Welcome to Westbury Park WI

Westbury Park WI is a charity:-

Our mission

Let us tell you what we stand for and what is at the heart of everything we do.

The WI plays a unique role in providing women with educational opportunities and the chance to build new skills, to take part in a wide variety of activities and to campaign on issues that matter to them and their communities.

The WI is here to inspire you

We inspire women through experiences, knowledge and skills. These are passed down through generations and continually updated to reflect the lives of women today.

The WI is everything you want it to be

Whatever your reason for joining, we offer all kinds of opportunities to all kinds of women.

For some, it’s a chance to meet people and catch up with friends. For others, it’s a way to learn valuable life skills and make a difference in their communities through WI campaigns.

The WI is what you make of it

WIs come in all shapes and sizes and our members can be involved in the way that suits them.

WI Campaigning

The WI have been campaigning for years and everything is decided by members.

Westbury Park WI proudly supports One25 , One25 is a Bristol women’s charity which reaches out to some of the city’s most marginalised women and was established by Val Jeal who recognised the problem of addiction and prostitution.One25 reaches out to women trapped in street sex work, supporting them to break free and build new lives away from violence, poverty and addiction. Each year they help many women to access health services, therapy, and treatment for addiction, to find safe housing, reduce offending, get back into education or training, volunteer themselves and find other work.  

The charity has three arms:

1. outreach in the form of a yellow van that goes out on the streets five nights a week offering a place for a warm drink and contact with people who care;

2. a drop-in centre, open four afternoons, where women can wash, eat a hot meal and talk to sympathetic helpers, or join a practical session;

3. and one-to-one support from trained caseworkers.

At our monthly meetings there is a box for donations for:

pyjamas

underwear

shampoo, conditioner

shower gel/body wash

toothbrush and toothpaste

slippers

dressing gown

flannels, soap

body lotion/moisturiser

socks

t-shirts

jogging bottoms

Puzzle books

stamps

letter writing paper

Fashionable clothing, new or secondhand (but in good condition), is also welcome

One of the women, already helped thanks to donations from Westbury Park WI, was very touched to hear of our support and said, ‘Oh my god, people raised money for us girls? I never knew so many people out there cared.’

To understand a little more about how young women can end up homeless and working on the streets please read Amy’s Story.