We're delighted to have received funding from We Love MCR to deliver cultural dance and creative movement workshops for women from grassroots and community organisations.
Working with Women Asylum Seekers Together, Rainbow Haven, and Little Lions we will work with 45 women to reduce social isolation by running a 6 month program of dance workshops that can improve mental and physical health and wellbeing. Through the project we aim to combat loneliness and social exclusion by providing opportunities for women to access the community, learn to navigate their way around Greater Manchester, and make friends and connections.
This project will build on our Friday Fitness project with Women Asylum Seekers Together network for the past 12 months where we have measured an increase in confidence, mental health, and physical fitness.
This dance makes me feel so active and energy. I was staying at home being lonely and miserable but now I can associate and feel happy” - Madonna.
In addition, we will work with Women Asylum Seekers Together we will develop a dance and creative movement program for women who seek asylum that are staying in Home Office hotels who are truly the most isolated, with no financial asylum support and a lack of access to culturally appropriate food.
We know that for women who are in the UK’s asylum system, they are left with no guidance from the Government regarding how to access their very new and very daunting community. For women who have barriers to access such as language and knowledge of UK systems, it can be difficult to know what supports are available.
We have seen first hand the friendships and sense of community formed in our cultural dance and creative movement workshops, and want to spread this positivity across Manchester to make the communities we all live in more inclusive and engaging for marginalised communities during an already difficult time.
A huge thank you to We Love MCR for the funding and making this project a reality.
Keep your eye on our blog and social media for updates about this project in 2023. You can help support our work by making a donation. All of the funding we raise goes back in to making projects like this possible.