DESPITE the fact it provides a vital service in the community, helping in the region of 400 local women a year, Fermanagh Women’s Aid (FWA) relies on grass-roots fundraising to help it continue its life-saving work.
Indeed, only 40 percent of the service’s funding comes from statutory sources, with the rest of its funding coming from grants and community fundraising. This means the fundraising help FWA receives from the local public is absolutely essential to allow the service to keep going.
Thankfully, CEO Kerrie Flood said FWA already receives wonderful support from local people and businesses. She also said there were plenty of other ways, other than fundraising, those who want to can help.
“I have to say, we’re so lucky. We have great support from the local community,” she said, explaining FWA regularly receives donations from local businesses.
“I suppose that’s the upside of rural living,” she added. “We really are a tight-knit community. If we look at the fundraising that was done in Belleek, a year ago, in one weekend £11,000 was raised.”
With the stressful Christmas period sadly a time of year when domestic violence is known to surge, FWA will be joining the global ‘16 Days of Action’ in the run up to the festive season.
Locally events will include the ‘Souls of Our Shoes’ exhibition by the Mothers’ Union, a walking challenge on November 25, a ‘Safe Leave’ breakfast on December 9 at Enniskillen Townhall, and finally there will be a candlelit vigil to remember lives lost to domestic violence at the Diamond in Enniskillen on December 10.
On top of this, FWA has launched a Christmas appeal for community support, asking for donations of toys, gifts, clothes and other items.
Locals who want to support FWA by joining these events or donating to the Christmas appeal can find full details on the Fermanagh Women’s Aid Facebook page.
People can also donate directly to FWA via their website, www.fermanaghwomensaid.com
Ms Flood said there are other ways people can help support their work to end domestic and sexual abuse, outside of donations and fundraising.
“The other big thing, I would say, is around having the conversations,” she said, stressing the importance of talking.
For example, she encouraged employers to look at their policies surrounding safe leave, and for when an employee is accused of domestic violence. She also urged communities, families and businesses to foster environments that send a clear message domestic and sexual abuse will not be tolerated.
Ms Flood also pointed to the great work being done in this regard through school and other bodies, who have a great working relationship with FWA.
Overall, it’s about she said it was about creating space to have those hard conversations.
“And they are hard, particularly in Northern Ireland, we have a particular culture where there is lots we don’t talk about,” she said. “It’s a legacy of trauma for generations.”
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