Women’s charity is given £300,000 digital windfall
A LEADING women’s charity is celebrating after being awarded a six-figure grant to help it grow its digital capabilities and better support its thousands of service users.
Lancashire Women, who have a female-only centre on Blackburn Road, Accrington, are one of just eight UK charities to benefit from the £15m funding programme through the National Lottery Community Fund’s new Digital Fund.
They have been awarded £300,129 over three years.
The charity, which helps more than 6,500 women, will be exploring how the use of digital tools can allow them to get the help they need as soon as possible.
CEO Amanda Greenwood said: “Lancashire Women recognise the potential that digital – in all forms - has in helping us to adapt to the changing world and to radically rethink how our organisation works and operates in the internet era.
“This funding will help us to realise the role that we believe digital has in helping us work towards our mission.”
They will also be working alongside a national charity to help other groups benefit from what they have learned.
Teaming up with Agenda, the alliance for women and girls at risk, will provide Lancashire Women the opportunity to help both women and girls in the region, and beyond, particularly those facing multiple disadvantages.
Amanda added: “By working in partnership with Agenda we will have the opportunity to share our learning - and learn from others – across a much wider area than Lancashire alone, helping to really maximise the impact of this project.”
Agenda works to ensure that women and girls facing abuse, poverty, poor mental health, addiction and homelessness get the support and protection they need.
Together, they hope to help women’s mental health and wellbeing, give advice on managing money, build friendships and live safer, happier lives.
Lancashire Women are also appealing for help after someone stole their waste bin, a table and chairs from their garden area, and damaged their plants. In a post on their Facebook page, they urged anyone who spots a Hyndburn Council metal fourwheeled bin to get in touch.
To contact the centre email TalkToUs@ lancashirewomen.org or call 01254 871771.