For more than a decade, WayfinderWoman has supported women in Eastbourne and the surrounding area, and what began in a garage has grown into a trusted local charity which has supported more than 1,000 women.
The new funding will enable WayfinderWoman to develop and expand its Peer Support services, which includes individual and group Peer Support, as well as grow its Hidden Voices Project.
Hidden Voices will work to amplify the experiences of women who are often overlooked in existing data and services. By listening to women and understanding the challenges and barriers women face, the project will identify what needs to change and where better support is needed. By learning from lived experience, WayfinderWoman hopes to improve services, strengthen community support and ensure women have greater opportunities to feel heard, valued, supported and connected.
Founder of the charity, Laura Murphy, said “I’m overwhelmed with pride and gratitude as I look at how far WayfinderWoman has come. What began with my simple hope, to build a place where women feel heard, understood and less alone, has grown into an organisation that has already supported so many women. This funding means we can reach even more women, continue listening to our community, and create meaningful change.”
The charity’s approach is grounded in the belief that lived experience is a strength, and it's this lived experience that is at the heart of their Peer Support service. Peer Support exists to bring people together to support each other through life’s ups and downs. It’s built on connection, understanding, and shared humanity.
Katie Sutton, CEO of WayfinderWoman said “This funding is a real milestone for WayfinderWoman. It means we can keep showing up for the women who need us, and it's a vote of confidence from the National Lottery Community Fund in our vision. It also allows us to grow well. This last year, I've seen how planned growth and change, and the adaptation that has to come with both, are possible for a small, grassroots charity.
And we're building on something equally important: that the culture we build for the women we support must be the culture we build for our own team. We give women time because we know how valuable and important it is, and we owe our staff and volunteers that same time and care. This funding means we can keep giving our people, and our organisation, time, space, and opportunity to thrive."
The charity is hugely grateful to The National Lottery Community Fund for its support, and to everyone who has supported the charity over the years, including its wonderful volunteers, and the women who have trusted WayfinderWoman with their experiences.
WayfinderWoman is looking forward to seeing what this new chapter can achieve for women.
