Forward Leeds is creating a safer and more comfortable environment for women who use drugs or alcohol to get advice and support.
The city’s alcohol and drug support service is partnering with Together Women to offer a dedicated women-only space for harm reduction sessions.
Forward Leeds Harm Reduction Team Manager Kim Kaur said: “These sessions give women the chance to speak openly without fear, judgement, or the pressure they may feel in mixed settings. Our partnership with Together Women lets us meet women where they already feel secure, offering practical harm reduction support in a space built around their needs.”
The new sessions are being delivered from the new Together Women centre at Joseph’s Well and are designed to reach women who may feel less able to attend mixed gender services due to past trauma, caring responsibilities, safety concerns, or simply personal preference.
By bringing Forward Leeds staff to a women-only setting, the partnership aims to reduce barriers to getting help and make harm reduction support more accessible than ever.
Together Women Senior Service Manager Stephanie McCusker said: “Access to gender specific provision results in improved outcomes for women and it’s great we can support the delivery of the Forward Leeds Women’s Harm Reduction drop-in at our new location in Joseph’s Well.”
Kim added: “Women who use substances often face additional challenges, including stigma, domestic abuse, exploitation, and complex family dynamics. For many, these factors make engaging with mainstream services difficult. We believe this is a real step forward in providing accessible support for women in Leeds.”
The women only sessions provide:
- Advice on safer drug and alcohol use
- Access to sterile equipment
- Checking your appointments with Forward Leeds
- Safe disposal bins for used equipment
- Alcohol specific treatment options
- Testing for blood-borne viruses like Hep C and HIV
Together Women provides trauma-informed, gender-responsive support to women across the North of England through a series of Women’s Centres. They offer tailored support with housing, domestic abuse, sexual abuse, addiction recovery, finances, employment and work to reduce women’s contact with the Criminal Justice System.
The sessions will take place on Tuesdays from 9am-12pm at Together Women, Joseph’s Well, Chorley Lane, Leeds, LS3 1AB
There is no need to pre-book, women can just turn up to be seen by a member of the Forward Leeds team.