Member Article

Female entrepreneurship: £377k funding package sparks Walker initiative

Walker Women, a new initiative supporting women in the Walker area, will officially launch next month following a partnership between Pottery Bank Community Centre and Community Catering Initiative.

Securing £377k from the Big Lottery Fund, the bodies are investing the money in providing training to develop skills and create better opportunities for women, in a programme stretching 3 years.

Walker is one of the highest ranking wards in Newcastle suffering from high levels of unemployment and deprivation. Whilst the partnership has created four jobs so far, the initiative aims to support at least 500 females every year, ultimately assisting in the area’s regeneration.

The mission is simple - to enable women in the local area to have the self-belief, skills and the experience they need to find a route out of benefit dependency and become financially independent.

Chris Carroll, Director of Pottery Bank Community Centre, explained: “This project is about enabling women to make choices about their future. Many of the women we have consulted with said they feel stuck.

“Their life circumstances have led them to have little hope of making a positive future for themselves. By working with each woman as an individual, and helping them to address whatever barriers are standing in the way of moving forward, the Walker Women project will help women to start their own personal journey.”

Upon engagement, a team of workers will help participants to identify what support they might need, and help them to access it. Programme activities range from workshops to build self-confidence to courses on basic skills and employability and more.

Empowering women

Laura Forster, Founder Director of Community Catering Initiative, said: “We are one of the longest standing social enterprises in Newcastle and we want to build the courage and confidence of other local women so they have a better understanding of community enterprise and how working together can improve their livelihoods.

“Walker Women is about empowering local women, building on the resilience and determination that exists within our local community”.

Pamela McKenna, a Director, said “I’m proud to live in Walker and want to show the talent that exists within our community and this project will help us to do just that”.

Kath Davidson, Director of Pottery Bank Community Centre, added: “This project is about making a positive impact on young people’s lives and changing perceptions of the Walker area. The Big Lottery Funding will help us to demonstrate what our local community is capable of achieving”.

David Wood, Walker Ward Councillor, said: “Women in communities are all too often unsung heroes! They are the glue that holds communities together and I am really pleased with the announcement of a significant amount of funding which can help towards further empowerment for women in Walker”.

Walker Women will begin its three year programme of activity in January 2016, giving them the time frame needed to make a real difference to people’s lives.