Women's Street Watch Middlesbrough launch

Aim

We want women (and everyone) to feel safe. We want to raise funds to provide street patrollers around Middlesbrough and a safety station.

Hi all.

My name is Beth and I've linked up with Women's Street Watch Newcastle. I want to help women in Middlesbrough feel safe. 

My aim is to raise enough funds to provide a safe station based in the centre of Middlesbrough manned with easily identifiable volunteers who can provide a safe space if you feel threatened, unsafe or if you just want to have a cup of tea to warm up and ring a taxi to make sure you get home safe. Street patrollers in groups can be present around Middlesbrough bars and nightlife.

This safety station will have tea, coffee, snacks, rehydration sachets, flip flops and friendly people to sit with you if you need or ring you a taxi. The street patrollers will be a physical presence to support anyone who feels vulnerable or afraid to provide pastoral and practical support.

Women's Street Watch objectives:

- reduce strain on emergency services by reducing the number of non-emergency calls to 999 by providing first aid and safe routes home.

- provide training and qualifications, particularly prioritising women from marginalised groups including Black women, disabled women, and unhoused women. 

- reducing instances of sexual violence and harassment against women by offering a physical presence on the streets, acting in a both a support capacity (pastoral care) and as a deterrent for potential offenders.

Teesside Community Action Group, a local charity, will be handling donations and helping us buy the things we need.

Thank you for reading x

This project successfully funded on 22nd December 2021