The “Women’s Aid in Birmingham” shop will be selling a range of quality men’s, women’s and children’s clothes and shoes, toys and household items, generously donated by the public. The shop will help raise funds towards building a new refuge in Birmingham which will be a vital lifeline for women and children who are at risk from violence, injury or even death. The refuge will be owned and run by Birmingham & Solihull Women’s Aid, a charity which has been supporting women and children for over 30 years.

Chief Executive Maureen Connolly said:

“Every  week, two women are killed by their current or former partner, in England and Wales. This is why providing emergency refuge accommodation is vital and can save lives; however, on a typical day, 320 women are turned away from refuges in England because the demand is so high.

“There aren’t enough refuge spaces for women and children fleeing domestic violence. In Birmingham, less than half of women seeking refuge are successful in finding refuge space. We know that without a safe place to go, women and children stay in dangerous, violent and abusive relationships.

“Demand for our services is increasing all of the time and we have to look at new ways of raising funds to provide this vital support. Having our own shop gives us the opportunity to raise much-needed funds from donated goods. Over the years, we have really valued the generosity of the people of Birmingham in supporting the women and children in our refuges and we have every confidence that they will continue to support us with donations for our shop.

“ We have a team of fantastic volunteers trained and ready for the shop opening, and we hope you will come along to meet them on Saturday.”

Can you give this Fimble a good home?

The “Women’s Aid in Birmingham” shop will open for the first time at 9am on Saturday 19^th May, at 92a Boldmere Road, Boldmere, B73 5UB. Enquirers about donations and volunteering can contact the shop manager, Rachel Taylor, on 07891 362 172.

Working with community artists, the women and children have expressed their experiences of domestic violence and its impact on their lives. They have also documented the difference that the help and support of Birmingham & Solihull Women’s Aid has made, as well as noting the positive experiences that a refuge can bring, in terms of making friends with other women and children who have shared experiences.

The display was first seen in Solihull on 20^th January, as part of an event Birmingham & Solihull Women’s Aid held at The Bridge to involve local community groups and children’s services in a narrative of a family who had fled violence. Delegates were given the opportunity to take part in activities that children and young people are offered in refuge, and to put themselves in the shoes of a mother forced to leave home and possessions behind to reach a place of safety for herself and her children. The event: ‘Can You Hear Us: Voices of Women and Children Affected by Domestic Violence’, also heard from local MPs Lorely Burt and Caroline Spelman, and Solihull Council Chief Executive Mark Rogers.

Birmingham & Solihull Women’s Aid CEO, Maureen Connolly, said:

“Domestic violence silences women and children: they fear repercussions from the abuser and think that others won’t believe them. Safe in refuge and beginning to rebuild their lives, these women and children wanted to tell us their stories, taking all of us on their journey as they re-find their voices.”

Mark Rogers, Chief Executive of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, said:

“Addressing and reducing domestic abuse is at the top of the priority list for the Council and its partners. We recognise the importance of improving understanding and challenging attitudes around domestic abuse, and encouraging greater partnership working to help victims. We are alarmed at evidence of rising violence and abuse in teenage relationships and we need to bring teaching around healthy relationships into the heart of education.”

Solihull Central Library, Library Square  Homer Road, Solihull, West Midlands B91 3RG 0121 704 8400

Photograph by Ian Cuthbert



‘Can You Hear Us?’: Understanding the impact of domestic violence and abuse on children and young people – 20^th January 2012

Last year, we asked community artists to work with the women and children in our refuges to enable them to express their feelings and say something about what they’ve been through, as well as how the support they were getting made a difference to their lives. The women and children made life-sized silhouettes of themselves, which were cut out and decorated with words and pictures.

This January, we displayed these statues so that workers and managers of Solihull’s public and voluntary sector services could also appreciate the work that we’ve done together and to see other examples of the work we do with our refuge and community family support services.

We also asked them who came to put themselves ‘in the shoes’ of women and children who come into refuge, by using the example of an imaginary family: mum Gina, 14-year old Kelly and 10-year old Jack, who each got to tell a bit of their story.

Our Children & Family Workers gave presentations on the kind of work they would do with this family, and we asked our guests at the event to take part in activities that we hold in refuge and other activities to get them to think about what it’s like to take the brave step to come into a refuge, perhaps with only a few possessions.

We also had other speakers at the event, including the local MPs Caroline Spelman (Meriden) and Lorely Burt (Solihull), the Chief Executive of Solihull Council, Mark Rogers and Tina Russell, Head of the Children In Need service.

To register your interest please click here.

This year the training is Area Based – the courses offered in each of the four Birmingham areas is based upon feedback from workers in these areas. For each course, we will give priority to workers from that area; however, not all courses are available in all areas. We also offer some of the courses in a city-centre venue, where priority will be given to workers whose remit is Birmingham-wide. See below for descriptions of areas.

Our Level 1 course – Awareness of Domestic Violence through Birmingham’s Domestic Violence Standards – is essential for workers who have had no previous domestic violence training. Please do not book onto a Level 2 course unless you have undertaken this training.

The Violence Against Women & Children training is appropriate for professionals working for organisation which provide services for women and children, including:

• The health service
• The police, probation and courts
• Statutory and voluntary sector social services
• Statutory and voluntary sector advice/ advocacy services

If you are not sure of your eligibility, please contact 0121 685 8687. See below for wards in each area.

PDF: Violence Against Women & Children training 2012

Word: Violence Against Women & Children training 2012

Booking form: Violence Against Women & Children training 2012 Booking Form

For many people, Christmas and New Year is a great time of joy but it can be difficult for those living in fear of violence or abuse in their own homes. Domestic violence is not just a private matter and everyone need needs to be involved in helping victims and as well as raising awareness about this issue you can also practically help to support families in their first nights during this difficult time.

Nationally, there were more than a million female victims of domestic violence in England and Wales last year.  And every week two of those women lose their lives at the hands of a current or former partner. Unfortunately this issue is particularly prominent during the Christmas and New Year period and last year for example, over 200 women in south Birmingham presented themselves as homeless as a result of suffering domestic violence over December and January.

There are a range of domestic violence and sexual violence services available in Birmingham, funded and delivered by organisations such as Birmingham City Council and Birmingham & Solihull Women’s Aid. These encompass advice and support through to emergency accommodation and refuge. Central to this campaign is the support provided in the city through its network of refuges and last year for example, approximately 125 women and 300 children spent their Christmas and New Year in refuges in Birmingham.

If you would like to help, from 5th December to 9th January there will be various collection points around the city where you can donate a number of items such as colouring books and toiletries to help make a difficult first night in refuge easier.  For further information please refer to the attached poster or visit www.birminghamcsp.org.uk

First Night Campaign poster

How can you get involved and help?

1.  Make a donation – suitable items which families can use on their first nights in refuge including colouring books, pencils and crayons, puzzles, books to read, toiletries and chocolate. See below for collection points/ dates.

2.  Display posters – you can print off the PDF or request a number of A2 and A3 posters. These can be delivered to you to promote the campaign within your facilities and potentially advertise them as collection points.

3.  Circulate this information to your colleagues, staff and mailing lists to raise awareness of the campaign and encourage people to make a donation.

4.  Become a collection and donation point – if you are interested in your centre/ facility becoming a collection point, please contact us to arrange this.  Appropriate collection days and times can then be arranged with you and with your permission your details will also be added to the list of collection points.  These will be promoted on the Birmingham Community Safety Partnership and Women’s Aid websites.

5.  Bring your donations along to the South Birmingham Domestic Abuse Forum, the next meeting of which takes place on 15^th December.

Venues for First Night campaign donations
15th December only – South Birmingham Domestic Abuse Forum meeting, 9.00am – 12.30pm. Billesley Hub, 725 Yardley Wood Road, Billesley, B13 0PT

Selly Oak Constituency Office, 1459 Pershore Rd, Stirchley, B30 2JL

Maypole Childrens Centre, 15 Grendon Road, Warstock, B14 4RB

Woodgate Valley Fire Station, 161 Stonehouse Lane, Quinton, B32 3AG

Bournville Lane Police Station, 341 Bournville Lane, Bournville, B30 1QX

Allens Croft Childrens Centre, Allens Croft Road, Kings Heath, B14 6RP

Northfield Fire Station, South Road, Northfield, B31 2RB (collection on 15th December)

Chinn Brook Childrens Centre, 213 Trittiford Road, Billesley, B13 0ET

Fox Hollies Leisure Centre, Shirley Rd, Acocks Green B27 7NS

Stechford Cascades, Station Rd, Stechford, B33 8QN

Louisa Ryland House, 44 Newhall Street, city centre, B3 3PL (BCC Performance Review Team)

Birmingham Womens Hospital, Mindlesohn Way, Edgbaston, B15 2TG

If you wish to find out more about the campaign, offer your venue for donations or order posters, please go to our Contact Us page.

One hundred and sixty visitors signed the visitors’ book, 66 of whom also signed up to our mailing list.

We asked “What Three Things does the name Birmingham & Solihull Women’s Aid mean to you?” – here are some replies:

“Thank goodness you exist! Fantastic support for women.”

“Giving women freedom. Shelter from harm. Protection for their family.”

“A recognisable source for violence. First point of call for help. A valuable service needed more widely and proactively in the community.”

“Just knowing you EXIST MAKES ME FEEL GOOD. I am so glad you are here. For all that need you.”

We also asked visitors to give us feedback about what they think about BSWA and any ideas for improvement -

Tell us one good thing about your experience of BSWA:

“The help you give is invaluable.

Very friendly workers, make you feel very welcome.”

“It’s an amazing organisation, the women’s accounts of what they have been through moved me to tears, the service provided is wonderful.”

Is there anything else you would like to tell us?

“Keep up the amazing work, u are really making a difference.”

“You offer a great service.”

“The entire experience has been great. I didn’t think I’d feel this welcome and get the amount of information as I did, so thanks for that.”

We will be holding another event in Solihull in November . . . watch this space!