International Women’s Day 2025

Loose Women: redefining women’s support in Stoke-on-Trent

Sophia Fedorowicz

  In 2024, Jo Cutts (Expert Citizens & Changing Futures Community Recovery Coordinator) partnered with Orchid Women’s Service to launch Loose Women, a peer-led, trauma-informed space where women facing multiple disadvantage, homelessness, and insecure housing can find support, connection, and safety. More than just a social group, Loose Women, named by the women themselves, offers a welcoming environment where they can relax, share experiences, and enjoy simple comforts. Whether doing crafts, curling their hair, painting their nails or just having a coffee and a chat, the space provides a rare opportunity to unwind in the company of others who understand. The need for safe, women-only spaces like Loose Women is clear. Recent local research has highlighted that women’s homelessness is often hidden, meaning many go without the support they need. Traditional homelessness services often fail to account for the realities women face, such as seeking less visible forms of shelter to avoid danger. Studies by the Centre for Health and Development at the University of Staffordshire and Expert Citizens C.I.C. highlight that many women experiencing homelessness endure repeated trauma, including domestic abuse, and exploitation. Mixed-sex accommodation can further expose them to harm, reinforcing the urgent need for gender-informed approaches such as Housing First. The reports for these studies can be accessed HERE and HERE. Spaces like Loose Women don’t just provide safety, they foster connection, resilience, and create the conditions for empowerment. When women come together over shared experiences, a deep sense of understanding and solidarity emerges, helping them rebuild confidence and take steps toward change. As one member shared: “I enjoy it. One day I want to get my DBS and help Jo run the group. It’s good to talk to other people. I’ve been through a lot.” Being surrounded by people who truly understand can be a crucial step toward healing. It offers comfort, strength, and the opportunity to move away from harmful relationships or situations. Loose Women helps women reclaim their identity, reconnect with what matters, and shape their own futures, in their own way. The initiative grew out of Orchid Women’s Service’s commitment to continuous improvement. They invited Expert Citizens to conduct an Insight Evaluation of their provision, which led to them being awarded ‘Listening.’ This evaluation, rooted in a strengths-based approach, assesses how well services align with Insight Quality Standards, focusing on what’s strong rather than what’s wrong. The evaluation recognised that many women accessing Orchid Women’s Service face complex life circumstances. Sometimes, all they are looking for is a warm, safe space, something Orchid provides, along with access to shower and clothes-washing facilities. You can read the full Insight Evaluation report HERE. Ultimately, better support for women experiencing homelessness means ensuring their voices shape policies, services, and funding decisions. For this to happen in a meaningful way, a trauma-informed, gender-responsive approach is essential. Safe, peer-led spaces like Loose Women provide the connection, and security that can help women rebuild their lives on their own terms. Loose Women meets every Thursday 11am – 1pm. For more information contact Jo Cutts jo.cutts@expertcitizens.org.uk For more information about Expert Citizens research and evaluation consultation services contact sophia.insight@expertcitizens.org.uk   #IWD2025  #AccelerateAction [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]