women in london

Dear Friend

Women and Girls Network (WGN) is facing a huge threat to its services.

WGN is a pan-London organisation that provides specialist therapeutic and holistic support and information services which facilitate healing and recovery for women and girls who have experienced any form of gendered violence or abuse whether sexual, physical or emotional. We are still one of the only services in London that has the skills, experience and expertise to provide wide ranging support to women and children affected by all forms of gendered violence (including trafficking, prostitution, sexual abuse, rape, historic childhood abuse, honour based violence, female genital mutilation and war crimes).

Our main funder (London Councils) is meeting on Tuesday 19th October to determine whether or not they will honour their funding agreement with us. It is possible that they could decide to cut our funding from March 2011.

The withdrawal / repatriation of the remaining grant will mean that Women and Girls Network will lose £518,720 of funding between 2011-2012 and leave the organisation in a position of offering only a basic skeleton service with an expected 2000+ women no longer being supported and the choice of services diminished.

Any cut, reduction or loss of funding would also have a huge impact on the organisations infrastructure and would result in the loss of more than half the staff team and leave the organisation vulnerable to closure. In the economic downturn we anticipate a contraction of general funds. Local councils cannot be relied upon to fund key women’s services. Funding violence against women services is discretionary and as such local councils are not required to fund these essential, life-saving services.

By taking this action – you can influence their decision. ACT NOW. Time is running out.

What you can do:

1. Please send the attached letter to your borough representative on London Councils Grant Committee. Details of the London Councils representative from your borough can be found in the attached sheet. Please try and do this by 18th October 2010 if possible but if you can’t then do it by the end of the consultation period which is the 10th November 2010.
2. Please also copy the text of the letter and send it to your local MP, local councillors and Greater London Authority representative. This can be done really quickly by going to the following link http://www.writetothem.com/. It finds all the relevant people and you just have to copy the text into the box, and press send.
3. Encourage your networks/families/friends to do the same
4. Respond to the London Councils consultation by the 10th November 2010. Click on: http://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/grants/aboutourfunding/futureofgrants.htm Please note: WGN will formulate a template for you to use to respond to this consultation and will send this to you in the coming week.

You really can make a difference by doing this. We need the London Councils Grants Committee to change their view of whether or not they are going to prioritise keeping services for women who have experienced gendered violence.

Thank you for all your support.

Women and Girls Network