It is always heartening to hear the positive impact we are having on the women who are using our services. In this blog post we highlight the experiences of two women who have come to us recently – one to find a home, and another seeking to reconnect through volunteering.

More than just a women’s refuge

Over our 25 years, Preston Road Women’s Centre has built up a range of services designed specifically to help vulnerable women who are looking to extract themselves from often dangerous domestic abuse situations. The practical challenges involved in moving on, combined with the psychological trauma, often lead to these women to fall unwittingly back into destructive cycles. It is the overall aim of PRWC to help these women once and for all, empowering them to take back control and move on with their lives with independence and resilience.

Providing safe homes for vulnerable women

Our Umbrella housing service is a vital stepping stone in this process, providing a range of accommodation options to help women transition from high risk situations to reclaiming their future. Below is an email we recently received from one of our recent tenants.

I would like to make you aware my housing support worker is doing an amazing job with everything she has done and continues to do with help and support for me.

She is very genuine, honest, polite, patient and very understanding.

If I ever have a query regarding something a concern of something, she goes out her way to help me.

She deserves a massive pat on the back for everything she does in the umbrella team for the people she supports.

A massive star 🌟

I wanted to share this information with you regarding my worker – she’s been my best housing support officer from the beginning.

Our tenants all have access to OKEACHDAY touchscreen systems, providing a daily check-in and emergency alert in case of distress.

But it is our 25 years of experience, contacts and knowledge that sets us apart – reassuring our tenants that their interests are always at the heart of everything we do, whether that is through providing both emotional and practical support, working in partnership with external agencies to ease a woman’s transition back to independent living, or providing dedicated one on one support to help rebuild skills and confidence for the future.

Creating safe spaces for healing and finding a sense of purpose

Over and above providing housing, PRWC is a focus for many women looking to reconnect after trauma. Below is the story of one woman who rediscovered that sense of purpose after the loss of her mother.

A woman moved to Hull in 2022, to live closer to her children after losing her mum. Moving to a new area and not knowing anyone left her feeling isolated, and alongside grieving, she wondered if she had done the right thing. She spent most of her days in her home, without interacting with anyone, which caused her depression and anxiety to worsen.

“All day everyday spent in the same 4 walls, no interaction with the outside world and hardly ever seeing or talking to another adult… I was lonely and desperate to meet other people.”

When the time felt right, she started looking for volunteering opportunities and came across Preston Road Women’s Centre. She immediately knew it would be a good opportunity as she has lived experience of domestic abuse. After filling out an application form online, she started their volunteering course in January 2024. Whilst she felt anxious and out of her comfort zone, she made some friends and looked forward to attending the centre each week. She went on to complete a second course in Understanding Abusive Relationships.

Once she completed both courses, she began to volunteer one day a week as a receptionist. As her confidence grew, she started volunteering three days a week in the charity shop and on reception. Since then, she has completed a third course in self development and is looking towards a fourth course in applying for work and interview skills.

“I know it may sound like a cliché but what a difference it has made! I have gone from being a hermit sat at home every day, not seeing anyone, feeling very depressed and isolated to feeling like I have a purpose now.”

She is grateful for the opportunity to meet women of all ages and from different walks of life. Having gone through similar situations as the women who attend the centre when she was younger, being able to be a friendly face to showing other women that they are not alone means a lot to her.

“I can never thank the centre enough from the bottom of my heart for giving me a chance to come and volunteer and changing my life… I am no longer stuck in the same four walls. I now have a life, have met so many new people and have new friends and a place I really enjoy going to every week, and helping other women who need it!”

Helping Hull women heal from domestic abuse

The experience of our amazing volunteer above could be yours. Everything about PRWC has evolved to embrace the drive for women to win back their confidence, independence and regain a balance of power that protects them against the risk of abuse.

Our doors are always open, and we welcome any woman in need of a safe space where she can heal, learn and grow.