April eBulletin

Welcome to your ASN eBulletin. April gave us a chance to catch our breath – and get to work! Will you be attending one of our three film screenings? We’ve submitted our charity registration materials. Our new website is live! We say goodbye to two of our volunteers. We’ve helped more women  – including one who gave back. We’re 6 months in to our Standing Order Campaign – have you set up yours?

• Lights! Camera! Fundraisers!
• Women we’ve helped
• ASN Update
• Support Us

Lights! Camera! Fundraiser!

Have you saved the dates for one of the upcoming screenings of “Abortion Democracy: Poland South Africa”? The film shows how, inconceivably, it’s easier to get an ILLEGAL abortion in Poland than it is to get a LEGAL abortion in South Africa. All three screenings will include a Q&A with director Sarah Diehl. And all proceeds will go towards helping women access safe and legal abortions.

• Monday 9 May, 6.30 – 8.30pm
  University of Warwick Physics Lecture Theatre, CV4 7AL
  £3.00 per person, £2.00 per person
• Tuesday 10 May, 7.00-9.00 pm
  At the SisterShow Revisted Festival, an exhibition on Feminism in Bristol.
  Centre Space Gallery, 6 Leonard Lane, Bristol BS1 1EA. £3.00 – £5.00 sliding scale entry
• Wednesday 11 May, 7.30-9.00 pm
  Birkbeck University in London, Room B20, Birkbeck Main Building, Malet Street
  Suggested voluntary donation: £5.00 More info to follow.

Women we’ve helped

March was a little slower in comparison to recent ASN history – we “only” heard from eight women, including:

A married mother of three, struggling to leave her abusive partner but unable to do so  living week to week on benefits. Not willing to tell her partner about the pregnancy in case he forces her to continue it, she was only able to tell a distant relative as her father recently died and she had no other friends or family she could turn to for support. We were able to purchase her flights, and provide a grant towards her procedure.

An unemployed teenager with an unsupportive boyfriend, who was able to pay for her procedure and flights between a grant from ASN, a loan from a friend, and a fee reduction from the clinic.

A young teen with a disabled father and an unemployed mother who was able to access her abortion with a grant from ASN.

A woman with severe learning difficulties, unable to cope with pregnancy, only able to tell her mother about her situation. Her mother had no choice but to lie to borrow money for flights and we were able to give her a grant towards her procedure.

A woman who had funds but no credit card with which to book flights who asked us if we could loan her the funds. We purchased her flights and she paid us back the full amount – and made a £150 donation to ASN.

ASN thanks these women and men for sharing their stories with us, and for permitting us to share them with you.

ASN Update
Spring Fever has inspired ASN volunteers to tick off some of the boxes on our to-do list. Recent accomplishments include:

Our New Website
Our new website is now live! Check it out at www.abortionsupport.org.uk, where, going forward, you’ll be able to view these eBulletins online – or read any of the old ones. Thanks to Sarah, Louise, Hannah, Becky, Nick, and of course our Web Guru Matt for all their hard work on the revamp.

Charitable Status
We’ve dotted all the Is and crossed all the Ts on our paperwork and submitted it to the Charity Commission! We’re keeping our fingers and toes crossed and will inform all of our supporters if and when we receive charitable status. Thanks to Jen G, Becky, and Trustees Carolyn, Anne, Susie and Kelly for their help!

Tearful Goodbyes
We are very sad to say goodbye to Julia, head of our fundraising committee, and Jen, who has been a member of the ASN “Brain Trust”. Both of them are leaving England for other opportunities. We wish them good luck and bon voyage!

Support Us

Speaking of our new website, you’ll notice a thermometer on the right hand side, which depicts how far we’ve come in our Standing Order Campaign. Announced in our October Annual Report, our goal is to raise £1,000 per month in regular income. A donation or a Standing Order helps support women who desperately need access to safe and legal abortions.

If you have been thinking of making a donation, setting up a Standing Order, or telling your friends about ASN, now would be a great time to do so.

Have some time on your hands? ASN is still seeking volunteer hosts and a volunteer phone coordinator. We are specifically seeking hosts who live near the clinics that women who need to stay overnight are most likely to attend, which means we are looking for hosts in easy commuting distance to Ealing, Richmond, Brixton and Streatham. We also seek a London-based phone coordinator. Please contact us if you are interested in one of these roles.

Finally, now that we’re on the cusp of Charitable Status, we’re looking for someone with knowledge of Gift Aid. Are you a gift aid expert and willing to share your knowledge? Please get in touch!

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Thank you again for all your support. Without you, we wouldn’t have been able to provide accommodation, financial assistance, and confidential, non-judgemental information to the more than 130 women in difficult circumstances who have contacted us.