Creativity, Connection & Community Support: Flowstate joins WHISC open day

Last week we were delighted to join WHISC for their Open Day, bringing together organisations, charities and services that support women across Liverpool. WHISC opened their doors to the community to showcase the wide range of help available, from emotional support and counselling to wellbeing activities and creative workshops designed to bring together women of the community, reduce isolation and empower participants.

It was an inspiring reminder of how much strength and solidarity exists in our city.

For our part, we offered a drop in free wooden decal decorating workshop for anyone who wanted to explore a bit of festive creativity. The table quickly filled with colour, conversation and laughter as women painted, glittered and personalised their decorations. Alongside the craft table, we also offered free henna — a gentle and grounding tradition that invited women to pause, chat and enjoy something for themselves. Many hadn’t tried henna before, and it was lovely to see how empowering small acts of creativity can be.

Beyond the crafts, the Open Day created space for connection. Representatives from RASA, Talking Therapies Liverpool, Savera UK and several other charities & women’s organisations were there to share their work and build relationships with both the public and with each other. It became a natural networking space, where charities working across different areas — from domestic abuse support, to mental health, to cultural inclusion, to community wellbeing — could learn from one another in a relaxed environment.

Often these organisations are quietly doing life-changing work behind the scenes. Events like WHISC’s Open Day help make that support more visible and more accessible, especially for women who may not know where to turn or what services are available. It also highlighted how community care is rarely just one thing — sometimes it looks like counselling, sometimes like safeguarding, sometimes like friendship, sometimes like art.

We left feeling grateful to be part of Liverpool’s wider ecosystem of women supporting women. There was a genuine sense of solidarity and shared purpose across the room, rooted not in competition but in collective care.

A massive thank you to WHISC for hosting such a thoughtful and welcoming day, and to every organisation that came together to share, listen and uplift. It was a beautiful reminder that when we connect our work, our communities become stronger — and when women are supported, the whole city thrives.

Here’s a list of women’s charities and support organisations in Liverpool & Merseyside along with their websites/contact pages where available — useful for networking, signposting or linking in blogs and resources:

Domestic Abuse & Violence Support

1. Liverpool Domestic Abuse Service (LDAS) – support for women and girls affected by domestic abuse.

   
   

   🌐 https://liverpooldomesticabuseservice.org.uk/

2. South Liverpool Domestic Abuse Service (SLDAS) – free support for domestic abuse survivors.

   
   

   🌐 https://sldas.org.uk/

3. Merseyside Domestic Violence Service (MDVS) – support for women, girls & families affected by domestic violence.

   
   

   🌐 https://www.mdvs.org/

4. RASA Merseyside – specialist support for survivors of rape and sexual abuse (all genders).

   
   

   🌐 https://www.rasamerseyside.org/

5. Savera UK – specialist charity tackling honour‑based abuse & harmful practices.

   
   

   🌐 https://www.saverauk.co.uk/

6. SWACA (Sefton Women & Children’s Aid) – free domestic abuse support.

   
   

   🌐 https://swaca.com/

Refugee & Asylum Seeker Support

7. Refugee Women Connect – support for women refugees and asylum seekers across Merseyside.

   
   

   🌐 https://www.refugeewomenconnect.org.uk/

8. Asylum Link Liverpool – support, community and advice for asylum seekers and refugees.

   
   

   🌐 https://www.asylumlink.org.uk/

Mental Health & Talking Therapies

9. Talking Therapies – Liverpool (NHS) – free NHS talking therapy & mental wellbeing support.

   
   

   🌐 https://www.merseycare.nhs.uk/our-services/liverpool/talking-therapies

Other Helpful Local Services

These aren’t exclusively women’s organisations, but are very relevant for community support and referrals:

10. WHISC (Women’s Health Information & Support Centre) – community wellbeing support (mentioned in LDAS contacts).

    
    

    📍 Contact via listings such as the LDAS useful contacts (WHISC info included)

11. Wirral Women & Children’s Aid – 24/7 helpline and support for women & children (domestic abuse focused).

    
    

    🌐 https://wwaca.org/ (listed via Wirral support resources)

Additional Community Organisations (Broad Wellbeing / Support)

12. Wirral Ways (Change Grow Live) – community wellbeing support (drug & alcohol services, peer groups, wellbeing sessions).

    
    

    🌐 https://www.wirralways.org.uk/

13. Migrant & Refugee support directory (Liverpool City Council) – extensive directory of refugees/asylum/migrant support (including women’s specific).

    
    

    🌐 https://liverpool.gov.uk/communities-and-safety/our-liverpool-refugee-and-migrant-service/directory-of-support/