Her Centre was the winner of the Workforce Development award at the 2021 Business Awards.

What do you love most about your job?    

I love that Her Centre gives women support to become free from a bad situation and improves women’s lives. It is a rewarding job and I work with a great group of staff, volunteers and clients, all women. 

How does your organisation work with women in the borough? 

Her Centre mainly works to help women get free from abuse from a partner, ex-partner or family member who is abusive. We provide emergency safety planning, legal support, help into temporary housing, support planning and then training and employment help as well as support and social groups. 

A tip for women who want to build a career in your sector? 

What I am always looking for is someone who has practical experience. This can include lived personal experience but also needs training and experience in similar work, such as supporting homeless women. Volunteering with services such as ours is a good way to start building that experience. 

What role does your business play in the local area?  

Her Centre takes referrals from police and social services of women at high risk of harm. But we also run 4 drop in sessions for any women who want advice around abuse and family break up, with both a domestic abuse advocate and a family solicitor to give free advice. For more information on our drop ins and our English, IT and parenting classes please check our website. www.hercentre.org 

What do you like most about running your business in Royal Greenwich?  

Our relationship with Greenwich Council is strong, with good support from both officers and councillors for our work.  

Royal Greenwich has high levels of domestic abuse reports to the police, one of the highest in London, but this could be, in part, due to the awareness raising the Council does that has increased reporting. The reality is that domestic abuse is still underreported as many women don’t feel safe to report or able to leave. 

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