Derry Well Woman was established in 1989 and has been providing alternative health services to women in the north west for almost 18 years. This section gives you the chance to find out a bit more about our past work and our plans for the future.

Foundation of the centre

The centre was established to:

• provide a comprehensive and accessible service for women, run by women, which encompasses a whole range of women’s health issues
• reach women, who for whatever reason, normally stay away from doctors
• provide health care in a relaxsed non-clinical atmosphere
• increase understanding about women’s health care provision
• recognise and welcome the development of complementary therapies
• actively encourage the formation of self-help and support groups both therapeutic and educational in nature
• provide health promotion for women
• seek more effective ways of preventing and meeting women’s health problems

Projects

Over the past eighteen years we have developed a number of projects addressing physical, emotional and social health issues for women. The programmes include:

• three counselling services,
• four clinics,
• six support groups, and
• courses and classes on complementary approaches to healing.

We train community counsellors through both our Solution Focused Brief Therapy Course and our Harmony Project – funded by the Community Relations Council.

Campaigns

We have successfully campaigned for change in respect of a number of health issues e.g. cancer, P.N.D., menopause. We are centrally involved in a number of significant partnerships including an Interagency Group on Adult Survivors of Sexual Abuse and a WH&SSB wide group on eating disorders – “Eating Disorders West”.

Cross Border Women’s Health Network

Derry Well Woman has been the lead agency in the development of the Cross Border Women’s Health Strategy for the North West. Our target group encompasses the following programmes of care:

• Young Women
  Eating Disorders, Self-Esteem, Confidence Building
• Family & Childcare
  Crèche provision, Ante-natal classes, Post-natal depression, Baby Massage, Relationship counselling, Breastfeeding Support Group/Network
• Women
  Menopause Clinics, Cancer Support, Osteoporosis support.
• Emotional & Mental Well-being
  Talking Therapies Counselling, Support Groups, Coping with anxiety and depression.
• Screening
  Cardiac Risk Assessment, Cancer Screening.
• Older Women
  Positive Steps in Later Life Project
• Health Promotion
  Complementary Therapies, Diet and Nutrition (including those for women with diabetes and coeliac disease).

Our project location and geographical span covers Foyle Trust Area, including Derry, Strabane and Limavady.

Awards

In 2000 Derry Well Woman won the prestigious Smithkline Beecham Community Health Impact Award, as judged by the King’s Fund.

In 1997 Derry Well Woman won the HSS Executive Citizens’ Charter Award for the Development of a Cancer Charter.