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WHAG offers support with:

• Finding suitable housing
A WARM WELCOME • Accessing solicitors
• Tenancy maintenance

• Court injunctions
• Budgeting/debts
• Benefit applications
FROM WHAG • Resettlement
• Life skills

• Form filling
• Accessing training
• Accessing education
• Accessing employment
a Rochdale-based charity providing • Confidence building

supported housing to homeless • Accessing local services
and vulnerable women and those • Attending appointments Hazel Waddington (WHAG), Mayor of Rochdale Billy Sheerin, Kirsty Rhodes
• Emotional support
affected by domestic abuse • Group work sessions (WHAG) and Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham at the opening of
WHAG’s office on Drake Street

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

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