Groups funded through a pilot project gathered yesterday (Tuesday 25 March) to share how their work is making Plymouth safer for women and girls.
Nine Plymouth-based groups have received up to £5,000 in funding thanks to a partnership between Plymouth City Council, Devon Community Foundation, and the Sedel-Collings Foundation. The funding was made available for community organisations whose work supports the Plymouth VAWGDASV (violence against women and girls domestic abuse and sexual violence) strategy.
Funded activity includes a confidence-building programme aimed at vulnerable young girls (aged eight to 14), a project to distribute reusable anti-spiking drinks caps to students, and photography workshops to empower women and challenge harmful societal attitudes towards VAWGDASV.
The groups presented their work at an event at the Council House yesterday. Among those who talked about their work were representatives from Mindful Art Club, which received funding to run a creative group at the Sunflower Women’s Centre. Kerry Evans, who has attended the group and now supports it as a volunteer, described how Mindful Art Club helped her to navigate some very difficult times. She said: “It’s completely changed not just my life but my family’s life.”
Councillor Sally Haydon, Cabinet Member for Community Safety at Plymouth City Council, said: “This fund is an excellent initiative offering local organisations funding to help with work surrounding mitigating violence against women and girls in our city. It is great to have people on board so we can come together and continue reiterating that women and girls have had enough.
“The event is an excellent opportunity for community groups, the Council and Devon Community Foundation and the Sedel-Collings Foundation to come together and celebrate this work and for people to learn more about this project.”
Mary Hancock, CEO of Devon Community Foundation, added: “Making Devon safer for women and girls is everyone’s business, so it is encouraging to see the varied and creative ways in which the funded groups are working to address this urgent issue. They also show what can be achieved at a grassroots level with a relatively small amount of money.
“We hope that these grants will act as a pilot, helping us to attract further funding for Plymouth and Devon as a whole. If anyone would like to speak to us about donating to this vital work we would be delighted to hear from them.”
A donor has already offered Devon Community Foundation a further £30,000 to support working addressing violence against women and girls, if the foundation can find match funding.
To learn more about how you can make a donation or support work to tackle violence against women and girls in Devon please contact Laura Cameron Long, Devon Community Foundation’s Head of Development and Philanthropy – [email protected] / 01884 906 685.
Full list of funded groups:
- True Butterflies Foundation - cosplay workshops for children affected by domestic abuse
- Fotonow - delivery of the Crescent Women+ creative programme in Plymouth to empower women and raise awareness of harmful societal attitudes towards violence against women and girls.
- Jabulani Plymouth - monthly 'Girls to Women' platform events
- Big Sis CIC - the Creative Confidence Club Programme will run three series of sessions designed to build confidence and promote/support well-being for vulnerable girls and those female-assigned at birth.
- Plymouth City Pastors - funding to deliver the street pastor programme in Plymouth on weekends
- Marjon Student Union - funding for anti-spiking drink caps to prevent VAWG in Plymouth
- AHIMSA
- Plymouth Dance CIC - using dance to foster resilience, independence and social connections for young people in Plymouth.
- Mindful Art CIC - offering group art work to marginalised communities in Plymouth