Wirral scheme for Tomorrow's Women is given charity status (From Wirral Globe)

Wirral scheme for Tomorrow's Women is given charity status

11:44am Tuesday 16th October 2012 in News By Stephanie Cureton

A PROJECT set up to reach out to women offenders in Wirral has been given official charity status.

The Tomorrow’s Women Wirral scheme, which opened last year, offers support to help women work through their problems.

And now the project, which also offers help to women experiencing depression or loneliness, has been given the seal of approval as a charity.

It means that Tomorrow’s Women can now bid for cash and also work more within the community.

Project manager Angela Murphy said: “We are thrilled to have been given this status because it means we bid for Lottery grants and reach out to a lot more women.

“I think people will take us a lot more seriously now and we can continue to grow.”

The centre, which is based at St Laurence’s School, Birkenhead, was officially launched by Baroness Corston last September following her report highlighting the complex needs of women receiving short prison sentences.

Women can refer themselves voluntarily or as part of a probation supervision and are offered the chance to eventually become volunteers there.

Tina Hawthorne, from New Ferry, started attending Tomorrow’s Women four months ago after she began to feel isolated.

The 41-year-old said: “I was isolating myself from everything and had a few issues.  This centre has given me a more positive outlook on life and I feel like I can come here to chat and be around other people without being judged.

“If I wasn’t attending here I would most probably alone and in pain. I now have the confidence to try to become a volunteer either here or with the NHS.”

Tomorrow’s Women are holding a car boot sale in St Laurence’s car park, Beckwith Street East, Birkenhead on November 17 from 9am.