Our History

A Timeline of North Ayrshire Women’s Aid

• September 1980 – A steering group is formed to establish a Women’s Aid Group in the district of Cunningham. Comprised of a social worker, a health visitor, two solicitors and a children’s panel member, each individual through their work experiences were aware of the problems associated with domestic abuse in all its manifestations.

• 1981 – Saltcoats Area Women’s Aid becomes a constituted group affiliated with Scottish Women’s Aid. The elected steering committee undertook the management and responsibility for selection, training and co-ordination of twenty volunteers.

• 1982 – The first refuge opens.

• 1983 – The group changes its name to Cunningham Women’s Aid.

• 1987 – Cunningham Women’s Aid opens the first purpose-built refuge in Scotland. Funding provision for workers and a children’s worker. The group moved to a larger premises.

• 1989 – Ayrshire’s first Women’s Aid centre opens.

• 1992 – A part-time outreach worker was employed in the Garnock Valley as a supplementary to the refuge there. This was in recognition of the isolation and lack of resources in the area.

• 1993 – The group opened it’s third refuge after a capital was awarded for building costs.

• 2008 – The Pearl Centre opened.

• 2010 – present – In 2011, The Young Voices was formed. They represent the young voices for their certificate of achievement.