It's getting really cold out there - how your donations of warm clothing could save women's lives

Our crisis support manager Avril with a previous donation

It's the time of year when the fear of losing someone we care about to the freezing weather begins to grow rapidly.

Women we support, particularly those who are sleeping outdoors or who are drifting from address to address, are especially vulnerable when the temperature drops.

Even those who have who have places of their own are at risk because they can’t simply afford to heat them adequately.

We do our best to build up our stocks of warm clothing, blankets, sleeping bags and hot water bottles in the run-up to the colder months.

However, this is also the time of year when these items are flying out of the building because the women know what is coming.

So, once again, we are turning to the community to ask for help.

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A positive message on display inside our home (Pic by Natalie Wallinger)

Our clothing bank is one of the most popular basic services we offer to the most vulnerable women who come to see us.

They love to drop in for a bite to eat, a shower and a change of clothing.

This time they spend with us is vitally important because it helps us get to know them better, gain their trust and ultimately work out what we can do to help them.

Avril Lewis, crisis support manager at the New Futures Project, said: "This time of year is increasingly difficult, particularly for the homeless women we see.

"We get really worried when the temperature begins to drop. We rely on donations of winter coats, hats, gloves, socks and good winter footwear.

"We make sure they go to women who really need them, especially as we get closer to Christmas when a lot of the services the women rely on are closed."

If you think you can help us, get in touch. In some cases we can arrange collection.

Otherwise, there is good parking nearby for those who would like to drop off their donations to our office.

The New Futures Project offers a comprehensive welfare and counselling service for women and young people dealing with sexual abuse or exploitation, domestic violence, trafficking, poverty and debt, substance use or mental ill-health.

Call us on 0116 251 0803 or send us a message at: info@new-futures.org.uk

You can find us at 71 London Road, Leicester, LE2 0PE.