We are raising funds to repair the damaged roof in our centre. Our Bold Street centre roof needs repairing after heavy rain fall and flooding...
Women’s Health Information & Support Centre (WHISC) is a charity dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of women and their families throughout Merseyside. Established in 1984, our centre is based on Bold Street in the heart of Liverpool. WHISC is for all women, including women who are amongst the most vulnerable, isolated and marginalised in our communities.
Our vision is to empower women with education, information & free psychological support, as well as activities that combat isolation & marginalisation and support long term wellbeing. We believe all women should be respected and girls should grow up with high self-esteem, confidence and freedom from violence and loneliness. No one should experience barriers to getting the education, support and care they need for their optimum health. There should be equal access to services around health regardless of age, ethnicity, sexuality, disability status and residential status.
Over the years WHISC has seen a huge increase in demand for mental health services including crisis intervention, this can include domestic violence, financial uncertainty, immigration instability and bereavement. Our drop-in provides women with an array of services and our outreach services builds links with all types of community groups, organisations and businesses throughout Liverpool.
During the COVID-19 pandemic WHISC has seen a 64% increase in demand for our mental health services. Many of our staff members had to take on listening ears and emotional support work to help ease the pressure of our mental health service. In the aftermath of the pandemic many of the women that use our services have become more anxious, more isolated and their emotional well-being has been declining. We anticipate this increase to continue over the coming 12 months, as restrictions ease and vulnerable women readjust to their lives . Short term COVID funding enabled us to employ further staff which has been of grave benefit to our service users, however this was only temporary.