Women’s Aid in Luton exists to help keep women and children safe. We aim to empower women through the provision of support and advice to secure accommodation and to successfully move on to independent living, free from abuse and fear.
Our Purpose
We are here to provide support, information, guidance, and safe accommodation for women and children who have suffered from or are exposed to gender-based violence.
We passionately believe that all women and children have a right to feel safe and secure and to live free from all forms of abuse and violence.
We offer practical help, emotional support and/or a temporary safe place to be, enabling women to have thinking time and an opportunity to prepare for a new life. We are also committed to raising awareness of domestic abuse and its effects within the community.
Every year Women’s Aid in Luton works with hundreds of women whose lives have been derailed by domestic abuse.
We currently manage five refuges providing emergency accommodation for women and children from the surrounding region and across the country as part of the national refuge network. We are an accredited member of Women’s Aid England.
We aim to enable women to be empowered to live a life of wellbeing, free from abuse.
One of our refuges is specifically for women from South Asian communities supported by staff who speak Punjabi, Bengali and Urdu. We also have a refuge accommodating women with complex needs.
Having a local helpline and a safe place for women to come to, enables women living locally to access a range of options and empowers them to make decisions about their future.
Feedback tells us that being a local charity is important to the women we work with.
We passionately believe that all women and children have a right to live free from abuse and violence.
The numbers of women and girls seeking our help has increased year on year, with increasing complexity of needs, so our services have never been more needed, but funding uncertainties are putting them at risk.
Our History
Women’s Aid in Luton has its roots in the feminist movement of the 1970s which developed women’s refuges as safe places for women and children fleeing domestic abuse.
Women’s Aid in Luton was founded in 1972 and registered as a charity (268265) in 1974. It has remained a specialist organisation run by women for women and children. One of the first refuges established in England, it was founded by a social worker and benefits agency worker, who had recognised the needs through their work with families. In the early years there was one refuge that housed up to 10 families at any time. We have now grown to five homes that can accommodate up to 30 individuals and families.
Our Values
Commitment
We believe wholeheartedly in what we are doing and we are committed to WAIL’s vision; ensuring continuous professional, personal and organizational growth and development.
Integrity
This is at the heart of all that we do. We work using evidence-based support, with highly trained and committed staff to ensure we meet the needs of women and children using our services.
Leadership
We are part of a national team of expert voices on domestic abuse against women in our community and are committed to shaping the local and national agenda on domestic abuse.
Progress
We are committed to developing and progressing the organisation to ensure that WAIL is viable and sustainable to meet the needs of all current and future beneficiaries.
Empowerment
We create an environment that promotes and enables wellbeing, self-esteem and self-motivation, confidence, and independence.
Working Together
We will work collaboratively with other stakeholders, partners and agencies to achieve common goals, ensuring that no woman is turned away from the support she needs when she needs it
If these are values that you share and you would like to be involved in the great work we are doing at Women’s Aid In Luton please contact us to discuss the many ways you can get involved.