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This week marks International Women’s Day 2025 (IWD) A time of communities coming together and of taking action to imagine and create a better world for ALL women.
In recent years we have been touched to see so many individuals and groups show up for the women we support at MASH around IWD. And this year is already proving to be no exception.
This International Women’s Day (IWD), let’s stand with sex workers and women who are too often left out of IWD conversations.
It’s that time of year when you might be considering a kind donation to MASH to show your support to women who are often forgotten about or unheard on International Women’s Day.
We are hoping with our new appeal that generosity will ripple out beyond just one day.
Could you make a regular donation to support marginalised women in Greater Manchester?
Set up a monthly donation today and your first three months will be matched by MASH supporters.
“I want everybody to know how special they are because we’re all special. I believe we’ve all got special in us. It’s about igniting that spark. That’s what MASH does.” M – MASH service user
There has never been a more urgent time to set up a monthly donation to MASH. The collective impact of our monthly donors makes a tangible difference to women all throughout the year.
Following one of our busiest ever years, we want to make sure we can support every single woman who needs a lifeline.
You can make this a reality.
The great news? If you set up a monthly gift to MASH between £2 and £50 by Tuesday 11 March* your kindness will be doubled for three months, so you are supporting even more women.
Thanks to a group of generous donors, the kindness of new and upgraded monthly givers will go twice as far for International Women’s Day and beyond.
From Monday 3 March until Tuesday 11 March if you set up a monthly donation to MASH, your first three donations will be doubled*
Why are monthly donations an amazing way to show your support to women in Greater Manchester?
The best thing is that we can use your funds exactly as we need to, based on someone’s needs in the moment.
These are some examples of how monthly donors have directly helped women recently;
- A mobile phone and new, warm clothing for a woman who’d been rough sleeping and had all her belongings stolen – Helping her stay in touch with her MASH worker, and her support networks.
- Acrylic paints, pastels and a sketch pad for a woman in mental health crisis who discovered that her creativity really helped her to cope and reduce her anxiety
- A weekly bus pass for a woman to attend talking therapy sessions at MASH which she has found incredibly beneficial. This helped her at a very pivotal time as she settled into her new property
- New pyjamas, underwear and puzzle books for a woman who was rushed to hospital and had to stay in for difficult treatment unexpectedly – supporting her to stay in hospital and access the full health care she needed.
- New comfy trainers, soft socks and blister plasters for a woman who only had an ill-fitting pair of shoes that she’d had to walk miles in whilst out working
Why are monthly donations important?
Today, we face some of our greatest challenges yet.
More women are turning to sex work or are returning to sex work after a long time away from it.
More women are coming into MASH starving and in survival mode.
Support services are being cut and others are stretched to breaking point. So, it is vital that MASH can continue to provide that practical and emotional support to every woman who shows up at our door and on our van.
Setting up a monthly donation is a very special way to support women.
The certainty of your regular gift gives us the confidence to plan for the future – safe in the knowledge that, together, we are here for those who need and deserve care.
Help make a difference and start your monthly donation today. Your first three gifts will be doubled and have twice the impact*
The doubling applies to new regular gifts and also to increases in existing regular gifts (the matching applies to the additional amount given each month).
To increase your existing Direct Debit or recurring card payment, please contact janelle@mash.org.uk / 0161 273 4555
Thank you so much for all your support.
*Whilst the funding pot is available
The doubling will be offered until the ring-fenced funding pot is used up. Please note that, as we are a very small team, there may be a delay in us sharing that the funds have ended but we will endeavour to update this as soon as we can.
Monthly direct debits can be cancelled at any time by contacting your bank or by emailing contacting janelle@mash.org.uk/ 0161 273 4555