West End Women and Girls Centre (WEWG) is the first and only open access, community-based women and girls centre in Newcastle. For 43 years it has been driving positive change in the community, and aims to build the power of women and girls who have been - and continue to be -disenfranchised.
WEWG create change through group work where women and girls have the opportunity to meet, learn new skills and create a sense of community, as well as providing specialist domestic abuse services. In December 2021, WEWG took on a 20-year National Trust tenancy for a farm in Northumberland, to offer its vital support in an incredible rural location and address local challenges such as food insecurity.
The West End of Newcastle has been devastatingly affected by rising inequalities and worsening mental and physical wellbeing, amplified by the pandemic and cost of living crisis. Elswick, where the WEWG Centre is located, is in the bottom 3% of the most deprived areas in England (IMD), the bottom 5% for income deprivation, employment and health, and 10% for education. It has one of the highest levels of child poverty in England at 39.4%, as well as the lowest life expectancy. Research identifies that the impacts of rising cost of living are particularly acute among young women, women in low-income households, disabled women, BAME women, lone mothers and those with caring responsibilities.
The pandemic exposed deep and entrenched inequalities around food, health and wellbeing, and access to nature. Engaging with issues around the environmental crisis, climate change and actually taking environmental action can be difficult when women are struggling with immense pressure and competing priorities. Many women WEWG work with are choosing between feeding their families and heating their homes.
In response to this, in 2021, WEWG grew its work into the wilds, taking on a 20-year National Trust tenancy for 10-acre Fallowlees Farm in rural Northumberland. This site provides further support for women and families experiencing food poverty and other social disadvantages, and ensures regular access to rural experiences and activities. This is with the aim of using nature, growing and animal care as a tool to combat social isolation and improve mental and physical wellbeing. WEWG runs twice-weekly farming sessions for women and girls to gain skills and knowledge through hands-on experience in sustainable agriculture using ecological practices. It ensures that all activities and discussions with women on the Farm relate to their everyday lives, and that skills can be transferred at home, create behaviour change and a sense of shared responsibility for the environmental crisis. At the end of every session a meal is cooked and eaten together, harvested from the farm. The remaining produce is distributed back to the West End of Newcastle, to women and their families, like a free farmers market.
Each year the demand for Farm provision is increasing. In February 2025, the Farm received exposure on BBC Breakfast and BBC news site, which has led to multiple organisations contacting WEWG and requesting sessions, such as for girls in alternative education and girls who are seeking asylum. Organisations enquiring do not have access to their own outdoor spaces, and want to experience the unique and secluded space the Farm offers. WEWG was not able to follow up on or facilitate this work due to staff capacity. The Foundation is supporting WEWG with a grant to increase the hours of its Farm Manager, to capitalise on the increased interest and facilitate wider access to the farm. The increased hours will also enable the Farm Manager to develop additional sponsorship and donation opportunities and establish a Corporate Away Day programme.
