Women’s safety organisation announces plan for new Crewe headquarters
A campaign to make society safer for women and girls has unveiled plans for new headquarters in Crewe - as part of a package of measures to prevent their physical and mental harm.
Alpha Omega Women Peace and Security (WPS) Foundation, which currently holds sessions at Crewe Market Hall, is opening a hub on Crewe Business Park - offering emotional and practical support.
It will be home to a pioneering education programme for women which will include free English classes on Wednesdays and Fridays from April through to July 2024.
Buddies will also be assigned to children who struggle with the language and basic mathematics.
On Wednesday 19 April, the Foundation is launching another of its popular self-defence courses for women. This will run weekly, free of charge, at Beechwood Primary School in Crewe.
These measures were announced at the WPS quarterly meeting on Saturday where The Dynamic Anatomy of Women in Security theme introduced five leading figures in the world of women's welfare to the public.
Diversity Safeguarding Consultant and registered nurse, Angie Power, gave an update on her work with Cheshire police and other agencies to combat gender-based violence with some harrowing accounts of female genital mutilation (FGM) and honour-based abuse.
Founder of Crewe-based women's health and wellbeing charity Motherwell Cheshire, Kate Blakemore, spoke about its latest campaigns including bringing equality to Women in Sport and abolishing period poverty.
The meeting also heard from Kirsty Williams who works with the survivors of rape and sexual violence centre (RASASC) and supports women going through the criminal justice process and Ewa Wilcock, founder of the first UK-wide Polish domestic violence helpline, Vesta Specialist Family Support.
Samantha Perry, who runs a beauty school on Nantwich Road, Crewe spoke about mentoring and security in a predominantly female industry and Joanne Nelson, a frontline security officer with Alpha Omega Securities in Crewe, spoke about the Safer Nights initiative to protect vulnerable females from harm.
WPS founder, Amaka Lawton, said: "Our meeting offered an insight into the vital work these women and their organisations do on a daily basis and a snapshot of the dangers women are still facing women in our modern age.
"WPS exists to protect women from this systematic oppression, misogyny and racism.
"Our quarterly meetings help to raise awareness and bring more people on-board with our mission to promote peace and harmony.
"We look forward to opening our new hub in Crewe over the next few weeks where we can step up our efforts and offer emotional and practical support to local women."
WPS has been hosting a regular stand at Crewe Community Hub, within the Market Hall over the past few months - meeting many women facing challenging situations at home and in the workplace.
Amaka, who founded WPS with her husband Ken owner of Alpha Omega Securities in Crewe, added: "One thing is clear, there's a definite need to protect local women and more so as the cost of living crisis bears down on families.
"We have identified a need to help women with English language lessons. Too many are staying with abusers because of economic reasons or simply because they can't speak up for themselves.
"Our new hub will be a place where women can be with women to empower and create strong bonds."
Cheshire East Mayor, David Marren, who attended the meeting staged at Cheshire College South & West, was all for making society safer for women and girls.
The Shavington councillor added: "We all need to do our bit to make society safer for women and girls and WPS is working hard to achieve that with various activities including regular meetings which raise awareness and unite people with the same goal."
WPS would like to hear from anyone who can support its aims for equality and the overall safety and security of women either as a volunteer or through sponsorship.
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