Events, events, events...

We've been away at festivals over the summer promoting A Way Out and selling our brand new merchandise (details about this coming soon!) but we're back now doing what we love and running events around Teesside. 

The first of these is coming up this Friday at The Basement in Middlesbrough:

This will be open to anyone above the age of 14 and there'll be mocktails and cocktails on offer as well delicious cupcakes provided by The American Cake Company. Great music, great food, great company- we'll see you there!

Next up is Rags and Muffins Yarm. This is a slightly smaller event than our usual Middlesbrough one but it is well worth a visit. Supported by the Soroptimists International there'll be rails of clothes for you to browse as well as an open bar, cupcakes and featured local businesses present. And all that with free entry!

And of course, we promised that Rags and Muffins would be returning to Middlesbrough and here it is:

 This time around we are expanding to include menswear and children's clothes so this certainly won't be a girls only event. We're also keeping all our favourite features: fashion show, DJ, cupcakes, vintage corner, Bucks Fizz reception and charity cocktails. An event not to be missed!

Hopefully one of these takes your fancy, maybe more than one. If you coming along, why not pop over and say hi at the A Way Out stand? We love to meet friends new and old.

Love from A Way Out x

Selling Strawberries to Save Lives

Just a selection of what was on offer at the Strawberry Tea Party

Here at A Way Out we love meeting new people. 

We love to partner with local businesses and organisations who also want to bring hope to those most in need in our communities. Soroptimist International is a worldwide service organisation for women. The local group in Stockton have nominated A Way Out as their charity of the year and have been supporting us in many ways. We are really happy to be working with them this year and enormously grateful for their support.

A team effort- Jessie and Sarah Jane with some of the Soroptimists

They held their first fundraising event two weeks ago in the midst of Wimbledon season. The sun was shining and it was the perfect day for a strawberry tea as staff, Soroptimists and supporters of A Way Out all got together.

Enjoying tea, cake and sunshine!

Our founder Jessie explaining a bit more about the work of A Way Out

And the Soroptimists raised nearly £500 selling strawberries! 

This will go straight into funding projects that reach out to women who are trapped in cycles of low self-esteem, addiction and sexual exploitation. Rebecca* is just one girl that A Way Out has been able to help. Before we met her, she struggled with severe depression that led to self harm and drug abuse but we have seen an amazing transformation in her life. Through workshops and professional counselling, she has grown in confidence and has taken awards in street dance and cooking. She no longer misuses drugs or alcohol and hopes to pursue catering further.

We really want to have more and more of these stories to tell! If you feel inspired to organise your own event such as a tea party or anything else you can think of then we'd love to hear from you. We can help out with ideas, support and resources to help you plan your own fundraiser and you too can help turn lives around. Just email Jenny at fundraising.administration@awayout.co.uk. 

*name has been changed

Love from A Way Out x