Our Charity
Our chosen charity is the wonderful Ared! |
Following the election of Ared as the official BWN charity, some members of the Charity Committee (Arline, Maribel and Shilpa) visited the Ared premises to see first-hand the great work they are doing.
We were greeted by Carme, their head of fundraising, who hopefully members will remember from our March 2023 coffee morning.
The organisation works with ex-prisoners (almost all women) providing support throughout the process of their leaving prison and entering the workplace. This takes the form of training programmes for work skills, job placement help, mentor programmes,
They placed over 370 women in jobs in 2022 – over one a day!
They run a sewing workshop, which trains women in dressmaking and design skills.
Ared also runs a micro-company, selling products to restaurants hotels and some groups such as the boy scout movement, to help raise funds for the organisation and give women who have completed the training course a taste of work.
The catering training programme takes place in an industrial kitchen within their premises and has placed many graduates in establishments throughout the city. Ared works with many organisations to provide work and experience for these women as well as producing its own range of Neules, a traditional Christmas biscuit.
Additional programmes train women in care work and digital skills.
Ared has one programme working with women who are still in prison and are on day release to acquire some training before being released. Those who have completed their sentence still need help until they are established in work and the organisation has a canteen where catering programme trainees can try out their skills and those taking the various courses can have breakfast and lunch.
In addition food parcels are given out to cover weekend needs.
as ever through our fund-raising but also with voluteer efforts particulary in their sale of products at Christmas fairs and St. Jordi stands.
Anyone interested can get in touch with any member of the Charity Committee: Arline, Maribel, Shilpa or Juliane.
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