Black Country Women’s Aid (BCWA) will receive £10,000 from the Big Give’s Women and Girls match fund after local solicitor’s Waldrons generously donated £5,000.

 

When BCWA asked Waldrons for their support to help reach their Big Give target, the firm jumped at the chance to make their money go further and help establish a new youth justice service.

Big Give is a national match funding platform that doubles donations through themed online fundraising campaigns. BCWA was excited to participate for the second time this year after their application to take part in the 2024 Women and Girls campaign was accepted.

 

Big Give: Doubling donations for greater impact

The money raised through Big Give will go towards Be You, a new BCWA service that is helping Sandwell girls who are at risk of offending.

BCWA supports traumatized victims of domestic, sexual, coercive and/or stalking abuse and modern slavery. A 2022 Young Women’s Justice report showed that “almost all young women (17-25) in the criminal justice system have a history of violence, abuse or trauma that drives their offending”.

Be You wants to prevent girls from Sandwell aged 11-19 from offending and help them to start new, safe and productive lives. Sandwell schools can refer girls on to the therapeutic-support programme by contacting BCWA’s Youth Justice team.

 

Sara Ward on Waldrons’ Partnership and Big Give Success:

“Waldrons has been such an enthusiastic and supportive corporate partner and we have enjoyed every minute of being their Charity of the Year. We are thrilled to be partnering with them again in 2025.

“Thanks to Waldrons’ flexibility and generosity, we hit our Big Give match-funded target, doubling the money we will receive from £5,000 to £10,000.

“We will use this funding to help establish Be You, a vital new service for girls who are at risk of offending. The people who come to us for help have complex needs and face many challenges. Be You will support young girls with their wellbeing, confidence and resilience, helping them to stay in education, develop aspirations and find places of safety. By supporting girls through their transition into adulthood, we improve their life chances and help to break the cycle of violence.”

Joseph Norton,Waldrons Managing Director, added:

We are proud to support Black Country Women’s Aid and their incredible work in providing vital local support. The Be You service is an essential initiative that not only helps prevent offending but also offers a brighter and more hopeful future. By matching donations through the Big Give, we are thrilled to contribute to a cause that makes a difference in our community. It is a privilege to stand alongside BCWA and play our part in empowering the next generation of women to overcome adversity and build safer, more productive lives.”