A charitable organisation which supports vulnerable women in Leamington Spa is appealing for donations of cleaning products to help maintain their supported living accommodation, Esther House.
Part of The Esther Project, this gender-specific initiative is dedicated to supporting vulnerable women dealing with mental health challenges, escaping domestic abuse, overcoming addiction, transitioning from prison, or facing homelessness.
The project aims to create a nurturing and empowering community where every woman can heal, grow and reach their full potential through a range of services, including counselling, one-on-one support, creative activities, employability opportunities, and drop-in sessions.
The seven-bed accommodation provides a safe and supportive space, for up to two years, for women to recover. Each resident has access to one-on-one counselling, guidance, and emotional care, allowing them to work through the trauma and challenges they face.
The ambition is to open a hub, a safe space where women can meet, access key support services and develop new skills for employability alongside an alternative to custody, in a rural location for women with more complex needs.
Cleaning items desperately needed include washing powder, fabric conditioner, dishwasher tablets, salt & rinse aid (e.g. Finish), washing up liquid, bathroom and kitchen spray, floor cleaner, bleach, air freshener, toilet blocks, toilet cleaner, polish, sponges and cloths. Food and toiletries items are also welcomed – and all donations can be dropped off at All Saints Church, Leamington (side entrance) on Mondays between 12.30-2.30pm. Or a collection can be arranged by contacting: Office@theestherproject.co.uk
Among the first to donate was local entrepreneur Amanda Chalmers of Chalmers News PR.
The charity was established in 2023 by Lianne Kirkman who headed up the Helping Hands Community project for 10 years prior.
Lianne said: “We have a shared cleaning schedule at Esther House — an important part of how the women living there learn to work together, take pride in their space and build life skills with dignity and care so these products are essential in helping the ladies learn to live independent lives.
“We really want to thank Chalmers News PR for the donation of essential cleaning products for Esther House. We recently reached out to the community for donations and Amanda was very quick to respond to our appeal.
“Amanda’s generous support will help us create a clean, welcoming environment where our residents can feel truly at home. Often when a lady moves into Esther House, she may not yet be in receipt of all the Government funding that is available to them, so we like to provide food items and cleaning products to help the ladies get by, until their payments start to come through.”
Amanda Chalmers, who has been running her PR agency in Warwick for early seven years, said: “I first got to learn about Lianne and her work with the charity when I wrote all about her epic 10-night Sleepout Challenge in February to raise money and awareness.
“From that moment on I knew I wanted to do something extra to help – and hopefully this donation will encourage plenty more as there’s a long list of items which are always needed.”
For more information on the work of the charity visit: https://www.theestherproject.co.uk/
Did you know?
While women are often less visible on the streets rough sleeping, they actually make up 60% of those who are homeless and in temporary accommodation. In the last 10 years, the number of women in England who are homeless has increased by 88%. The evidence from the latest census, conducted across 41 local authorities, estimates there may be up to nine times as many women rough sleeping across England than the government’s annual rough sleeping snapshot suggests.
Globally, women are disproportionately affected by poverty, discrimination, inter-personal violence and exploitation. Women have fewer economic assets than men and limited participation in influencing economic and social policies. Women also perform the bulk of childcare and household work and have less access to education and economic opportunities than men in their societies (UN Women, n.d.). Despite some important increases in women’s equality in the 20th Century it is still the case that women in Britain are likely to:
- Earn less money than men
• Undertake certain kinds of paid work (e.g. lower paid, personal services)
• Enjoy less progression at work
• Have less freedom and leisure than men
• Spend more time looking after people
For some women and girls these structural factors, combined with gendered life experiences, such as being a victim of violence, lead to extremely difficult lives. Women may be dealing with multiple issues at any one time, such as:
- Homelessness
• Involvement in prostitution or sexual exploitation
• Mental health problems
• Domestic violence
• Drug and alcohol problems
• Contact with the criminal justice system
