The Nelson Trust

💜 Make a difference today and support Cardiff Women's Centre's fundraising challenge! The Cardiff team has now completed their second fundraising challenge... with just one more to go! Their fundraising journey began in August with an exercise bike challenge, where they collectively cycled 127 miles in a single working day. In September, they took on the stunning but demanding Four Waterfalls Walk in the Brecon Beacons, showing incredible determination every step of the way. 🌟 Roxanne Kirsch, Cardiff Centre Manager, said: "Through the rain and shine, lots of laughter, encouragement and support, the near-slips, getting completely soaked, aching all over, and the steps and climbs that literally took our breath away at times... we did it! I am extremely proud of the team for working together to raise money that will make a difference to the lives of the women we support." Thanks to their fantastic efforts, the team has already raised £599 and is well over halfway towards their £1,000 target. With the fundraiser continuing throughout October, let's help them cross the finish line! 🏁💪 Every pound raised will support weekly breakfast and lunch clubs, food parcels, and cooking groups, helping women across Cardiff access nutritious food and vital support when they need it most. ⭐ Donate today: https://lnkd.in/ecTGrfKT #CardiffWomensCentre #FundraisingChallenge #SupportWomen #CommunitySupport #MakeADifference 💜

A recent The Guardian article https://lnkd.in/eTuwXsiE has rightfully sparked constructive and meaningful conversations around women in the justice system. In a follow up article, https://lnkd.in/etg_WFTX Bristol Courts solution was once again mentioned as a positive pathway for women in the Justice system. Vicky Davis Head of Women’ s Community Services who has led the development of our Bristol Women Centre Services and Court diversion work said: “It is fantastic to see diversion work in the women’s space spoken about in the news - The Nelson Trust has been working closely with Bristol Magistrates’ Court, HMPSS and local criminal justice partners to strengthen the support available to women appearing before the court and to help shape the development of a dedicated women’s court Our practitioners already work within Bristol court, identifying women’s needs at the earliest opportunity and connecting them directly with specialist, trauma-informed support through our Bristol Women’s Centre. The development of a women’s court builds on what we already know works, creating a more coordinated and gender-responsive approach that addresses the underlying causes of offending including domestic abuse, trauma, poverty, poor mental health, substance use and insecure housing. Initiatives such as these demonstrates why the Government must continue to invest in women’s centres, early intervention and diversion. Specialist workers in courts and police custody units can identify need and provide an important route into support, but women’s centres provide the sustained, practical help that enables women to make lasting changes. Where it is safe and appropriate, intervening early and diverting women away from custody can prevent further harm, protect family relationships, reduce reoffending and avoid the significant human and financial costs of imprisonment. Women Centres provide credible community alternatives to custody, giving women the support they need to build safer and more stable lives. If we are serious about reducing the number of women in prison One Stop Shop Women Centres need to be a sustainable and invested part of the solution” Women's centres are not simply an alternative to custody. They are a proven investment in prevention, recovery and safer communities. We must move beyond creating more prison spaces and instead expand access to the specialist support that helps women heal, recover and thrive. #WomensCentresWork #WomensCentres #CriminalJusticeSystem

Thank you to the National Women's Justice Coalition for representing Women’s Centres at the Labour Party conference this weekend ! What an incredible platform to showcase the effectiveness of our sectors work and explore the opportunities to secure and strengthen it into the future! #WomensCentresWork #JusticeSystem #EarlyIntervention #LabourPartyConference

Join us for an evening celebrating women in leadership, featuring inspiring speakers Sara Smalley, Becca Meadows and Julie Kent MBE, as they explore this year's theme, Doing Business for Good. Here's what you need to know: 🎫 £15 📍 Patch, 5-7 Cathedral Walk, Gloucester, GL1 1DF, with further networking opportunities at the Crimson Spires Rooftop Bar at Hotel Indigo after the event 🕰️ 4pm to 6pm 👉 Be sure to get your ticket before they sell out! https://lnkd.in/eSRmH23W This event is generously hosted by Patch Gloucester and supported by Benefact Group, Azets, Meta Advisors Ltd and WSP Solicitors

And so the walk continues as Newport Women's Centre raises vital funds for much-needed food provisions and store cupboard essentials at the centre 👟 They've done an incredible job so far, raising more than £500 and exceeding their original target!🎉 As the team keeps walking, please keep the donations coming. You'll be helping to provide food for a woman in need. That's the real impact your support can make. ⭐ Donate today: https://lnkd.in/egsjpzrf

Recovery Month – what women want, and what do they need from recovery services? Last year women from across our services bravely shared their experiences of what an effective and ideal substance use support system looks like, and how their voices can drive the change needed across central government, local authorities and other service providers. The Centre for Justice Innovation’s report, '“To be listened to... and actually heard” - Women's perspectives on effective substance use treatment and support' powerfully highlights why gender-responsive services are vital in providing lasting, community-focused support for women. 🔗You can read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/eNjBZshm

We were delighted to have been featured in a recent article by The Times highlighting Bristol's Women's Court, which takes a trauma-informed, problem-solving approach to supporting women involved in the criminal justice system. Working alongside organisations such as The Nelson Trust, the court connects women with support around trauma, addiction, mental health, housing and relationships. The article demonstrates that the justice system is beginning to recognise what many women's organisations have known for years: punishment alone does not address the root causes of offending.https://https://lnkd.in/ejsN54XK We welcome the growing recognition that community-based solutions work. This aligns with, and is amplified by Clinks in their voluntary, sector-led manifesto, which calls for a whole systems approach to women in contact with the criminal justice system, sustainable investment in women's centres and greater use of community-based alternatives to custody. The report highlights what we know to be true: many women entering the justice system have experienced abuse, trauma, homelessness, poor mental health or addiction. Addressing these challenges is not about being soft on crime. It is about reducing reoffending, improving outcomes and creating safer communities. We fully support the Clinks call to action, we know through our work they are proven pathways to rehabilitation, recovery and long-term change. Real change happens when we move beyond asking "What's wrong with you?" and start asking "What happened to you, and how can we help?" If we want fewer victims, stronger communities and better outcomes for women and their families, we must continue investing in trauma-informed, women-specific support at every stage of the justice journey. #TraumaInformed #CriminalJustice #WomenInJustice #Rehabilitation #WomenSupportingWomen #JusticeReform #CommunityJustice #TheNelsonTrust Times News Group

What an amazing time at our Annual Golf Day last Friday, raising nearly £17,000!⛳ Despite a light drizzle and grey skies, spirits remained high on the course at Minchinhampton Golf Club. We even spotted a few geese making their way across the greens!🪿 A huge thank you to all our sponsors: ⭐Enterprise Mobility ⭐MURRAYS ESTATE AGENTS ⭐CW Duke ⭐MERRETTS HEATING SERVICES LIMITED ⭐Nimble Elearning | B Corp™ ⭐Blue Sky Signs Ltd ⭐Kirby & Knott Financial Planning Ltd ⭐Bourlet Consulting - Chartered Financial Planners ⭐Bishop Fleming Chartered Accountants ⭐Baylis Group and ⭐Virgate | Your Dynamic Accounts Team - for the 3️⃣0️⃣0️⃣bottles of water donated! And of course, a heartfelt thank you to our supporters, volunteers and staff. We couldn't have done it without you. Your support truly does change lives💜

With the proposed plans to repurpose parts of the women’s estates to tackle overcrowding within the male population the question is, where do the women go? Women make up only 4% of the prison population, and are often serving short sentences for non-violent offences. They are regularly serving time in prison’s far from their homes, with no women’s prison’s for the entirety of Wales. So where better can women be rehabilitated than closer to their families and within their communities than at a specialist women’s centres and gender-responsive services like ours. At The Nelson Trust, we know firsthand that the work we do reduces reoffending, improves lives and empowers women to make lasting change. The more accessible and geographically available women's centres and community-based alternatives become, the more women can receive the support they need to overcome the challenges they face, rebuild their lives and stay connected to their families and communities. The call to action is clear: ✔️ Invest in women’s specialist services ✔️ Look at sentencing, remand and recall ✔️ Rehabilitate in the community ✔️ Implement recommendations from the Women’s Justice Board ✔️ Keep families together Read more about the proposed plan for female prison’s here: https://lnkd.in/evyZnN22

We are incredibly proud to be supporting more Women's Centres adopt the Women's Risk Needs Assessment (WRNA) through the WRNA Expansion Programme with The JABBS Foundation for Women and Girls and the Henry Smith Foundation; improving support and strengthening the evidence that community based rehabilitation works best for women in the justice system.