Celebrating 40 years of services

AWRC (Asian Women's Resource Centre) and a refuge project ASRAA began in the 1970's with urban grant aid funds and a grant from social services. It was set up in a similar way to other sister organisations, where a group of Asian women came together to address issues of domestic violence that mainstream organisations were not meeting at the time. These inequalities stemmed from racism, lack of cultural understanding, language support, lack of awareness of domestic abuse and inadequate welfare provisions.

In 1980 the Centre became independent from the refuge and became known as the Asian Women's Resource Centre in its own right. Through the premises originally based near Harlesden Station the Asian Women's Resource Centre (AWRC) provided advice, support and information on various issues such as; immigration, nationality, advice on domestic violence and Gujarati classes. Several funding applications were made by the Asian Women's Resource Centre, and eventually a successful funding proposal for premises was submitted to Harlesden City Challenge board. We are now based at 108 Craven Park, Harlesden, a three-storey building which was leased to the organisation for 120 years in 1997.

Whereby the service for the Asian Women's Resource Centre were primarily for South Asian Women residing in Brent over the years we have grown working in partnership with other organisations to provide a Pan-London service to women. Over the years our services have evolved to continue offering services to women who have been affected by domestic abuse and harmful practices. We support women who have experienced domestic abuse as well as harmful practices and so called 'honour based' abuse. We have a diverse Black, Minoritized, Ethnic (BME) staff who are able to offer services in over 20 different languages.

It is our aim to prevent domestic abuse by helping women and children to receive essential, practical and emotional support, so that they can re-build their lives, with the appropriate funding and financial support being achieved.

All the work that we do, and the sustainability of our services rely on the support of donations to our service.

The AWRC is celebrating over 40 years of service, over 40 years of providing life-saving support to women and children who have been affected by domestic abuse, forced marriages, so called 'honour' based and faith-based abuse.

To celebrate the diversity of women who we support - from 3rd October 2022 Asian Women's Resource Centre has changed its logo to reflect its equality and diversity and will now be known as AWRC.

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