CEO Jenny’s message of the year

The last year has provided us with the opportunity to continue to strengthen and deepen the impact of our services and influence wider systems.

One of our most significant achievements this year is that more women exited street sex work than at any point in the past five years. Each woman is now on her own path towards independence and freedom. This is powerful and hopeful progress.

Systems to safety

At the same time, we remain deeply concerned by the ongoing risks and violence many women face. Our frontline staff have observed a worrying increase in the severity of violence – yet fewer reports are being made to the police. This gap is troubling. We’re committed to addressing it by working closely with both the women and the police to build trust and improve safety.

We also know that many of the women we support face overwhelming barriers when trying to get support. We’ve learnt that we cannot make systems better unless we first better understand how they work, and where they fail women. That’s why we’ve invested in building stronger relationships with councillors, commissioners, and policymakers. We’ve also connected with and learnt from other cities’ systemic approaches to street sex work.

Only through collaboration can we begin to dismantle the structural barriers that keep women stuck.

Thank you to everyone who has stood with us this year – your support makes every step forward possible.

Bridging Gaps

The lived experience consultancy group we host at One25 have achieved some incredible feats over the year. This includes co-delivering One25 training to external partners, co-producing an information booklet about health interventions for women – and influencing multi-agency discussions. They are an unstoppable group of women and it’s so exciting to see their many achievements contribute to change.

Growing partnerships

This year, we have announced exciting new partnerships; one with Safe Link, which through funding from the Police and Crime Commissioner, has funded an IDSVA role. The other, Horizons, is a partnership with Turning Point and BDP to provide essential services for people using drugs and alcohol. Our partnerships are invaluable in providing the right support for women and offering us a voice to highlight their unique experiences.

30^th anniversary

Reaching our 30^th year is a fantastic chance to reflect back on the brilliantly resilient women we have supported over the years. Each and every one of them have taught us the true power of connection, hope and strength. It is an honour for us to walk alongside these courageous women.

With thanks,

Jenny x