Heart of England Community Foundation has launched a new initiative to support women and girls in the West Midlands and Warwickshire, just five months after pledging to do so on International Women’s Day.
The Women and Girls Fund has been seeded with £50,000 from the Foundation’s own resources, and businesses and individuals across the region are now being called upon to contribute to this significant cause.
Tina Costello OBE, Chief Executive of the Heart of England Community Foundation, made the initial pledge during an event at the Ikon Gallery in Birmingham in March 2024. Inspired by the diverse stories shared by women at the event, Tina, who recently received an OBE for her services to charities and the voluntary sector, committed to establishing a fund dedicated to supporting women and girls in the region.
“There are some frightening statistics about the plight of women and girls in our region,” said Tina. “In the West Midlands, police received 32,000 calls last year to their helpline for women – each one a cry for help. A quarter of all women will suffer from domestic abuse at some point in their lives. Women earn around 18 per cent less than their male counterparts, and 26 per cent of girls aged 16 to 19 are suffering from mental health issues.
“I couldn’t sit there and hear such a range of stories and do nothing about it, so I made a pledge that night that we’d launch this fund. Here we are, just a few months on, and thanks to the support of so many people, we’re able to do it.”
The fund was officially launched at a special event hosted by Tyndallwoods Solicitors in Edgbaston. The event featured Jacky Mulveen, project manager with WE:ARE Women’s Empowerment and Recovery Educators, who shared her personal story of overcoming domestic abuse and founding her organisation in memory of her son, Carl.
“It’s our 21st anniversary this year and we are grateful for the support we’ve had from the Heart of England Community Foundation and everything it does to help grassroots organisations like ours,” said Jacky. “This fund can help the Foundation to do even more for women and girls in our region who desperately need support.”
Over the next 12 months, the Foundation will use the fund to provide grants to a range of women and girls projects across the region. These projects will focus on improving access to sports and recreation, tackling domestic violence, creating opportunities through training, work, entrepreneurship, and volunteering, supporting reproductive rights and sex education, and promoting positive mental health and self-esteem.
“We need support to reach our goal of £100,000,” Tina continued. “Every donation will be matched up to £50,000, doubling the impact. We can also claim gift aid on qualifying donations. By contributing to this fund, your donations will mean we can support many local charities and initiatives that empower women and girls across the region.”
For more information about the Fund, please visit Heart of England Community Foundation or contact the Foundation directly. Donations to the fund can be made online at: Women and Girls Fund Donation Page.
Take a look at the photo gallery from our launch event here. All photos courtesy of Richard Nelmes, Inpress Images
