Fermanagh Women's Aid which, last year assisted 30 women and 37 children who had come to them seeking accommodation, are appealing this week to the public to enable them continue to fund two vital posts.
The manager, Mary McCann told the 'Herald' this week that, come May of this year, unless funding can be found, the posts of Volunteer Coordinator and Educational Worker will be left unfilled.
"I cannot stress what these two posts mean to us", she said. "Our Volunteer Coordinator has over 30 volunteers and the Educational Worker has over 300 women coming into the Centre here but, at this stage, may is the cut-off point".
The latest figures released this week by the Fermanagh Women's Aid office in High Street, Enniskillen make alarming reading for an organisation that could lose two key staff members in four months' time.
In the 12 months from April 2006 until March last year, 15,367 calls were made requesting information and support, 2,189 Home Visits were made to women, 840 'one to one' visits were made to children, 30 women and 37 children requested refuge accommodation, 198 women attended support groups, and 792 children participated in prevention programmes in schools.
But, Mrs McCann was more than complimentary about the way the people of Fermanagh had responded to street collections.
"We have found that Christmas time leaves many women and children without, for example oil to heat their home, food for their table and toys for their children. The responses of St Vincent de Paul and Salvation Army is tremendous over this period and, through their support, we were able to respond to the needs of women and children that we were aware of.
"The community has a depth of generosity that is not often highlighted. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the generosity of many to our organisation at Christmas time".
Fermanagh Women's Aid is a local charity working with women and children who are or have been affected by domestic violence. One in 4 women are victims of Domestic Violence. Some 14 staff and 30 volunteers are based in the Resource Centre (27a High Street, Enniskillen) and Refuge, and provide a service of practical and emotional support for women and children.
Fermanagh Women's Aid is a charity but it does not receive core funding for its much needed educational work or for funding volunteering. The organisation is calling for support of Fermanagh people through the '£1 Per Person' campaign.
According to Mrs McCann, the corner can be turned: "There are 57,527 people recorded as living in Fermanagh in the last Census. If each person gave one pound, this would continue to fund education and volunteering work at Fermanagh Women's Aid".
Details of the campaign are due to be issued by mid January.
