Manchester Women’s Aid (MWA) is taking part in the upcoming Big Give Women & Girls Match Fund, which means that its dream to reimagine the playgrounds at its refuges will have double the impact! The Big Give gets underway at midday on Thursday 10 October with supporters able to donate until midday on Thursday 17 October, knowing that every £1 that they give will be match funded and with the aim to raise £20,000.

The Big Give takes place as Manchester Women’s Aid marks its 50th year of operation, with its anniversary year dedicated to helping the children that it supports. One of the main ways MWA wants to do this is by revamping the playgrounds in its four family refuges, which all the money raised through the Big Give will go towards. This work is much needed. The playgrounds haven’t been refreshed in between 10 and 20 years and need more than a lick of paint. The hoped for transformations could open up a whole new world of play to the lives of the children who stay with their mums in refuge.

Each year Manchester Women’s Aid receives thousands of referrals and in the last ten years alone its work has impacted the lives of over 30,000 adults and children. Of the hundreds of survivors who stay in MWA’s refuges each year, over half (64% in 2023/4) will have children with them. Access to modern and engaging play areas could make a vital difference, encouraging outdoor play, the development of language skills and the processing of emotions being just some of the benefits.

Casey Doe, Refuge Manager, for Manchester Women’s Aid, says, “Our team provide amazing dedicated support and care to the families staying with us, but having colourful, imaginative play areas would make all the difference to the children of these families. As well as somewhere to spend time during their stay, they would be used for therapeutic play sessions, with child-led play opening up communication that enables children to start healing. Being a part of the Big Give is a wonderful opportunity for MWA and we hope that people will help us with their donations and by spreading our message.”

How to support MWA’s Big Give?
Between midday on Thursday 10 October and midday on Thursday 17 October donations can be made to the Big Give here. Any donations, up to a total of £10,000, will be doubled by the Big Give. Big or small, every donation made to Manchester Women’s Aid can make a real difference to bringing some brightness into the lives of children affected by domestic abuse.

Alongside six refuges and four dispersed properties, MWA provides numerous community-based services to help those experiencing domestic violence across Greater Manchester. It is a service that it has been providing since 1974, when the first refuge was opened thanks to the activism of Angela Cooper, Kath Caulfield and Fran Brody. Today MWA is part of the Women’s Aid national network of which there are 180 organisations. For further information about the work of Manchester Women’s Aid visit www.manchesterwomensaid.org