Greater Manchester Police Forensic Services Branch supports Women's Aid

Women’s Aid are very fortunate to have been chosen by Greater Manchester Police Forensic Services as their charity partner. 

Employees of the Forensic Services Branch have already taken part in a number of fundraising events including an Easter Egg Raffle, a cake sale, a sponsored swim and an 8 mile trek on Kinder Downfall.  Their next event will be a charity abseil in March.

Janet Wilcox from the Forensic Services Branch told us, “In the course of our work, practically all of our 400 members of staff regularly encounter the effects of crime on people and are committed to providing proactive support, including putting people in touch with relevant support systems such as those provided by Women's Aid. We are traditionally a section of the Force who are great at fundraising, we happen to have some amazing people - possibly because the work itself involves huge personal challenges. We know our work benefits from our engaging in fund raising events because it helps us to form different groups quite outside the ones we normally work in.”

Update (02/02/10) - Kate's 10k Sponsored Swim
On 15th December 2009, Kate Salesse, Assistant Director of Greater Manchester Police Forensic Services, completed a gruelling 10 kilometres swim in an outdoor swimming pool to the astonishment of fellow gym members at the David Lloyd Leisure Centre in Manchester.

With sheer determination and the support of her colleagues and family, Kate finished the swim in under 5 hours.  She even wore an inflatable traffic cone hat every 50 of the 500 lengths as an extra challenge given to her by her colleagues in return for donations to Women's Aid.

When asked why she had taken on such a challenge in the middle of winter, Kate said, "Many more women and children will experience domestic violence during the festive season so I am supporting Women's Aid when it is needed most.”

Sky supply Chain Relay 2009 

In spring 2009, employees of Sky Supply Chain embarked on an exciting sponsored walk from their office in Dunfermline to their office in Osterley.  The walk took the form of a relay, with different branches taking over at each stage of the walk, and raising money for a different cause.

Women’s Aid were been lucky enough to have been chosen by the South department as their official charity for their part of the relay.  The South branches walked the last leg of the relay between Newmarket and London.  Supply Chain SO2 set off on the 15th May from Newmarket, and Supply Chain SO1 took over on 22nd May, to finish on 25th May at Sandown Racecourse.

They chose to support Women's Aid because one of their team, David*, knows first hand the work they do to support women and children escaping abuse. His wife, Jane* and her two children experienced years of physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her ex-husband, but with the help offered by Women’s Aid services she took part in a course which helped her to regain the independence and confidence she felt that she had lost. 

David and his colleagues were determined to give something back by raising awareness and vital funds to help Women’s Aid continue our vital work. We are thrilled that they decided to support Women’s Aid.

Read Jane's story.

*Names have been changed.