MASH started with a small team of dedicated volunteers who were passionate about doing something proactive to support people who were sex working in Manchester.
Armed with flasks of hot brews and condoms, they showed up with kindness and smiles to support sex workers when no one else would.
As the years passed, this small grass roots team developed into an official outreach charity and by 1995 MASH was well known on the scene for its 25-foot mobile clinic which also featured a private lounge where women, in addition to wellbeing support, could get a little bit of respite from the streets.
By 2000 we had linked in with Public Health and were pioneering in our approach to health for sex workers, visiting saunas to offer screenings. By 2003 we had our very own full-time sexual health nurse but we were still dreaming of having a permanent MASH base to call our own.
In the meantime, our trailer was stolen! (That’s another story) But thanks to lots of hard work and support from our wonderful funders and donors, in 2010 our MASH drop-in, right in the heart of the sex work ‘beat’ opened its doors. Now MASH could offer food and drink from our kitchen, welcome women into our clinic, offer a needle exchange service, private rooms for women to speak in confidence to our support workers and much more. We finally had our own haven away from the streets, a safe, welcoming and non-judgemental space for women.
Armed with flasks of hot brews and condoms, they showed up with kindness and smiles to support sex workers when no one else would.
With further fundraising, we were able to upgrade our MASH Van in 2016. Now we have a specially kitted-out MASH camper van, which we take around the beat areas of Manchester from 8pm ‘till midnight during the week. Women can step on and sit down in the warmth, and speak to the team, get condoms, food and drink, needle exchange and more including being referred into other services. We also have key partners working with us in our centre and on our van, supporting with issues such as homelessness and housing, drug and alcohol use, mental health and reporting crime
MASH continues to go from strength to strength, always working closely with sex workers to make sure our support is helpful and meeting your needs, whatever they may be. We’ve always adapted and changed so we can be there for you.
Watch Sarah’s story to hear what it meant to access the MASH van when she was street sex working in Manchester.
Get in touch
If you have questions, ideas or suggestions about how we can improve our support, we always want to hear from you.