28th April 2010

WEYMOUTH: Boost for refuge campaign

by Harry Walton

A CAMPAIGN to reopen Weymouth Women’s Refuge has been given a tremendous boost this week.

Local campaigners Mary Watson and Gill Taylor have met with international author, poet and playwright Erin Pizzey who has offered her help and support to reopen the refuge.

Erin started the refuge movement when she founded Chiswick Women’s Aid in 1971 and has also established refuges for battered women and children internationally.

Her book, Scream Quietly or the Neighbours Will Hear, was published in 1974 and was the first book in the world on wife battering.

She is known throughout the world as a courageous champion of battered women and is the author of many novels and non fiction having also contributed articles for many journals, magazines and papers worldwide including the New Statesman, the Sunday Times and Cosmopolitan.

Mary Watson said ‘This has been a huge boost to our campaign.

“To have someone of the stature of Erin backing and helping us is incredibly important and I greatly look forward to her involvement.”