Give it up for One25…

I am giving up TEA for 125 days/3,000 hours/180,000 minutes… ie 4 MONTHS OF NO TEA!! For those of you that know me well, you will know how difficult it is going to be! No teasmade to wake me up, no post-breakfast tea, no mid-morning tea, no post-lunch tea, no afternoon tea, no post-dinner tea and no pre-bed tea… not to mention the teas I enjoy between these obvious daily tea moments! PG tips pyramids, lady grey, the earl, lapsang souchang, redbush, peppermint… any caffeinated, decaffeinated and herbal teas will all be removed from my life as of November 4th. It’s going to be a challenge but all worth it because all the money raised will go to the incredible women of One25……

One25 is a charity that reaches out to women trapped in street sex work, supporting them to break free and build new lives away from violence, poverty and addiction.

 

I have been involved with One25 for almost 3 years now and it has been a life changing experience… The women One25 work with are some of the most beautiful, resilient and humbling people I know. Sadly they are also some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in Bristol.

One25 work with the women in a few different ways…

NAOMI HOUSE – Naomi House is a unique mother and baby home offering intensive support to women who want to break free from addiction and sex-work and give their babies a better start in life.

 

OUTREACH - A van drives around Bristol’s red light district 5 nights a week providing the women with nutritious food, hot drinks, warm clothes, personal alarms, first aid, condoms and a chance to talk and get advice in a safe space.

“Most days the van food was all I would eat. Without knowing that the yellow van was coming round I don’t know what I would have done. It was really great coming in, especially knowing you were safe.”

 

DROP IN - Is a women’s only space where they can go to eat a hot lunch, have a piece of One25’s infamous homemade cake, learn a new skill, take part in therapeutic sessions, do laundry, have a shower, pick up second hand clothes or even sleep for a couple of hours in a place they know they’re safe.

 

CASEWORK – Our caseworkers help the women establish themselves in the basic aspects of life such as accommodation, health, benefits, family support, education and so on.

§ 108 women were safely housed or learnt to maintain their tenancy

 

§ 74 women met with a doctor or nurse and 76 began therapy

 

§ 61 women were supported around family issues and 8 got their children safely back in their care

 

§ 27 women exited street sex-work. A further 22 received support to maintain their recovery.

 

 

·  Every pound counts! £1 could provide a woman we see on outreach with a hot drink and food pack, a safety alarm or a pair of gloves on a freezing cold night.

 

·    If two people sponsored me 10p a day, £12.50 each… added together would make £25 which would provide an acutely ill, lonely woman with a 'hospital pack' with pyjamas and slippers, clothes, underwear, towels, toiletries and a game.

 

·    £84 could fund five hours of psychotherapy sessions for women suffering from trauma. This is vital for helping the women break free of substance abuse and ill-health.

 

Please sponsor me!! It’s going to be a challenging 4 months of no tea but so worth it if lots of money can be raised for these precious women!