News Release 13 February 2018
First Steps Women’s Centre in Dungannon is the latest local group to benefit from Asda Foundation support following a donation of £35k.
Aimed at transforming the lives of local women, the First Steps Women’s Centre provides educational and training support, alongside health and well-being services.
As a direct result of the donation, the centre is able to progress with a building refurbishment project, which will allow it to extend its childcare facilities for service users.
Michael McGoldrick, Chief Executive of First Steps Women’s Centre, said:
“We were encouraged by Asda Cookstown Community Champion, Janice, to apply for the significant amount of £35k from the Asda Foundation. After visiting the centre and witnessing first-hand the life-changing – and life-saving work – which the team carries out on a daily basis, she was confident we could secure the funds needed for our building work.
“From a training course to a safe space to meet for a coffee, the centre is a hub for women to develop the skills and support networks they need to transform their lives. By extending the building to provide free childcare, First Steps Women’s Centre will be able to continue to help hundreds of women grow and develop each year, whilst caring for their families.”
Asda Cookstown Community Champion, Janice Gibson, added:
“As the 20th anniversary of the centre opening approaches, it seems a fitting tribute to the hard work and dedication of the staff and service users to extend the building. The additional space for childcare facilities will not only allow women using First Steps to concentrate on their studies and classes – it will also mean the centre does not have to pay to hire additional space for its activities.
“With the building work set to commence over the next couple of months, I am already looking forward to visiting the centre in the near future for the big reveal of its new space!”
Any woman interested in an IT, Health & Wellbeing or Life Skills course, please contact the centre on 028 87727648, on Facebook, or via the website www.firststepswomenscentre.org
For more information, please contact Robyn McMurray at Morrow Communications on (t) 028 90 39 38 37 or (e)
Photo Captions:
Image 1 – L-R: Asda Cookstown Community Champion, Janice Gibson, Carla Dias (First Steps Women’s Centre), Asda Cookstown General Store Manager, Peter Beckett, Joanne Orr (First Steps Women’s Centre), Amanda Boyd (First Steps Women’s Centre) and Yvonne Corbett Project Manager from First Steps Women’s Centre.
Image 2 – L-R: Amanda Boyd (First Steps Women’s Centre), Asda Cookstown General Store Manager, Peter Beckett, Joanne Orr (First Steps Women’s Centre), Carla Dias (First Steps Women’s Centre) and Yvonne Corbett Project Manager from First Steps Women’s Centre with Asda Cookstown Community Champion, Janice Gibson, and her Asda Cookstown colleagues.
