Since its founding in 1985, WomenCentre has evolved into a transformative space for women from all backgrounds, helping countless individuals overcome challenges, rebuild their lives, and strengthen their communities.
Their story began three years earlier when a group of local women connected through a children’s nursery formed a study group focused on health, facilitated by the Adult Education Service.
Inspired by campaigns from the Community Health Council to establish “well-women” centres, the group surveyed over 200 women in Sowerby Bridge to assess local interest.
The response was extraordinary, highlighting a deep need for a dedicated women’s health and wellbeing service.
The women joined forces with the Health Education Council who were also in touch with some other women’s health groups in the upper Calder Valley.
The Community Health Council was also involved. A public meeting was held in Halifax which was well attended, and a committee was set up. After extensive planning and determination, NHS funding was secured to establish the Calderdale Well Woman Association.
From the start, the centre offered a sanctuary for women, providing a non-judgmental and inclusive space where women of all backgrounds could find support and solidarity. With a nurse on hand and a doctor twice a week, women were invited to drop in and talk about their needs.
By the mid Nineties the Centre gained funding for a manager Clare Hyde (MBE), who began to find funding for the ambitious holistic vision the centre is known for.
The centre quickly gained recognition for its counselling services, with students training to become counsellors at Percival Whitley College (now Calderdale College) joining as volunteers to gain listening skills and returning as volunteer counsellors to apply their education for the benefit of the community and gain practical, real-world experience.
Domestic violence support was another core offering, led by Angela Everson, who initially worked as a seconded probation officer before dedicating herself fully to the centre in 2000 as joint deputy CEO with Clare Jones (CBE), becoming CEO in 2011.
Rapidly outgrowing its initialpremises, the centre moved in 2003 to a spacious, Grade II-listed building in Halifax town centre, thanks to funding from The National Lottery.
The centre’s pioneering one-stop-shop model which transformed victims into survivors inspired the government’s £9.15 million Together Women Programme as a result of the 2006 Corston Report which recognised the centre as a leader in women-centred support. Although government funding was not secured for this programme of work, the Tudor Trust provided a grant for WomenCentre to run a parallel three year programme to keep women out of prison.
In 2008, Huddersfield-based Womenspace merged with the Calderdale Well Woman Association, creating WomenCentre Calderdale & Kirklees.
Since then, WomenCentre has served thousands of women expanding to Dewsbury and Bradford.
In 2023/24 alone, there were over 4,880 referrals across all services.
With a mission of prevention, intervention, recovery, and empowerment, WomenCentre continues to provide extensive support.
From domestic abuse support services, women’s mental health and wellbeing services, one-to-one counselling, informal drop-in sessions for advice, guidance and emotional support, as well as initiatives to redirect individuals from criminal justice to health and social care pathways.
Every service is tailored to meet the unique needs of women, equipping them with the resources and confidence to regain control of their lives.
The celebration of this 40-year milestone is a significant achievement, highlighting both the demand for such support in the area and the ongoing challenges many women face.
As WomenCentre celebrates this landmark anniversary, founding member Freda Davis reflected on the centre’s legacy and significance.
“I was 42 when it opened. I’m 82 now. So, it’s been very central to my life in a lot of ways…What does it mean to me, 40 years? I think it’s something to be very proud of, to have been involved in and there are lots of other women also involved, everybody played their part.”
Freda served as the centre’s chair from the 1990s until 2013, witnessing first hand its growth and impact on women in the region.
Volunteers are integral to WomenCentre’s success, contributing over 3,263 hours in the past year alone—a value of £51,724.08
For Freda, the sense of collective effort and empowerment is at the heart of the organisation.
“One of the big things about it was recognising that everybody’s got something to put in…I think WomenCentre was way ahead of its time.”
As she looked to the future, Freda expressed her hopes that WomenCentre would continue to operate as a single-sex space, especially as a safe space for those experiencing domestic violence.
She also voiced her aspiration to see more community-driven funding, envisioning every woman in Calderdale as a member.
“That would be brilliant,” she said. “There are very few women’s centres across the country because it’s hard to get funding… I hope every local authority will have one.”
This vision is simple but powerful: if every woman across Calderdale and Kirklees joined as a member, WomenCentre could rely solely on membership funding, removing the need for external grants or donations.
To become a member, women can visit: https://womencentre.org.uk/how-can-you-help/become-a-member/
As it marks this milestone, the organisation invites the community to join in a year of reflection, celebration, and fundraising, with events planned around key dates such as International Women’s Day, Mental Health Awareness Week, Volunteers’ Week, and Refugee Week.
These celebrations will not only honour WomenCentre’s legacy but also amplify the voices of women from all backgrounds, creating opportunities to reflect on the organisation’s profound impact and vision for the future.
The current CEO Angela Everson who has worked in the organisation for 20 plus years remembers the time first she visited the organisation as a newly qualified Social Worker to Calderdale in 1987.
Angela said:
“At that time, I knew that the Calderdale Well Women Association offered invaluable services for local women but when I later joined the organisation and worked directly with women accessing the services I soon realised how important the organisation’s work was.
Many women say “With WomenCentre’s support my life has changed and I now feel safe and able to move on.”
This gives me and everyone associated with WomenCentre great pride. Here’s to the next 40 Years”
For more information on WomenCentre, you can visit their website at: https://womencentre.org.uk/
