A Project In The North of England

International Women’s Day is on 8 March 2023 and is the perfect opportunity to recognise the women who are working hard for women’s rights and making a difference in the lives of women everywhere. Church Army have a project in the north of England who are working hard to support women in need and help them to create a brighter future with hope at the heart of the project.

This Project in the north of England is dedicated to helping vulnerable women who have many different problems such as homelessness, drug addiction or are going through other traumatic challenges. The project provides a drop-in facility and an outreach programme where they aim to reach women who find themselves in the most dangerous of situations. Staff and volunteers at the project give physical and emotional support with love and care for the women they serve with faith and God’s love being at the heart of all they do. 

Meet GRACE*

We have an amazing team of staff and volunteers who have a real heart for the women they serve and do so with love and attention. We work hard to create a safe space for the women in a trauma informed way, being very mindful of the backgrounds and experiences of an individual which can create barriers for them when trying to access help. We have a broad range of services and these vary depending on the person, it can be anything from making a warm drink and having a chat to attending hospital appointments or accessing housing services. We want to build up trust with the women, many of whom have complex needs and the trust element helps when we try to engage with them. All too often their previous experiences when trying to access help have been met with judgement and caused trauma which has enforced the distrust of some agencies, we try to bridge that gap so they feel able

To seek the help they need.

We believe this is a really powerful way to demonstrate God’s love for the women in a practical way and it helps them to see hope for the future. The women we serve face a lot of barriers and life complexities. Homelessness, addiction, poverty and high-risk dangerous situations are commonplace, but they are resilient and we want each of them to know they are loved by God. Faith is at the core of all we do we but the project is accessible to everyone regardless of what they believe. Each day we are grateful for the opportunity to show each woman we encounter God’s compassion and love. We get to share God’s pursuing and persistent love with them as we join them where they are.

*Grace is not her real name.

In situations where most people would be surrounded by loved ones, one lady had no-one. She needed a lifesaving operation. Previous bad experiences had left her fearful of the healthcare system. We were able to support her through getting the medical attention she needed by accompanying her to appointments, helping her to prepare for the operation, and hold her hand through a frightening time in her life.

One woman who has been accessing help through the project has been sleeping rough for over nine years. With our help she has just been given the keys to her own flat and for the first time in years she is no longer facing winter on the streets. She has told us that the most wonderful thing about having her own place is being able to choose who is allowed into her home. She has invited all the staff to a floor picnic to celebrate.