SEASON’S GREETINGS TO ALL OUR READERS AND WE WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY 2016!
We held our AGM in November and our guest speaker Chief Superintendent Sam Millar spoke powerfully about domestic violence. Some of our women also spoke, very honestly and movingly, about themselves. After a short business meeting we shared lunch, did arts and crafts, henna painting and salsa dancing great fun!
Our AGM
Women getting ready to vote at our AGM
Some of the displays showing our work More photos on page 2
Womens Health Matters
Womens Health Matters Winter 2015 Newsletter
Winter 2015
Womens Health Matters Winter 2015
We enjoyed henna tattoos, salsa dancing and arts and crafts at our AGM
East Street Arts project Our wonderful community artist volunteers held an exhibition to showcase the work they’ve been doing with the women from the Rainbow Hearts Group at East Street Arts. The event, “Women of the world being powerful”, was a huge success, showing off some of the beautiful items that the women had made, including this magnificent banner. You can follow the story of the project on the blog at http://105women.blogspot.co.uk/ A huge thank you to Liz Stirling and Laura Robinson.
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Womens Health Matters Winter 2015
YUMs (young mums, tots ‘n’ tums) Shan is a member of our YUMs group as well as a volunteer at the group, helping to plan and run sessions. Shan wrote this fabulous poem about the group and read it out at our AGM to a massive round of applause!
Just a Monday It’s eleven fifteen And I’m here already , Time to set up, Keep the time steady.
Leeanne shushes us all It’s time for the rules, But we can’t sit still, we’re excited, Kylie’s making a brew.
Taxis have arrived, Kids are running wild, Hugs for us all, “I haven’t seen you in a while!”
Time for arts and crafts And a good old gab, Time spent with our friends, All the fun we will have.
Plates are filled And we sit down to eat, Caleb is pinching food And tripping over everyone’s feet.
Jokes are told Many stories are shared, “What did you do with your week?”, Everyone shares.
The creche workers are here, “See you soon kiddie pies!”, We have them next door, Brace ourselves for the cries!
There’s drama and gossip Support and a helping hand, It’s a proper mother’s meeting, The best one around!
The YUMs group meets every Monday from 12 noon until 2pm. If you would like to know more about the group please get in touch on: 0113 2762851 Page 3
Womens Health Matters Winter 2015
One of our fabulous Shine volunteers on our stall at Leeds Kirkgate Market! Our trained volunteers offer information about sexual health as well as free condoms, pregnancy tests, chlamydia tests and leaflets on sexual health. Contact us on 0113 2762851 if you would like a similar stall at your venue for a group or event.
We would like to thank St. Mary’s Church at Whitkirk for supporting us and the work we do. A massive thank you from all of us and from the women we work with, we really appreciate your generosity. http://www.whitkirkchurch.org.uk/home Page 4
Womens Health Matters Winter 2015
The Key group The young women from The Key group took part in an evaluation for the project brought together by Leeds Beckett University. We asked them to think about their journeys, where they were before coming to The Key, where they are now and where they want to be in the future.
The young women produced these amazing story boards
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Womens Health Matters Winter 2015
Come and join us!
Ask about our groups Visit one of our market stalls Use our enquiry service
If we can’t help we’ll know someone who can!
0113 2762851
HIV testing week National HIV testing week happened in the last week on November and some of our volunteers were involved in the Leeds HIV testing week, in partnership with Leeds Skyline. More information about HIV can be found at http://www.hivaware.org.uk/ See the Leeds sexual health website for places in Leeds to go for HIV testing: http://leedssexualhealth.com/
Thank you to Lush Leeds for their continued support of the work we do and the women we work with we really appreciate it!
Citywise at Merrion Centre – under 19s only The Leeds Sexual Health city centre clinic at the Merrion Centre is now open. The clinic will offer an under 19s only “Citywise” service from 4:00 to 5:30pm Monday to Thursdays and will offer contraception and chlamydia screening. This will be a drop in service, so no appointment is necessary. Young people are able to use the clinic at other times if needed. Please see www.leedssexualhealth.com for more details and information on other services available across the city, including Saturday emergency clinics. Page 6
Womens Health Matters Winter 2015
We would like to say a massive thank you to Radio Aire Mission Christmas and to everyone who has supported their gift appeal. We are delighted to say that Santa will definitely be calling this year for the children we work with! Thank you so much for making Christmas happen for them!
Thank you Radio Aire Mission Christmas!
16 Days of Action White Ribbon event ~ Zest Health For Life We recently went to a White Ribbon event held by Zest Health For Life for 16 Days of Action . 16 Days of Action is an international campaign that started in 1991, raising awareness of the issue of domestic violence. The White Ribbon is a symbol of hope for a world where women and girls can live free from the fear of violence. http://www.zesthealthforlife.org/
Leeds domestic violence services - 0113 246 0401 Page 7
Womens Health Matters Winter 2015
Reclaim the night
The Reclaim The Night marches started in the UK on the 12th November 1977, when torchlit marches were held across England in Leeds, York, Bristol, Manchester, Newcastle, Brighton and London. Hundreds of women took back their cities on that night, marching with flaming torches through centres and back streets alike. They made the point that women should be able to walk anywhere and that they should not be blamed or restricted because of men’s violence. Over the years the marches evolved to focus on rape and male violence generally, giving women one night when they could feel safe to walk the streets of their own towns and cities. An ICM poll commissioned by Amnesty International in 2005 found that over one third of the British public surveyed believed that women were sometimes wholly or partly to blame if they were raped, for example if they had been drinking, if they flirted or dressed outrageously. Today we march, as so many women have done before us, to say that we are NEVER to blame for rape and male violence. With ideological cuts threatening the refuge and rape crisis movements in the UK we need to demonstrate women’s support for essential women’s services, demand justice for survivors and spread the message that no woman is ever to blame for male violence against her.
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Womens Health Matters Winter 2015
Huge thanks to White Rose! Thank you to White Rose in Leeds for their continued amazing support which makes such a big difference to the women we work with. We all really appreciate what you and your staff do for us thank you! http://white-rose.co.uk/
Women’s words
“The best protection any woman can have is courage” Elizabeth Cady Stanton Elizabeth Cady Stanton was an American suffragist, social activist, abolitionist, and leading figure of the early women's rights movement.
Free workshop sessions for women’s groups! Womens Health Matters are offering FREE information and awareness workshops for women’s groups in Leeds on cancer screening, prevention and health checks. The workshops cover: Free sessions and information about a range of cancers including cervical screening and cervical cancer, breast cancer awareness, bowel cancer and lung cancer Who is asked to come for a test and what it involves Any worries women may have about having a test for any of these cancers Ways of overcoming anxieties and worries about the test Providing language support and giving information in an accessible and culturally appropriate way The workshops last about 1½ hours. Please contact Jane, Sally or Angela on 0113 2762851 or email: Jane -
[email protected] Sally -
[email protected] Angela -
[email protected] Page 9
Womens Health Matters Autumn 2015
Womens Health Matters Enquiry Service Do you have any concerns about your health and wellbeing? Our enquiry service is free and confidential. Contact us on 0113 2762851
Womens Health Matters market stalls Every Friday our ‘Shine’ project runs a market stall between 11am and 1pm where they give out health information, free condoms and pregnancy tests. Find them on row G of the indoor market next to the Ministry of Food. Thanks to our Shine volunteers for all their hard work! Every other Wednesday we do a cancer screening awareness stall in the same place ~ come and get some information!
Festive celebrations! Our groups have been getting into the festive spirit with parties and trips out. Our young women’s group went to Frankie and Benny’s and Locked In Games; our young mums group took their children to see The Night before Christmas at West Yorkshire Playhouse; our Feel Good group had a party; our Rainbow Hearts group had a party with music from all over the world. It has been a lovely way to end 2015 and have fun together!
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Womens Health Matters Autumn 2015 Kat was a member of one of our groups and we asked her permission to share her story. My Journey Living within a diverse community, can sometimes be daunting. As my beliefs began to change, I found myself making my family and friends aware. Islam is so often within the limelight, more often than not it is linked to things and events that are negative. My choice to finally revert had been a long process. I found myself delaying it because of the views of others. My past was marred with bad times. I was a child who was neglected, abandoned by my parents to be raised by my paternal grandmother. I had suffered physical and emotional abuse by some of the adults in my life. School life was not easy either as I was often the target of bullying. Growing up into an adult was difficult, my confidence was low and my anxiety high. I craved the attention I seldom received as a child. I made unhealthy attachments to both friends and partners in an urgent need to feel loved, wanted and accepted. At the age of 17 I became a mother, I went on to have 6 children. Two abusive relationships later resulted in me losing everything I held dear. My 4 sons were taken into care, 1 daughter was an adult and the other chose to live with her father. So there I was, rock bottom, feeling like I couldn't breathe. Both my heart and my world shattered. I had two choices, I could either stay how I was...or pick myself up and repair everything that felt broken. 5 years on, 4 lots of counselling behind me, two of my sons came home and have been home for over 4 years. The person I was seems like a distant memory. The choice to become a Muslim was not an easy task, having to put my past insecurities behind me. I am a strong, confident woman who has overcome a multitude of trials and immense heartache in life. Not everyone agreed with my choice...but for once ‘I was finally in control’. I had come so far, accomplished what I never thought I could. In fact I was happier than I had ever been. I had finally found myself, I loved myself enough to put both me and my sons first. On the 8th December 2014 I went out for the first time in hijab, I had been worried for so long about how people would look at me. The worries soon disappeared, I felt empowered, in control. After all this was about me, no one else. I have worn my hijab ever since, it was a full year just a matter of days ago. I still smile. March 20th 2015... the day I took my Shahada. It was now official ‘I am Muslim’. In such a diverse community, country even, we should celebrate, who we are, what we believe and where we come from. We are both individual and alike. Don’t be scared to be you. I love who I am today, it has taken a lot to get here. I have overcome things in life that we should never experience. But I am proof that we can come out the other side and be who we want to be. Being a Muslim today can bring with it a lot of stigma. But I know that I am a good person, a helpful person, a caring person. In difficult times I let my smile shine through, because I finally found out how strong I am and that I can be who I want to be. By Katrina Taylor
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Womens Health Matters Autumn 2015 A big thank you to our supporters!
Charity no. 1048788 Company no. 2835637 Staff members Jane Bethell - disabled women’s groups, cancer screening awareness Sally Blyth - English language support, group support, cancer screening awareness
Safer Communities Fund
And a huge thank you to everyone who has donated to our women, projects and groups this year! If you would like to support our work you can make a donation to our postal address below; cheques should be made payable to Womens Health Matters ~ thank you Womens Health Matters Bridge House Leeds LS10 2TP
Balm Road
Contact us Telephone: 0113 276 2851 E-mail:
[email protected] Fax: 0113 201 6040
Lucy Fishwick - domestic violence support groups Nicola Hardman - Include, The Key (young women) Sarah Keane - The Key (young women) Fi Kellett - Finance Ruth Mulryne - Director Elaine Roberts - Admin, Information, Shine (sexual health) Leeanne Rowinska - YUMs, Include (young women) Angela Singh - BME groups, group support, cancer screening awareness
Text: 07504 232989
Web: www.womenshealthmatters.org.uk By post: Womens Health Matters, Bridge House, Balm Road, Leeds LS10 2TP
Megan Waugh - Maternity Services Liaison Committee co-ordination
web watch http://www.nhs.uk/chq/pages/Category.aspx?CategoryID=60 Women’s health information from the NHS
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