community Programme  Award when there were more than 14 nominations.  It is only by us all working together than we will make a difference in keeping people safe."