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One of our Trustees, Lisa Hilder is undertaking some research into longer term funding mechanisms for ferminist women’s organisations in the voluntary and community sector.

Based on the work at Preston Road Women’s Centre over the last fifteen years and experience of generating income through grants, contracts and social investment, this research will focus on the opportunities and barriers for women’s organisations to become more financially resilient.

Many organisations are trapped in the hamster wheel of short term revenue funding through grants and contracts and beholden to commissioners and funders with differing levels of understanding in relation to women’s needs and the feminist agenda. Generating self finance means women’s organisations can maintain an independent voice and be responsive to emerging needs presented by women who walk through the door of local services.

A key part of the research will be to produce a toolkit for women’s organisations to use to start to generate their own funds – this toolkit will be available to any organisation taking part. The toolkit will be available early in 2019.

Click here to download an extract of the research proposal

The data collection phase of the  research has now finished and the interim findings are available to look at below in the research participants brochure and the presentations from the day. If you or your organisation are interested in finding out more, please e-mail us on info@purplehouse.co.uk

Research participants Brochure

Surviving and Thriving feedback

HWN Presentation – 16 Nov. 2018

Lately, as a result of the profile of this work, Lisa has been speaking with Big Society Capital about the women’s centre, and about a feminist approach to women’s services.

Have a look at the video interview here

Below you can see women from the organisations who took part in the Surviving and Thriving research coming together to hear about the findings and talk about working together to build financial resilience for women’s services.

Success at UK Charity Governance Awards 2017

On May 24th 2017 at a Gala reception at the beautiful Clothworkers House in central London, we were awarded a national charity governance award for “Embracing Opportunity and Harnessing Risk”, recognising the confident and robust approach taken by our Trustees in developing our portfolio of safe accommodation for women and children fleeing violence and abuse.

The award comes with the prize of a £5,000 unrestricted grant which will be used towards the construction of our new purpose-built women’s centre on Preston Road – the first of its kind in the UK for 20 years.

Councillor Mary Glew, who supported the Charity’s application said “ I am delighted that this innovative and forward thinking local charity has been recognised nationally – they are  great ambassadors for Hull”.

Watch our Winners video story here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f48nmhI8u-Q

WINNER was part of a shortlist of charities representing a diverse range of subject areas including LGBTQ, prisoners, homelessness, medical care and support, disability services, the arts, and more. A 20-strong judging panel shortlisted the entries and selected winners in each of seven categories. The winners were announced at the official awards reception in London on 24 May 2017, with former cabinet minister Sir Vince Cable delivering a keynote speech.

Michael Howell, Chair of the Trusteeship Committee at the award organisers The Clothworkers’ Company, said, “Congratulations to our outstanding winners – they provide the charity sector with sterling examples of what can be achieved with excellent governance.

“Highly-skilled trustees, diverse boards and their innovative use of digital technology are all areas that the House of Lords Select Committee on Charities has recommended as a focus for the sector. Therefore, we are delighted that our winners provide real-life examples of how that can be achieved. I encourage charities to download our free e-book which is full of inspiring stories from these superb shortlisted charities – including, of course, our winners! I hope this will provide inspiration for new journeys towards great governance.”

The free e-book is now available to download at www.charitygovernanceawards.co.uk.

The Charity Governance Awards are organised by The Clothworkers’ Company – a City Livery company that supports trusteeship initiatives – in partnership with not-for-profit consultancy NPC (New Philanthropy Capital), volunteer matching charity Reach, and recruitment specialists Prospectus.

For more details visit www.charitygovernanceawards.co.uk. You can follow the awards on Twitter using hashtag #charitygov17. Entry for the 2018 Charity Governance Awards will open in October 2017.

Our innovative Safe as Houses scheme has attracted national recognition and praise in the form of a National Charity Award for Grantmaking and Funding. These national prestigious awards showcase organisations demonstrating excellence in ten areas of operation and outstanding achievement in each of ten categories.

Alongside nine other category winners, the Overall Winner and the recipient of the Daniel Phelan Award for Outstanding Achievement, Winner, the Preston Road Women’s Centre, was presented with the award by Patti Boulaye at a star-studded black-tie ceremony at the Mermaid Theatre in London on Thursday 9 June, hosted by former BBC Breakfast presenter Bill Turnbull.

Tania Mason, editorial director at Civil Society Media which organises the Charity Awards, congratulated Winner, the Preston Road Women’s Centre, on winning the highly-coveted award.  She said:

“We had a record number of entries this year, and the standard was particularly high, so Winner, the Preston Road Women’s Centre, should be very proud to have won their category. Their project was very effective.

“For 17 years the Charity Awards have been identifying and celebrating the fantastic work that UK charities do, and the rigorous judging process ensures that only the very best-run charities win awards.”

John Low, chief executive of Charities Aid Foundation, overall partner of the Charity Awards, said:

“This year’s Charity Awards celebrate the inspiring people working in neighbourhoods and communities across the UK and overseas to make the world a better place.

“Celebrating these successes – as these awards have now been doing for 17 years – is an important part of maintaining and building Britain’s proud culture of civil action and generosity.

“The organisations which won awards and those who were shortlisted demonstrate a great sense of teamwork, collaboration and management excellence.

“It is humbling to see the amazing work being done by people who are changing lives in so many ways. Their stories are an inspiration, and my congratulations go out to them all.”

Ann Clarkson, Coordinator of Winner, the Preston Road Women’s Centre, said:

“We are extremely proud and delighted to have won this award. Our Safe As Houses scheme gives women in crisis practical help to support them to rebuild their lives.   This award is for them, for our housing team and for all our volunteers who make a difference every day to women and children in need. We will continue to build up our housing portfolio, and would be delighted to hear from any private landlords who would like to be part of the initiative.”

Lisa Hilder, Treasurer, Patti Boulaye, Entertainer and Ann Clarkson, Centre Co-ordinator