Driving hope: Renew therapy at Nottingham Women's Centre

The term ‘empowerment’ is something that undoubtedly sits well with the principles of Nottingham Women’s Centre. A place to find support, hire women-only spaces, get involved in activities and courses and learn more about female-focused activism, their website (and the centre itself, located on Chaucer Street) is a gold mine of resources for women in Notts.

Empowerment is also a central theme within all the fundraising activities to get Renew available again. In collaboration with match-funding charity the Big Give, the centre aims to raise £10,000 in October through a series of ‘arts or fun-focused events' - making it one of the biggest fundraisers yet for the charity.

Renew first started in 2014 as a funded National Lottery project, at a time when counselling services assumed a once size fits all approach, failing to provide an individualised method to counselling. The scheme originally began as a general engagement venture, which included individual and group therapy, functioning as another way to provide a sense of community amongst women. As the service expanded between 2018 - 2022 with the New Changes project the centre were able to focus this service on counselling only and now have 24 counsellors. 89% of patients using Renew reported that their mental wellbeing has ‘drastically improved,’ thus proving the success of the scheme. But what makes this service so successful is nowhere close to a single answer.

The centre heavily prides itself on being a charity that carries women in all aspects of its decisions, and how the centre operates. ‘Run by women, for women’ reads their website page and it was this ethos that was largely echoed as I spoke to Emily. Functioning as women-led provides an integral safe space for women. Even for concerns that don’t exclusively affect women, it’s vital to have women in these spaces - women leading the counselling services and training as counsellors - the priority is the safety and the needs of women.

Additionally, Nottingham Women’s Centre is able to address the diversity of its patients with the sheer variety of its counsellors on offer. Over the past couple of years they have had an increase in the number of counsellors who speak Ukrainian, a way to close the barrier that can sometimes exist with patients that hold English as an additional language, perhaps feeling more comfortable speaking in their native language. The centre is constantly looking for new ways to develop their work, and are currently seeking to expand their network of counsellors with an understanding of the LGBTQI+ community. 

Emily tells me that Renew is simply “not the same” as other mainstream counselling services – the inclusive approach is even addressed in terms of the cost. Currently, there is a rising number of wait times for mental health support from the NHS. Earlier this year it was revealed that over 16,000 people are still waiting for mental health treatment after eighteen months.

And for most private therapy isn’t always an option, with costs ranging from around £50 - £200 per session, traditional services cannot meet the needs of every woman. This is especially so when we consider the fact that women are more likely to experience persistent poverty (a type of poverty experienced over extended periods of time) compared to men. Nottingham also ranks as a city with one of the lowest amounts of Gross Disposable Household Income according to the Office for National  Statistics. When you pair these two issues you’re met with the realisation that access to mental health support can be a systemic challenge.

Renew offers a solution to this dilemma by providing its patients with therapy at a subsidised rate. The specific cost is determined on an individual basis, with the maximum rate set at around £40. This provides a means of support that is not only subsidised but also ‘adaptable.’ Emily assures me that this is a rate which remains ever so steady, having received little change since Renew’s inception. 

This counselling service provides women with an answer to mental health support that's both inclusive and individual. The week-long fundraiser in collaboration with the Big Give will seek to amplify the strengths of Renew, allowing members of the public a greater understanding of this service while also participating in activities such as a vulva bunting making workshop (Wednesday 8 Oct 1-4pm at the Centre) and a Sip & Paint evening at The Embankment (Thursday 9 Oct 7-9pm).

The team at NWC are keen for sponsors, and donations can be made via their page on the Big Give. Guidance on how to fundraise individually can be found on their website, with various tips and tricks to help you get started. Alternatively, you can also email the team with any questions or queries. 

Fundraising for Renew takes place between Weds 8 - Weds 15 October. For more information about contact the centre via their website.

nottinghamwomenscentre.com