500 together

We are pleased to be back with our latest donation which has come from one of our members at a local community organisation. They ased if we could help a young woman they are supporting - a refugee who has been a victim of slavery and sexual abuse for one and a half years. She has recently been allocated a council house in Sheffield - but the house is not in a good way at all. It needs repainting - which tenants are responsible for themselves- is of course unfurnished - St Vincents are helping provide some furniture - and in a situation we have heard time and again, there is no carpet throughout and no funding to buy carpet. Not surprisingly, this young woman is struggling - our member told us how hard she is trying to sort things out and engage with the support being offered - but it is exhausting for her. Our £500 will make a difference, not just in helping towards paying to get her house more habitable, but also giving her moral support that people care and this will help build t...

Donation 240 is in response to a lovely nomination from one of our members, who asked if we could help the local charity Under the Stars. https://underthestars.org.uk/ Under the Stars supports learning disabled adults access all things music and theatre. It aims high to help its members access these areas of arts that are taken for granted by the general population, running secure, accessible for all nightclub nights (used to be at the Leadmill now at the Foundry at the University). They have taught 25 learning disabled adults how to DJ and they run the night. They develop and support bands and aim high - the Sparkle Sisters sang at tramlines this year. They also run theatre shows throughout the year allowing the young learning disabled adults to develop the whole show and show their skills and talents that are often inaccessible in usual theatre / drama groups. Our member asked if we could help with fundraising for their upcoming projects including a show called Fairytales Reincarn...

One of our members told us about a mum of two children, who they are working with, helping to declutter and organise her home for it to become more airy to help to provide her child who has breathing difficulties, a clean and fresher living environment. They need some storage to help keep things tidy and easier to clean, so we were asked for funding to buy some sturdy shelving units. In addition we were asked if we could help buy a reconditioned washing machine because their old one has broken down. She has been taking her washing to her mum’s which means that dirty washing builds up, adding to the clutter. Her mum’s washing machine that she relied on has now also broken down so the need for her to have her own washing machine is now particularly urgent. We were pleased to send £500 to allow our member to help purchase these items for the family and know that she will be working with them to help get their home clean and tidy - which will benefit them all. Thank you to our member f...

Thanks to our member from Shelter who told us about one of their clients and asked if we could help. A came to the UK after having to flee their home country due to lifelong violence and persecution from their family and community surrounding their gender identity. When they fled, they were trafficked through another country before being able to flee again. Due to this trauma, their mental health is very poor, they have PTSD and they get a lot of flashbacks. They now have their immigration status and first tenancy, however, have a very low income and no flooring. They do not meet the criteria for the usual flooring grants and one day, when they are settled, they want to start working so they do not qualify for further grants. The flooring is very important to them in feeling like this can be a safe home. We have sent £500 which will help cover the costs of carpeting the living room, hallway and bedroom. This will make a big difference to their home and as always we were really happ...

This week we have been delighted to help Sheffield Working Women's Opportunities Project (SWWOP), an organisation that provides intensive support to anyone involved in sex work in and around Sheffield. https://swwop.org The work they do is fabulous, offering women a range of invaluable support through weekday drop ins and an evening outreach van. They have a dedicated housing link worker, a substance use worker, access to a GP, provide food parcels, essential toiletries, condoms and offer STI testing. They really are making a difference to very vulnerable women, helping them to look after themselves and make informed choices about their lives. This year they are in the process of creating a makeup station for the women to enjoy whilst using the drop-in space. Their aim is for this to be an important part of what they offer. As our member who works at SWWOP explained, it’s not just about makeup itself, but about confidence and self-expression. For many women, having access to t...

One of our members wrote to us asking if we could help. For the past 2 years she has been working with an Afghan chat group for Refugee women . The women are now looking to start running the group themselves and become an official Community Group. During Refugee week, due to take place in June, the women in the group would like to do a ‘pop up’ shop selling clothes they have made using Afghan fabrics, embroidery etc. They are hoping to make this the start/launch of their Community Group. The group has been donated 2 sewing machines but would very much like to buy an overlocker. They have sourced a re-conditioned one and wondered if we could get that for them. We were only too pleased to help and sent £300, which covers the cost of the overlocker with a bit extra for them to put towards supplies. We love groups like this that support and bring refugee women together. We look forward to following the progress of the group and their pop up shop and wish them every success.