By Kabbie Langford

THE chief executive of a local charity, aiming reduce domestic abuse and other forms of violence mainly by men against women, is stepping down after 34 years.

The boss of West Mercia Women’s Aid Jan Frances will be handing over to former chief executive of The Haven women’s refuge project in Wolverhampton Sue Coleman at the start of December.

Jan started her career as West Mercia Women’s aid in 1983. She said: “I am passionate about human rights and equality, which fuelled my original involvement in the field of domestic abuse as an activist lobbying for services in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

“My motivation comes from my knowledge of the women and children that I have sought to serve, whose courage and resilience have been and continue to be my greatest inspiration.

“After 30 years of work campaigning and delivering services to victims of domestic abuse, I remain as committed as ever to eliminating this problem and moving towards a safe and equitable society for all.

“It has been a privilege to work for nearly 35 years in an organisation that has enabled me to live out my feminist principles within the field of violence against women and girls, both in West Mercia and through my involvement with the national Women’s Aid Federation.”

Jan recently received a Quality People Special Recognition Award from the Domestic Abuse Forum in Worcestershire for outstanding leadership, passion and commitment to make a difference.

The incoming chief executive was the architect of one of the first local multi-agency strategic Domestic Violence Forums in the country, in partnership with the Home Office Safer Cities programme. She has a wealth of experience in the voluntary sector as well as in both local and central government and her commitment to working with and on behalf of disadvantaged women and children has remained constant.

Sue also brings a range of experience on issues affecting children, young people and families to the role. This includes project development with schools and community organisations, developing Sure Start local programmes, local area agreement and regeneration projects, prevention and early intervention initiatives, as well as commissioning services concerned with teenage pregnancy, substance misuse, family support and integrated youth provision.

Sue said: “I am, and always have been, committed to the interpretation of domestic abuse as a woman’s issue. This is at the core of West Mercia Women’s Aid and underpins the success of the organisation.

“I am absolutely delighted to take up my new role. The opportunity to work for an agency based so transparently upon feminist principles is a very real attraction. It is exciting to contemplate the opportunities ahead.”

For more information about West Mercia Women’s Aid visit http://www.westmerciawomensaid.org/ or call 01432 356146. The Worcestershire 24 hour helpline number is 0800 980 3331.