Alongside Black Country Women’s Aid we were so pleased to be recognised in the Outstanding Large Organisation Category – as runners up – at last night’s Criminal Justice Alliance Awards.

28th November 2025

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Donna Lewis, Chief Operating Officer at Anawim says: “We’d like to thank the Criminal Justice Alliance for recognising our work, our partners at Black Country Women’s Aid for collaborating with us on this project, and the staff from on both teams, from probation, the NHS and CGL who work so hard. Thanks also to the University of Birmingham and the JABBS Foundation for their support.” This women’s only problem-solving court has been so successful that the government is rolling it out nationally It allows women to serve a more tailored community sentence, which better supports their needs. Women who would normally be placed in custody can instead work with Probation and partner agencies, including representatives from mental health, substance misuse and housing, to tackle their complex needs and address the root causes of their offending. Additionally, the Effective Women’s Centres Project, of which we are members, was nominated for the first ever Research Excellence Award. This is an acknowledgement of the value of the dedication, innovation, and collaboration of everyone involved in the EWC Partnership. It is a unique research collaboration seeking to further the case for Women’s Centres as an alternative to women’s custody. The (Women’s Risk and Needs Assessment) WRNA is used as part of this work and with it we are able to build a full picture of the women’s needs, and strengths. This is contributes to our work alongside the University of Birmingham and our partners at the JABBS Foundation for Women and Girls. We’d like to thank the CJA Awards for recognising our hard work and contributions to transforming criminal justice, creating a fairer and more effective system. For more information please contact Alice Rosenthal: communications@anawim.co.uk/ 07908 403 325

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