News

Safespots Awarded National Lottery Funding

We are pleased to announce that Safespots have been awarded £10,000 in funding from the National Lottery. It’s thanks to millions of National Lottery players that we’ve been able to apply for and be granted this funding, which comes directly from the proceeds of tickets. The money will be used to support hundreds of women from the Wythenshawe area fleeing domestic abuse with advocacy and support services.
Safespots provide a safe space in the heart of the community where women can talk, get information and take courses such as healthy relationships and money management, receive employment support and access legal first aid. Safespots is led by women who understand domestic abuse and have had similar experiences themselves, meaning there will always be an understanding ear and a friendly face.
Pat Hawkins, Chair of Safespots Board said:
“We are delighted to have received this grant, which will make such a difference to the lives of women in Wythenshawe. As a small organisation we rely on funding such as this to make the work we do possible. It says a lot for our service to be recognised by a big organisation like the National Lottery, so we would like to thank them for their support. It literally feels like we have won the lottery!”

 

Note for Press Editors: Please contact Julia at info@safespots.org.uk you require any further information or an interview.

VIP Guest Coming To Safespots

News has just arrived by Elf mail that a very special guest will be “coming to town”.

On Saturday 15th December 2018 the most generous man in the world will be flying in to Wythenshawe to visit the Girls and Boys on his good list.

Mr Claus said:

“I am very much looking forward to meeting all of the girls and boys from Wythenshawe. I have been checking my nice list and it is still being updated by the elves so there is still time to get on the list. I have been busy packing my sleigh and shining Rudolph’s nose to make an early trip out ahead of my big day of the year.”

If your child would like to come to Safespots for some Christmas crafts and to meet Santa in his secret grotto please book your FREE tickets at

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/wythenshawe-safespots-18059130165

One ticket required per child . Children must be accompanied by a responsible (female*) adult.
(*Safespots is a Women’s Centre and safe space. We apologise that children can only be accompanied by a female adult.)

 

Scrap The Fee Reaches House of Lords

November has been an exciting month for Safespots, as the Scrap The Fee Campaign reached the House of Lords. The campaign, started in 2016 by the Safespots Women aims to outlaw GP’s charging domestic violence victims up to £150 for legal aid referral letters. Scrap the fee has now been discussed by Lord Kennedy and has won the backing of Health Minister Lord O’Shaughnessy. We are now hearing  some GP’s voluntarily rewriting their charging policies as a result.

Sarah Judge said

” In 2016 when Tom Watson, the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party visited Safespots, our women told him about the injustice of having to pay such a large amount just to prove they had experienced abuse and to get the legal help they need. We have worked with Tom ever since and are so grateful for the way he has pushed this campaign to the highest levels of Government, but most of all, so proud that women from right here in Wythenshawe stood up, made their voices heard and are now changing the lives of tens of thousands of women across the Country.”

Women can now ask for evidence from a range of services including:

  • Domestic abuse support services such as Safespots
  • The courts
  • The police
  • A multi-agency risk assessment conference (MARAC)
  • Health professionals including a GP, Midwife, psycologist or health visitor
  • A refuge manager
  • Your bank, e.g credit card accounts, loan documents and statements showing financial control
  • Your employer or education provider
  • The provider of any benefits received

Please get in touch with Safespots if you would like more information about how you can get help with legal support and legal aid and for more information on supporting the campaign.

Retro Soul Fundraiser a huge Success

Last Friday’s Retro Soul fundraiser had a fantastic turnout with over 70 people dancing the night away to raise much needed funds. In total the evening raised £923. 87!!

Chair of the Safespots board Pat Hawkins was delighted;

“I would like to thank everyone who supported the event with their kind donations and time, particularly the Northenden Social Club for hosting the event and our amazing DJ’s. We look forward to more events like this in the future, so watch this space!”

Special thanks to

Northenden Social Club, Cheadle House Hotel, Printrocket, Adomedia, Pete Clegg, Anthony Lillis, Mike Kane MP, Libby Hill, Tommy and Carole Judge.

Domestic abuse can take several forms

It is now illegal for your partner to do these 11 things:

The offence of coercive control means many things that were not covered by previous legislation are now illegal.This new law recognises that domestic abuse can take several forms. As a result of this law change, it is now illegal for your partner to do these 11 things:

1. Share sexually explicit images of you, either online or otherwise
It is against the law for somebody to share intimate photographs of you, with anybody.

2. Restrict your access to money
The law says one partner cannot stop the other from accessing money. Each partner should have equal access to money, your partner should not make you rely on them for “pocket money”

3. Repeatedly putting you down
You may not think being constantly put down by your partner is domestic abuse. Under the new law, name calling, humiliation and intimidation are illegal. It is recognised that these can be as harmful and have a more lasting impact than physical abuse.

4. Stop you seeing friends or family
Alarm bells should ring if your partner stops you seeing friends and relatives, blocks your calls or tells you where you can and cannot go.

5. Scare you
If your partner behaves in a way that scares you this is an offence. They do not have to physically harm you but angry gestures, using their physical size to intimidate you, shouting and throwing things is all picked up by the coercive control legislation.

6. Threatening to reveal private things about you
If your partner threatens to share private information about your health or sexual orientation, this is a form of abuse.

7. Putting tracking devices on your phone
It is illegal under the new legislation to monitor a person using online tracking software.

8. Being extremely jealous
If your partner persistently accuses you of cheating, simply for looking at another person, this could be grounds for prosecution under the new legislation.

9. Making you obey their rules
A relationship should be a partnership, no one partner should have control over the other. Both should have a choice in decision making.

10. Control what you wear
Taking control of any part of your life is covered in the new law. You should have full power to choose what you wear for yourself. The new law means control such as this is now illegal.

11. Forcing you to do things that you don’t want to
Your partner should never force you to do things that you don’t want to, this includes neglecting or abusing your children, having sex when you don’t want to or, forcing you to commit crime.

If you feel unsure whether your partners’ behaviour is abusive, please contact the Safespots Team on 07873889637

The ‘SafeSpots’ Team meet MP Mike Kane

Members of the ‘Safespots Team’ joined a delegation of Manchester City Councillors on a trip to London and the South East.

Day One: All delegates met with Helen Pankhurst at the Emmeline Pankhurst statue, situated at the entrance to Victoria Tower gardens. Helen talked about issues that still faced women today and praised the ‘Safespots Team’ for the work they do to empower and support women in their community.

The ‘Safespots Team’ were then hosted in Parliament by Mike Kane, their local MP. A discussion was had around how domestic abuse affects women in Wythenshawe and how Mike could help.

Day Two: The ‘Safespots Team’ travelled south to meet with sculptor Hazel Reeves. Hazel is the currently working on the Emmeline Pankhurst statue, soon to be unveiled in Manchester.

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