We’re delighted that Anawim – Birmingham’s Centre for Women – has been awarded a £10,000 grant from the Heart of England Community Foundation’s Women and Girls Fund.
This money has been used to help fund a new clothes hub here at Anawim, onsite at the main Anawim centre in Balsall Heath, ideally situated to help us provide extra assistance to any women who come into Anawim. Sitting next to our drop-in service (used by more than 500 women every year) it is an inviting and comfortable space, from which women will be able to pick, try on, and take home clothes.
This peaceful space – where there is the chance to sit with someone – means if more support is needed, we can easily provide it. It is also open to the public, as a shop, so we hope it may provide a new route for women in our community to access Anawim, without having a “reason” to come to the centre.
Tina Hindocha, pre-loved hub manager and volunteer co-ordinator at Anawim: “Often the women we work with haven’t got the confidence to go to high street shops or maybe can’t get transport there, but this is an accessible and safe location. Even after such a short space of time, it’s already having an impact on the lives of the women we work with and seeing them leave with a smile is incredible, we’re so grateful for the funding.”
The Foundation raised £50,000 for the fund and matched it with £50,000 of its own money to create this dedicated pot of funding – designed to support projects that empower, uplift, and create opportunities for women and girls across the West Midlands and Warwickshire. Ten organisations have been awarded to help tackle inequality and strengthen local communities.
Tina Costello OBE, CEO of the Heart of England Community Foundation said: “The Women and Girls Fund is about backing the brilliant local organisations that are already creating change for women and girls in their communities.” “We’re proud to support projects that offer safety, confidence and opportunity for women across our region.”