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We are thrilled to announce that Hull Sisters has been honoured with the prestigious BBC Humberside Make a Difference Community Group Award. This recognition reflects our unwavering commitment to making a positive impact on our community. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who voted for us. Your support means the world to us and reaffirms our dedication to the cause we hold dear. A special shoutout goes to our incredible staff and volunteers, whose hard work and passion have been instrumental in achieving this award. Their dedication and selflessness continue to drive our mission forward, and we couldn’t have done it without them. This award is a testament to our collective efforts, and we look forward to continuing our journey of making a real difference in the lives of those we serve. Thank you once again for your support and recognition. Hull Sisters is committed to fostering positive change in our community, and this award only fuels our determination to do even more. Together, we can make a difference that truly matters. What a night at #Grimsby Town Hall celebrating individuals that make a difference 👏🏻❤️ #BBCMakeADifferenceAwards More from our winners 📻👇🏼 — BBC Radio Humberside (@RadioHumberside) September 14, 2023

We’re proud to announce that we have been shortlisted as a finalist in the Community Group category in the BBC Radio Humberside’s Make A Difference Awards. It is awarded to a group of people who have helped to genuinely change the lives of others within the community.

Asylum seekers and refugees come to the UK because they are not safe in their countries. They have experienced violence, abuse, war and trauma. Their journeys have been tortuous, and they faced risk, discrimination, violence, abuse and hardship. Many die on their travels or do not reach safety as they are trafficked. Those who arrive in the UK hope they can make a better life for themselves and their families and contribute to the society that has welcomed them. And that their human rights will be protected and they will be treated with respect and consideration. Instead, they face a hostile environment from the UK government, local authorities and services, the public and those responsible for their accommodation. Hotel accommodation is supposed to be a short-term solution, but many have now been in this accommodation for months. In this ‘contingency’ accommodation, they receive only £8.24 per week, from which they must pay for all expenses (apart from prescription medication). If they are not present during mealtimes due to legal and medical appointments, they miss out and must go hungry. Many families have underlying health conditions that do not receive the attention deserved. Their specific needs are not catered for. This is particularly prevalent in the types of meals served. There is no consideration for dietary or health conditions and the impact inadequate food has on their health. As a result, many skip meals or are forced to take more drastic action. We have witnessed women cooking outside in the cold, wind and rain to prepare hot food for themselves and their families. This is extremely dangerous for several reasons: Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner, Jonathon Evison stated (5 December 2022) that asylum seekers housed locally are more likely to fall victim to crime. They are at risk of being fined or charged by local authorities or the police. They cannot prepare the food hygienically, which could put them at a greater health risk than they are already experiencing. This affects not only adults but also children. Those attending school do not get free school meals, so they go hungry from morning through evening. When we raised this with the school in question, they said they would investigate, but nothing has happened, and nothing has changed. Hull Sisters supports these families by providing much-needed food, clothing and essentials such as hygiene and period products. However, we do not have a working kitchen where we can provide hot meals that are nutritious, nourishing and meet their health conditions. We had hoped that we would be successful in our Winter Grant application so that we could provide this necessary support. We intended to provide a safe women-only space for cooking and providing equipment such as air fryers and slow cookers, as well as provide hot drinks and soups. Unfortunately, that was not the case, and we must now close over the Christmas period due to the cost-of-living crisis, leaving these and other local families without anywhere to turn. The women we support are victims of violence and abuse, have poor self-esteem, don’t feel comfortable in a mixed environment, and prefer women-only places. Our personal experience and studies show explicit biases regarding funding women’s organisations. For example, Rosa’s research report on women’s organisations. We call on the UK Government and local authorities to ensure that asylum seekers and refugees are treated with respect and looked after instead of being targeted with hate speech and used to make a profit by hotels and companies that work in ‘border control’. This is a UK-wide problem: Hotel food given to migrants is unhealthy Children in England’s asylum hotels suffering from malnutrition Worm-infested food given to children Mouldy and rotten meals

We are pleased to share our 2021-22 Impact Report. Some quick facts from the report: 600+ women and children registered and supported 61% of our users describe themselves as victims of domestic violence 80% of our users face poverty and isolation Economic abuse is as high as 60% among our users 700+ families are supported through our foodbank service 219 women attended our ESOL classes 160+ women participated in our yoga classes 347 joined our support sessions 100+ women received immigration-related support 79 women took part in life skills and employability support, 12 have secured jobs 70+ women attended our arts and crafts sessions Thanks to the support of our funders, supporters, volunteers and partners, Hull Sisters has been able to deliver targeted, timely and effective support at the first point of crisis and on an ongoing basis, providing stability and reassurance to those who need and rely on us. Hull Sisters provides a vital service to Hull Black and minority ethnic women and their families. We look forward to continuing this work and developing our service offering further so that even more BAME women can receive the support they need and deserve. Hull Sisters Impact Report 2021-22

Of the 600 women helped, most have fled horrors, including domestic violence, honour-based abuse, rape and female genital mutilation. ‘We have women too afraid to stand in foodbank queues in case it gets back to their husband’ When Sonia Jalal was told her charity for women blighted by abuse was being evicted, she had to move mountains of food, period products and baby clothes into her living room. But 18 months on and rehomed in a freezing unit off Beverley Road, things aren’t looking much more hopeful for Hull Sisters – the city’s only organisation dedicated to helping ethnic minority women. Of the 600 women Sonia helps, most have fled horrors such as domestic violence, honour-based abuse, rape and female genital mutilation. Read the Hull Daily Mail article here.  

As women’s incomes are squeezed, many are forced to stay in abusive situations, facing an unthinkable choice of harm or destitution. We joined 80 women’s organisations calling for the HM Treasury to ensure women have the support they need in the cost of living crisis. Read the statement here.

We joined women’s rights organisations to oppose the Public Order Bill: the right to protest is a feminist issue. As specialist Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) and women’s rights organisations, we stand together in resisting the oppressive measures outlined in the Public Order Bill. Read our joint statement on the #PublicOrderBill from organisations working to end violence against women and girls here.

We supported Islamaphobia Awareness Month in November. This year IAM celebrated their 10-year anniversary. Islamophobia Awareness Month (IAM) is a campaign founded in 2012 by a group of Muslim organisations. It aims to showcase the positive contributions of Muslims as well as raise awareness of Islamophobia in society. The theme for IAM 2022 is #tacklingdenial of Islamophobia. The denial of Islamophobia can be seen in different forms and is found in political and social spaces across society. Why is tackling denial important? By denying islamophobia’s existence, we dismiss the lived experiences of many and the opportunity to bridge gaps in our society. Their vision is to see a society free from Islamophobia in all forms, and the Islamophobia Awareness Month campaign widely recognised and supported every year.

We are pleased to announce that on 1 November 2022, Hull Sisters became an accredited NOCN centre for ESOL and functional skills.

We were excited to visit Hymers College for the presentation of the proceeds from their fundraising. We have been proud to be one of their Charities of the Year (2021-22). Thank you Hymers College for all your efforts and support throughout the year.

We welcomed the High Sheriff of the East Riding of Yorkshire, Jacky Bowes and Danny Fleming, Community Police Officer to our premises today. We spent a lot of time discussing issues affecting minority women, particularly violence against women and girls. Thank you for taking a proactive interest and consulting us on these critical issues. We look forward to working together to build strategic initiatives to eliminate violence and discrimination.  

We were proud to join the IC Change campaign with over 80 women’s organisations urging the Government to ratify the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence without reservations. The letter was sent to the Home Secretary ahead of the 10-year anniversary of the UK signing the Istanbul Convention on 8 June. You can read the letter here. UPDATE The UK Government has ratified the Istanbul Convention on violence against women. Unfortunately, they chose to opt-out of articles 44 and 59. We will continue to raise our voice to support the work of Southall Black Sisters (@SBSisters) and Latin American Women’s Rights Service (@lawrsuk) on this.

We’re delighted to announce that we are now members of the EVAW Coalition. We’re looking forward to working with the 124 specialist women’s support services, researchers, activists, victim-survivors and NGOs working to end violence against women and girls in all its forms. Our shared vision is a world free from the threat and reality of violence against women and girls.

In the spirit of the book content, Richard Saltoun Gallery is donating all proceeds from the sale of this book to Hull Sisters. For a few spring months in 1974 a small terraced house in Lambeth, South London at 14 Radnor Terrace was taken over by the feminist art group S.L.A.G. (South London Art Group). They transformed it into a large-scale installation artwork titled A Woman’s Place, which offered a temporary critique of family life. The building was also the location of the South London Women’s Centre, one of many squatted houses in the area that provided homes for a fluctuating and itinerant community of women. You can learn more and purchase the book here.

Wilma chose Hull Sisters as the charity recipient for her December 2021 exhibition “Domestic” and raised over £1,000. The exhibit was also presented at a special event in the Houses of Parliament on International Women’s Day (8 March 2022). Domestic, documents all the women that have been killed in the UK at the hands of male violence since 2013. This incredibly important work by WOOLF consists of eight individual plates, placed on a table, representing eight years of data. The woman’s name, relationship to her killer, and specifically designed icons by the artist, create a visual language to communicate the cause of death. Learn more about Wilma’s breathtaking art here.

Female genital mutilation warning as claims surgery is ‘still happening in Hull’ A clinical psychologist claims female genital mutilation is continuing to take place on teenage girls in Hull. Negar Masooleh says the ‘dangerous’ surgery, which sees young girls from under the age of 15 undergo partial or total removal of the female genitalia, is taking place within the city. Negar, a therapist for the BAME group Hull Sisters, says one of the biggest issues in women who attend the group from Middle East and African cultures is the impact on their physical and mental health following the surgery. Read the article here.