Deciding to go to a Women’s Refuge can take courage and is a very tense time. One Refuge Manager once said “The first night at Refuge is always the worst, so this small gift really does show that someone cares. We provide fresh bedding, the packs give the women a chance to shower and wash their hair, and thus begins for them a fresh start to what is frequently a painful process”.
Nottingham Soroptimists help by assembling ‘Welcome Packs’ every six months for distribution to the Women’s Refuges. We have done this for several years. Each pack contains 15 items donated by members. The end result is 40 packs and a total of 600 items donated for women in need in city Refuges each year. The sad thing is that we have to replenish these packs twice a year, due to the numbers of women who have to enter the Refuges.