For over twenty years, donors to The Women’s Fund have stood shoulder to shoulder with other women in our communities. In this era of increasing misogyny, continued domestic and sexual violence and continued pay inequality, the grassroots community projects supported by the Fund (including Bright Futures, West End Women and Girls, Women's Health in South Tyneside, Sunderland Women's Centre and Tyneside Women's Health) have never been needed more.

The Fund was established in 1999 by Dame Margaret Barbour with an initial donation of £250,000, as a collective endeavour enabling women to support other women in our region. Since then, other local women have donated thousands of pounds to it through becoming regular donors, making one-off donations and from events. All donations contribute to an endowment which ensures the Fund will be there to support generations of women to come.

Recent research shows that women's organisations represent 3.6% of the charities in the UK but only receive 1.8% of the funding, which makes the Women's Fund really important for those organisations in our area.

You can find out more about the Fund at https://www.communityfoundation.org.uk/womens-fund/ where you can also become a regular donor.