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WHAG offers support with:
A WARM WELCOME
FROM WHAG
a Rochdale-based charity providing
supported housing to homeless
and vulnerable women and those
affected by domestic abuse
“We support the people we work with to overcome
Originally helping just six women at a time in
Rochdale, WHAG now supports hundreds of the experiences they have had. We empower them to
people each year throughout the north west across build up the skills and resources they need.”
its services – a far cry from its humble beginnings in
the borough. WHAG was founded as the Rochdale Women’s
Housing Aid Group by Rose Sumner in 1981. At the
WHAG’s CEO, Kirsty Rhodes, said: “Our charitable time, the only homeless accommodation available
aims are to work with women who are homeless or was for single men, or women who were victims of
whose housing situation is not secure, and to work domestic abuse.
with women, men and children who are fleeing
domestic abuse. There was no housing for homeless and vulnerable
women in Rochdale – and Rose was determined to
change this. She set up a hostel on the Cloverhall
What services and help are available? Estate, in two semi-detached houses that were
knocked through.
Rose Court Supported Accommodation
Supported accommodation for single women Housing six beds, the house had shared bedrooms,
(18+) who are homeless or at risk of bathrooms and kitchen. Successful at first, the
becoming homeless. Support can be accommodation became unsuitable during the
provided for up to nine months. 1990s as its residents found sharing personal
space challenging.
Resettlement Service Kirsty explained: “All the space was shared and there
Support for single women (18+) or women was no privacy for these women at a very traumatic
with children to obtain, move and settle into time. They would arrive but not stay, instead
a new tenancy. Support can be provided for returning to sofa surfing, sleeping rough and abusive
up to eight to ten weeks. relationships.”
Community Work Working in partnership with St Vincent’s Housing
Delivers domestic abuse, awareness and Association and Rochdale Council, WHAG moved to
recovery programmes throughout Rose Court in Castleton in 1996, able to provide 16
the borough. flats for vulnerable, homeless women.
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• Finding suitable housing
• Accessing solicitors
• Tenancy maintenance
• Court injunctions
• Budgeting/debts
• Benefit applications
• Resettlement
• Life skills
• Form filling
• Accessing training
• Accessing education
• Accessing employment
• Confidence building
• Accessing local services
• Attending appointments Hazel Waddington (WHAG), Mayor of Rochdale Billy Sheerin, Kirsty Rhodes
• Emotional support
• Group work sessions (WHAG) and Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham at the opening of
WHAG’s office on Drake Street
The move to Rose Court proved pivotal for the The charity was also able to become involved in a
charity, increasing bth the numbers of women it range of projects which involve specialist services for
could help, and providing them with their own space. ethnic minority clients, support for men who are or
have been victims of domestic abuse, as well as
“WHAG moved into Rose Court on 13 December training, workshops and refuge services.
1996 with five clients; seven weeks later, we had 15.
Over the 23 years we have been there, we rarely Kirsty said: “In the future, WHAG wants to continue
have empty flats. The average stay is about nine to deliver client-led, recovery-focused services,
months, and most women move on to their own whilst we increase awareness of how homelessness
tenancies. and domestic abuse impacts on families.
“The move gave women a feeling of worth: we could “We also hope to increase the offer of services,
support them to manage a tenancy and their own especially to children and young people.”
front door, both skills they would need when they
moved on. Rose Court also provided safer, better A community-interest company – UP – later grew out
public transport links and it was easier for women in of WHAG, set up to support the charity whilst
more areas of the borough to access.” tackling a lack of information about healthy
relationships and preventing domestic abuse.
Kirsty added: “WHAG would have closed, had we not
moved to Rose Court, as the charity could not have UP provides training, education and support
delivered a viable service.” around creating and sustaining successful
personal relationships.
From there, WHAG grew, now able to offer so much
more to the women who relied on it for help, enabling In November 2019, WHAG established a permanent
it to also run domestic abuse services across office on Drake Street in Rochdale, a move which will
Rochdale, Bury, Cheshire West and Chester. allow the charity to make positive differences to so
many more people’s lives.
Kirsty commented: “We were able to offer the
addition of group work, offer support to more Find out more about WHAG’s services and support
complex clients, increase partnership working, or how you can help by visiting:
increase staff skills and offer support in moving on.”
www.whag.info
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