Platform 51 features on The Politics Show West

Platform 51 Bristol appeared on The Politics Show West on Sunday as part of a feature discussing how the cuts are affecting women in the West.

The feature interviewed a mothers group, the Bristol Fawcett society and Platform 51. The women from Platform 51 Bristol explained to the BBC how they are feeling and how they have been affected.

Marisa said: "Women are being paid less for doing the same thing as men ... Why, I don't know."

Jemma said: "I'm struggling to keep my house warm. I've got two children ... I've got very few Christmas presents, as its either heat the house or have a good Christmas."

You can view the BBC Politics programme on the BBC iPlayer. The feature is 43 minutes into the programme.

Speaking up about trafficking, drugs and prostitution

Students from three Bristol schools visited Bristol City Council house last week to take part in a mock council meeting and debate with local City Councillors, including Barbara Janke (Liberal Democrats), Peter Hammond (Labour), Peter Abraham (Conservatives) and Tess Green (Green).

Organised by women's charity Platform 51, the event aimed to give young women the chance to speak out about subjects that matter to them. On the agenda were human trafficking, prostitution, drugs and alcohol. They also learned about how local government works; Steven McNamara, the council's legal officer, told the students about the council's roles and responsibilities.

The students had clearly done their homework on their chosen subject areas. They spoke with authority on Bristol's anti-trafficking protocol; the impact of the economic climate on migration, drugs and employment; the objectification of women; the role of a free market and its impact on trafficking, prostitution and drugs; the benefits of a living wage and the pros and cons of legalising sex work and drugs to name but a few.

Councillors were impressed and delighted by the knowledge and maturity that the students displayed. 

The students learned how  important local government is and about the power of speaking up. It made them feel confident and the chance to tell people what they thought was highly valued.

Discussing the issues women face today

Platform 51 will be holding a seminar at FEM11, the UK Feminista annual conference. The conference gets hundreds of campaigners and thinkers together to discuss the issues women face today and how to build a feminist future.

Platform 51's seminar, A different perspective: teenage mums and feminism, will give teenage mothers the chance to have their say about the challenges they face and open up discussion and debate about how best to ensure that campaigns for gender equality reflect the experiences of all girls and women.

The conference is on Saturday 12 November 2011 from 10.00-5.30pm at Friends House, 173 Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ. Speakers include: Shami Chakrabarti (Liberty), Zoe Williams (The Guardian), Carlene Firmin (writer) and Bea Campbell (author and journalist).

There will also be workshops and seminars organised by: Fawcett Society, Abortion Rights, OBJECT, Southall Black Sisters, Women for Women International, Women's Resource Centre, Platform 51, Rights of Women, Centre for Women and Democracy, Women's Environmental Network, Imkaan, End Violence Against Women coalition, Women for Refugee Women and the White Ribbon Campaign.

Places are available to all, come and join in the debate and book your place today. For more information download the FEM11 flyer or visit the UK Feminista website.

Platform 51 West Kent made council's charity of the year

Platform 51 West Kent has been made one of the preferred charities for the Tonbridge and Malling council. On the 6 August 2011 the Mayor and Mayoress of Tonbridge and Malling, Cllr Brian and Mrs Joy Luker are holding a summer ball in aid of Platform 51 and Leybourne Grange Riding Centre for the Disabled at Hermitage Farm.

At this black tie event there will be a drinks reception and a buffet featuring local Kent produce. There will also be a raffle and an auction to help raise money for the two charities.

Cllr Luker said: "I'm hoping this will be a great opportunity for people to join me and my wife, Joy, to help raise funds for these two splendid charities both of which provide such vital services for vulnerable people in our communities."

Tickets for the ball are £50 and all money raised will be split between Platform 51 and Leybourne Grange Riding Centre for the Disabled at Hermitage Farm. To book tickets for the Summer Ball, please call 01732 876005 or email mayors.office@tmbc.gov.uk

New women's centre opens

You are most welcome to join us on Friday 17 June 2011 to celebrate the opening of our new Bristol women's centre at 1 Knowle West Health Park, Bristol, BS4 1WH.

The official opening ceremony is at 10am, and is followed by an art exhibition at 11am and at 12noon, a barbecue and tours of the house and Health Park.

Our work in Bristol is surprisingly varied and all designed to help girls and women take control of their lives.

Our In Touch programme is for women with or at risk of ante- and post-natal depression. Chrysalis is especially for women offenders or those at risk of offending and Inspire helps women get employment skills, education, and help with budgeting, debt management and benefits advice. Our drop-in sessions throughout the week are a safe space for girls and women to meet others, make friends, learn new things and get the non-judgemental support they need.

Women and girls are at the heart of everything we do. And we do everything to get women's opinions heard; in the community, in the media, in local and national politics.

Come and find out much more about what we do and how we can help.

Phone 0117 963 8775 for more information and to let us know you're coming.

Comedy gig in aid of Platform 51

Platform 51 presents an evening of stand up comedy in celebration of 100 years of International Women's Day. Join us for an evening of great comedy and support Platform 51's vital work to work to help vulnerable girls and women to take control of their lives.

Featuring Isy Suttie (Peep Show), Liz Carr (BBC Ouch! Podcast), Kate Smurthwaite (Soho Comedy Club), Tiffany Stevenson (BBC Stand Up Show) and Kiki Kendrick.

Date: Wednesday 30 March 2011, 8pm

Venue: Soho Comedy Club, The Comedy Pub, 7 Oxendon St, London, SW1Y 4EE

Tickets: £10 from http://www.sohocomedy.com/box_office All proceeds go to Platform 51.

More information, including a list of performers here.

Today Platform 51 is celebrating International Women's Day

Today is the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day. Platform 51 couldn't let this event pass us by without celebrating. We have events happening in our centres up and down the country and we are getting involved in the national campaign EQUALS to call for a more equal world. If you have ever wondered what Platform 51 is all about then now is your opportunity to get involved and attend an event near you.

EQUALS

Platform 51 has joined a partnership of charities called EQUALS. EQUALS was brought together by Annie Lennox to celebrate the centenary of International Women's Day. Together we're stepping up the call for a more equal world. And we want you to join us.

8 March 2011

Women like us: Cornwall's International Women's Day conference
10:30am to 3:00pm Berlewen Building, Trevenson Road, Pool, Cornwall, TR15 3SE

Platform 51 Cornwall are running a conference that will focus on the findings of our report Women like me: supporting wellbeing in girls and women. The conference will give girls and women a platform to share their stories, tell us about their experiences and to find out what support they need.

To book a place contact: lindsay.anderson@platform51.org or call 01872 263112   

Doncaster's celebration day
Platform 51 Doncaster, 21 Cleveland Street, Doncaster, DN1 3EH

Platform 51 Doncaster will be celebrating International Women's Day with an open day at the centre focusing on positive mental health and resilience. We will be serving traditional asian food from our cafe and there will be a traditional thai dance demonstration.

This is an ideal opportunity to talk to staff and find out more about services available at Platform 51 Doncaster. If you would like more information please contact doncaster@platform51.org or call 01302 309800

10 March 2011

Plymouth open day
Platform 51 Plymouth, Alfred Street, The Hoe, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 2RP

Platform 51 Plymouth are holding an open afternoon at the centre with a metal workshop and a cake making workshop.

For more information contact: plymouth@platform51.org or call 01752 671080

29 March 2011
 
Women like me: event to discuss health and wellbeing.
Platform 51 Warstones, Claverley Drive, Warstones, Wolverhampton, WV4 4QL

Our Bilston and Warstones centres are holding an event to discuss the research in our report: Women like me: supporting wellbeing in girls and women. If you are in the Wolverhampton area and would like to attend please download the invitation.

30 March 2011

Comedy night, Soho

More information coming soon ... watch this space!

Available From March 2011

Walking Home Film

Platform 51 Nottingham and Initi8 volunteers from Nottingham Trent University have created a new film dramatising women's experience of street harassment. Featuring the voices and experiences of real women.

For more information contact Gill Court at Platform 51 Nottingham: gill.court@platform51.org or call 07500 553 800

'Cook-off' at Platform 51 with celebrity chef Richard Phillips

On Thursday 3 February Katie Adams, a young mum from Platform 51 West Kent, will lead a 'cook-off' with celebrity chef Richard Phillips. Katie has been working with Richard on a project called Connecting families through food. The project aims to show the value of making healthy and tasty food on a budget, and how food can bring people together.

Katie discovered her passion for cooking while doing a course at Platform 51. She  found that cooking meals from scratch doesn't have to be expensive or difficult, and tastes really good. Katie took this passion and suggested Connecting families through food to O2's Think Big Programme. They loved it. She says it's: "time to wake up and smell the cookie dough! Let's work together and bust the myth of cooking being a long and tedious task and start sharing ideas and recipes which bring us together."

The cook-off will be lead by Katie and Richard. There will be five teams of two made up of Platform 51 girls and women. They will create different international dishes that are healthy, budget-friendly and can be created within an hour. Richard Phillips will offer advice and tips to the young chefs and taste the final results.

The cook-off will take place between 1pm and 4pm on Thursday 3 February 2011 at The River Centre, Medway Wharf Road, Tonbridge, Kent, TN9 1RE.

Young women prepare for groundbreaking conference and manifesto

YWCA Truro is urging young women to get involved in a groundbreaking conference to celebrate achievements and consider challenges that need to be met for girls and women in Cornwall.

The conference, on International Women's Day 8th March, will showcase Cornish young women's talent: song writing and performance, drama, dance, film making and storytelling, but there will also be the opportunity to get involved with workshops and hear speakers address serious issues around YWCA's 4 key areas of work: health and well-being, education, skills, jobs and work, money and debt and crime and violence

Young women aged between 11 to 30 years are invited to come forward and get involved in the preparations. 

Sam Pashley, YWCA's centre manager, says, "This is an amazing opportunity for young women in Cornwall to speak out about what really matters to them and have their voices heard by people who can really influence change in the county and beyond."

Young Women Can Achieve (YWCA's young women's steering group) meets regularly in Truro, but there are plans to take this group out across the county. These young women are already working hard towards the conference and also Cornwall's first Young Women's Manifesto (a first draft for consultation will be presented on the day). Current membership ranges in age from 14 to 23 and hot topics at the last meeting included housing, family, relationships, debt, education and employment

Using film and storytelling, the manifesto will outline national and local priorities for young women and their calls for action regarding services in the area and public attitudes.

If you want to learn more about the conference or you work with young women who you feel could contribute to this event, please get in touch with Jo, Ruth or Wendy on 01872 263112 or email truro@ywca.org.uk

YWCA pop out for lunch with the Queen

It was a day of glamorous hats, tea and cucumber sandwiches for a young woman from YWCA Wolverhampton who attended the Queen's Garden Party yesterday. 

Jude Featherstone, accompanied by YWCA worker Becky Matthews, got the chance to stroll through the famous Garden of Buckingham Palace and to see members of the Royal Family at the party held annually by The Queen.

The Queen is patron of YWCA England & Wales, the charity working with young women from disadvantaged backgrounds. YWCA receives invitations every year for the Queen's Garden Party, which is distributed to its projects around England and Wales.

Jude said: "Even though it was a rainy day I had a great time anyway!"