North East Women and Girls Fund: Where Potential Thrives
Introducing the North East Women and Girls Fund
Welcome to the North East Women and Girls Fund
Impact Brochure, where we are celebrating all that has been achieved over more than 25 years of the fund but recognising that more needs to be done.
We are celebrating the women’s sector, which is continually adapting and responding to complex needs, while building collaboration and connections with other organisations that share its values. In the current round of grants from the fund, there are seven specific organisations that have been supported with £5k per year over 2 years.
Most importantly, there are the women and girls whose lives have been changed through the work of these organisations. Their stories are at the heart of everything this fund exists to support. The quotes on pages 6 and 7, taken from monitoring reports and annual reviews, show the life-changing impact that single sex services can facilitate.
These organisations provide programmes and projects that are always more than the sum of their parts. A woman may cross the threshold for help with benefits, but then be encouraged to take part in a dance class and before they know it they have also reignited a love of moving and improved their physical health. These journeys are huge.
That leads me on to the ask. Since 1999 the fund has responded to a real and growing need, but the demand continues to rise and resources are always stretched.
So, thank you to those of you who do already donate to the fund and to those of you that are considering doing so, the following pages will hopefully persuade you.
As a collective giving fund, there are many ways to be involved – from significant one-off gifts, including Dame Margaret Barbour’s founding donation of £250,000, to gifts made in memory of loved ones, to regular monthly giving.
Together, these contributions help create lasting change. When women and girls are supported to thrive, the impact is felt across families, communities, and society as a whole.
Jo Cundall Senior Programmes Advisor
I donate because every woman and girl deserves the opportunity to thrive, and I want to help create a future where they’re no longer overlooked.
Donor, North East Women and Girls Fund
Celebrating the impact of collective giving
Established 1999
Total value of grants made
£711,657
Initial donation from the Barbour Foundation
£250k
Market value of endowment (June 2026)
£530k
Number of grants made 293
Number of donors to the fund 45
The organisations currently supported
Bright Futures North East supports girls and young women across South Tyneside to build confidence, resilience, and self-esteem. Through street-based youth work, personal safety programmes, and education around healthy relationships and online safety, the organisation empowers young women to make informed choices and thrive.
Sunderland Women’s Centre supports women across Sunderland to build confidence, develop skills, and improve employment prospects through accessible learning opportunities and part-time courses. The centre also provides a crèche facility, helping carers access support and education.
The Millin Charity supports women across Gateshead and Newcastle to build confidence, gain independence, and create more positive futures. Working primarily with women from BAME communities facing multiple barriers, the charity provides tailored support and accredited enterprise training to help women develop skills and progress towards self-employment.
Tyneside Women’s Health provides inclusive mental health support for women and girls in safe, women-only community settings, helping to improve wellbeing, reduce isolation, and enable participation regardless of circumstances. With a vision of a brighter future for North East women and girls, the organisation offers specialist support for those recovering from abuse and its impact on mental health and everyday life.
West End Women and Girls is a neighbourhood youth and community project in the heart of Elswick powered by the experience and knowledge of local residents, supporting ten thousand women and girls aged 5-95 every year.
Women’s Health in South Tyneside supports women facing complex challenges to improve wellbeing, build confidence, and access new opportunities. From its fully accessible community hub, the organisation offers counselling, learning, childcare, volunteering, social activities, and tailored support services for women across South Tyneside.
Young Women’s Outreach Project supports vulnerable and socially isolated girls and young women across Gateshead to build confidence, connection, and resilience. Through weekly groups for young women and mothers, the project provides a safe, supportive space focused on strengths, potential, and positive futures.
The value of the sector
In partnership with Represent Women, we have co-commissioned an independent survey and full report on the women and girls sector to better understand the wider value of the sector. This will also better inform our decision making. Initial findings include:
Philanthropic support enables organisations to be more flexible, particularly in responding to changing needs, “plugging gaps” with smaller amounts, or supporting women who do not meet strict criteria for other projects.
Philanthropic support gives us the flexibility to respond to emerging needs that do not always fit neatly within grant criteria.
Statutory services are often tied to strict criteria around need, and this can make it harder to undertake early intervention and prevention work with women.
Value of the women and girls sector as an employer of women, and the benefits of pathways into employment for women.
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For girls and young women, early investment is especially powerful. It helps them develop self-worth, ambition, emotional intelligence, cultural pride, and the confidence to use their voice. It also helps prevent cycles of exclusion by giving them positive role models, safe spaces, mentoring, and opportunities to lead.
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When you invest in women and girls, you are not only changing one life. You are strengthening families, reducing crisis, improving health and wellbeing, increasing opportunity, and helping build communities that are kinder, safer and more equal.
The word “safe” is one of the most commonly used words in the responses.
You are helping women who have survived trauma rebuild their lives with dignity. You are giving them the time, the space and the support they need to heal.
The full report with Represent Women will be out later this year.
Quotes and Case Studies
Women’s Health in South Tyneside
“When I began the course, I was in a very low place. I have been on anti-depressants for some time now. I am consulting with GP to begin reducing them. I now know how I need to handle life’s challenges and beginning to believe in the process I have been taught.”
Think Well course feedback
The Millin Charity
L joined The Millin Charity in 2024. She had very low confidence and wanted support to move forward in her life. She took part in a range of well-being crafts sessions and then later registered to join the Choose Your Future Programme. During this time, she completed a level 1 qualification and received one-to-one employment support and coaching to improve her self-belief. The advisor also helped her to navigate through the benefits system as she was experiencing sanction threats from the job centre. L was able to access care packages from The Millin Charity including blankets for her children... L has now secured employment as a youth worker and is feeling much more positive about her future.
Bright Futures
B self-referred to Bright Futures, initially seeking support around employment. During her first meeting, she shared openly that she experiences ongoing mental health challenges ... Staff also became aware that she was in an unhealthy relationship and had a strained relationship with her parents, all of which had contributed to a long period of isolation, low confidence, and very limited support around her…To support her, B was introduced to ‘She Leads’, Bright Futures’ 12-week confidence and empowerment programme for young women. The programme focuses on emotional literacy and emotional wellbeing, helping participants to better understand and identify their feelings, recognise how emotions can influence behaviour and physical sensations, and explore healthier ways to respond to emotional challenges…B engaged positively with the programme from the beginning [and] as the weeks went on, staff began to see a noticeable shift in her self-belief and willingness to connect with others. Following the programme, B continued her involvement with Bright Futures by volunteering weekly.
Sunderland Women’s Centre
We have a learner who is 60-years-old who has been attending Sunderland Women’s Centre for over 3 years. She came to us for a leisure course as she was feeling isolated and lonely and wanted to try new interests…. She has grown in confidence over the past 3 years and has formed some really close friendships within the groups. She participates in all courses and has become indispensable within the group and very highly thought of by other learners and tutor for her knowledge and kindness.
the centre is somewhere for women to feel wanted...
West End Women and Girls Centre
“For a few years I’ve been coming to the centre, and I am happy and the people are very good. There’s women from many different countries, Kurd, Arab, English, Bengali. We eat together”Women’s Community Garden participant
“Belonging: feels like if you are seen you are also loved. Everyone has it. Some people think they don’t but they do”- Participant from the Tuesday Club for girls aged 5-11
“the centre is somewhere for women to feel wanted and they will never face anything alone”Young Mams participant
Young Women’s Outreach Project
“Attending groups, feeling listened to and not judged, has been the most important thing It helped me make the right decisions for me and my child.” R – who has attended the project since she became pregnant at 16
Tyneside Women’s Health
A, a 34 year old mother of one, struggled with anxiety and low esteem after leaving an emotionally abusive relationship. She felt isolated and overwhelmed, which affected her ability to manage daily tasks and connect with others. A joined Tyneside Women’s Health to access the services in 2024 and has since attended the Mother and Baby group and Anxiety dropin sessions... The groups provided a safe space for her to share and open up about her experiences with other women [as well as] strategies for coping and expressing emotions and tools to recover from traumatic experiences. Over several weeks, A experienced impactful changes. She felt less alone and more understood, she gained a “newfound confidence” and is now treating herself to haircuts and getting her nails done, something she hadn’t done for years. She feels motivated to try new things, revisit past hobbies and possibly return to part time work... She said, “I am actually really proud of myself, and I can smile again”
Get in touch
For over twenty five years, donors to the North East Women and Girls Fund have stood shoulder to shoulder with women in our communities. We would love to talk with you to help you contribute to women and girls in the region in a way that’s best for you. To do so, please email our Senior Programmes Advisor, Jo Cundall on jc@communityfoundation.org.uk.
If you would like to donate to the fund, you can scan the QR code below. Donations will be invested to grow the fund and generate more income to support important local causes that help to make women and girls feel safe, supported and confident. As a collective giving fund your donation is pooled with others so a greater impact can be made
Community Foundation North East
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Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 1DD
Tel: 0191 222 0945
Email: general@communityfoundation.org.uk
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