Following a longstanding battle over the building space, Lambeth’s Women’s Project is facing imminent closure. Lambeth council’s silence over the potential catastrophe for vulnerable local women can be read as a lack of support for the organization. On Monday Yula Burin wrote a plea on behalf of this important resource. To continue our focus at this critical moment, Betiel Baraki reminds us of both why we need to help and the ways in which we can.
Saving Lambeth’s Women’s Project
Lambeth Women's Project is an umbrella organisation that provides space and other resources to a variety of other women's groups. It has been delivering vital services and new opportunities for young girls and women (ages 0 – 19 yrs) in the London borough of Lambeth for nearly 35 years. LWP had sole use of the building at 166a Stockwell Road from 1979- 2010. When Stockwell Primary School were made managers of the building a 5 year lease was given to LWP in order for the two organisations to share the building. LWP still has 3 years left on this lease and are being pushed out on totally unfounded grounds with a completely unrealistic timescale of two weeks. Lambeth have offered no alternative space for LWP to move to.
Even in these times of struggle - with less space and virtually no funding - approx 150 women walk through LWP's doors each month. Many other women benefit from the community outreach work and one off events.
Groups currently at LWP work in the following areas:
Advisory services
Art and music
BAME women
Counselling
Domestic violence
Gang related
Green issues
Health incl. sexual health
Mentoring
Young women's service
There is a systematic stripping of women's services across the country, join us to put a stop to this.
Please get in touch if you can offer legal advice, printing, press, food, music, banners, etc –[email protected]
Other ways you can help http://savelambethwomensproject.wordpress.com/what-you-can-do-to-help/
This is a short film made to try and capture the importance of the Lambeth Women's Project - Please watch and share it http://vimeo.com/43857445
Look on Facebook for more information: facebook.com/lambethwomensproject
- Betiel Baraki