Womankind Bristol

What Womankind Bristol does

Womankind Bristol Women's Therapy Centre is a registered charity (Charity No. 297258, Company No. 2136526), founded around 1986 and headquartered at Brunswick Court, Bristol. It is a community-led mental health charity run by women for women, providing trauma-informed therapeutic services to women experiencing mental health difficulties across Bristol, South Gloucestershire, Somerset and — through a partnership with Sovereign Network Group — the wider UK. The organisation delivers its services through a multi-channel model: a telephone and webchat helpline (powered by the Who's On platform), one-to-one BACP-accredited counselling, group therapy, and volunteer-led befriending delivered both in-person and remotely. Specialist services are offered for survivors of sexual violence and domestic abuse, Deaf and hard-of-hearing women (with BSL/SSE/English provision), refugee, trafficked and asylum-seeking women, and young women aged 16-18 affected by abuse.

The technology footprint is minimal and operational rather than product-led: Microsoft Forms for professional referrals, JustGiving and Crowdfunder for donation processing, standard social media channels for awareness, and no proprietary software, app, API or AI/ML components. The organisation also sells a small fee-paying private therapy stream alongside its predominantly free or donation-based services, and offers professional training (Women's Inequalities Training and the Women's Equity Reflective Learning Programme) to BNSSG mental health practitioners.

The revenue model is diversified across donations and individual fundraising, multi-year charitable grants (including a five-year National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund grant for the Befriending Project), corporate Charity-of-the-Year partnerships (anchored by Birketts LLP Bristol), legacy giving, challenge events, and a small fee-paying therapy service. Most direct services are free or donation-based, with no fees collected from specialist cohorts. The organisation is led by CEO Kyra Bond, governed by a Board of Trustees, and operates with a small paid staff of 19 supplemented by a much larger volunteer workforce across helpline, befriending and administrative roles.

Name

Womankind Bristol

Legal name

Womankind Bristol Women's Therapy Centre

Website

https://womankindbristol.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Womankind Bristol is a women-led mental health charity providing helpline, counselling, group therapy and befriending services to women in Bristol and surrounding areas, with specialist support for abuse survivors, Deaf women, refugees and young women.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Women's Mental Health Services

NAICS

Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) (621330), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services (BPAGAEAD), Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD)

Keywords

• Befriending services
• Women's mental health
• Trauma-informed counselling
• Sexual violence support
• Mental health charity

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations via JustGiving platform, fundraising events (prize draws, challenge events), and direct donations. Regular giving and one-off contributions support operational costs.
2. Charitable Grants: Multi-year grants from institutional funders including National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund (five-year grant for Befriending Project). Provides funding stability for specific programmes.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Charity of the Year partnerships (e.g., Birketts LLP), matched funding, payroll giving schemes, percentage of sales donations, and corporate volunteering/skills-based support.
4. Legacies and Wills: Gifts in wills from supporters leaving bequests to support long-term sustainability of services.
5. Fee-Paying Counselling: Small private therapy service for women who can afford to pay for counselling, supplementing free services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Womankind Bristol is a mental health charity run by women for women that delivers trauma-informed mental health support to women in Bristol and surrounding areas. Its core offering includes a telephone and webchat helpline, 1-1 counselling, group therapy, and volunteer befriending services for survivors of sexual violence, domestic abuse, and other forms of trauma, with specialist provision for Deaf women, refugees/asylum seekers, and young women aged 16-18.

Product overview

Womankind Bristol is a mental health charity providing a comprehensive suite of services run by women for women. The organization operates a multi-channel support system comprising crisis intervention through its Helpline and Webchat, therapeutic services including 1-1 Counselling and Group Therapy, trauma-informed Befriending Services for abuse survivors, and specialist Support for Deaf Women. For professionals, the organization offers Women's Inequalities Training and the Women's Equity Reflective Learning Programme. The service portfolio also includes engagement pathways such as Volunteer Opportunities, Corporate Partnerships, Legacy Giving, and Challenge Events fundraising. The organization is GDPR-compliant with registered ICO status and maintains BACP organizational membership for counselling standards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Helpline and Webchat Telephone and webchat service providing a confidential listening ear and emotional support for women in distress. Available via 0117 916 6461, 0345 458 2914, and the Who's On webchat platform during scheduled opening hours across Monday to Friday. Email support also available via [email protected].
• 1-1 Counselling Confidential one-to-one counselling for women in Bristol and surrounding areas. Includes donation-based general counselling for women on low incomes and free specialist counselling for survivors of sexual violence, Deaf women (with BSL/SSE/English), young women aged 16-18 affected by abuse, and refugees/asylum seekers. Sessions are 50 minutes at the same time and location each week, delivered by BACP-adherent counsellors.
• Group Therapy Longer-term therapeutic support delivered in a safe group environment alongside other women. Provides ongoing mental health support for women who would benefit from shared group-based therapeutic work.
• Befriending Services Trauma-informed volunteer befriending service matching women who have experienced sexual violence, domestic abuse, or mental health difficulties with trained volunteer befrienders. Includes in-person befriending in Bristol and South Gloucestershire (weekly visits in women's homes/neighbourhoods) and UK-wide remote befriending for SNG tenants and staff via telephone or video calls (1-2 hours weekly for up to 6 months).
• Support for Deaf Women Specialist counselling and support services for Deaf and hard of hearing women, delivered with full access in BSL, SSE, and English. Addresses communication barriers in mainstream mental health services and provides culturally appropriate specialist support.
• Women's Inequalities Training Specialist 3-hour online training programme for health and social care practitioners to develop understanding of women's health inequalities, barriers to mental health services, and intersectionality across the lifecycle. Targets the BNSSG workforce and VCSE organisation staff and volunteers.
• Women's Equity Reflective Learning Programme Free online programme of six reflective learning sessions for mental health practitioners covering topics including autism, domestic abuse, menopause, and supporting Black and Minoritised communities. Designed to build practitioner capability in women's mental health.
• Safer Women's Project Free specialist counselling for refugee, trafficked, and asylum seeking women in the Bristol area, with confidential interpreter support available. Addresses language barriers, cultural exclusion, and trauma from trafficking or refugee experience.
• Fee-Paying Private Therapy Small private therapy service for women who can afford to pay for counselling, supplementing the charity's free and donation-based services. Contact via the helpline for details on fees and availability.
• Somerset Online/Telephone Counselling Remote online/telephone counselling for women in Somerset who have experienced rape, sexual assault, or sexual abuse. Delivered in partnership with SARSAS as the referral agency.

Quantifiable outcome

• 340 women attended weekly counselling or group therapy in 2025
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Birketts LLPcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 3 March 2026Birketts Bristol office extended its Charity of the Year partnership with Womankind. The firm selected Womankind as its Charity of the Year in 2025 and has supported through fundraising activities including a 140-mile bike ride raising nearly £6,000, preloved pop-ups, bake sales, and Valentine's Day quiz. They have also provided office space for team away days and awareness activities.
• Sovereign Network Group (SNG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing UK-wide Remote Befriending support to referred SNG female tenants and staff who have experienced or are at risk of domestic abuse and/or mental health challenges. Women are matched with trained volunteer befrienders for emotional and listening support via telephone or video calls.
• GhystonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGhyston is a Bristol-based business that supports Womankind in their vital mission to assist women in their hour of need. They believe in standing by women when it matters most and contribute to Womankind's impactful work.
• SARSAS (Somerset and Avon Rape and Sexual Abuse Support)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSARSAS is Womankind's partner agency for referring women (18+) who have experienced rape, sexual assault or sexual abuse to specialist counselling services. Contact via tel: 0808 801 0456 or [email protected].
• NHSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWomankind worked closely with local organisations including the NHS to provide comprehensive joint advice on getting help after rape and sexual assault and information about the use of self-swab kits.
• Business BiscuitminorPR/ Earned MediaBusiness Biscuit featured Womankind highlighting their partnership with Birketts LLP, demonstrating corporate partnership impact and social impact credentials.
• Local Women's Organisation (Marginalised Communities)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with a local women's organisation supporting marginalised communities. Their insight and trusted relationships help ensure Womankind's support is inclusive, accessible, and culturally responsive as part of the National Lottery funded Befriending Project.
• JustGivingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline fundraising platform partner for collecting donations and sponsorship payments for fundraising activities.
• Easy Fundraising and Give As You LiveminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorShopping donation schemes where registered users can raise money for Womankind when shopping online with participating brands.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SARSAS (Somerset and Avon Rape and Sexual Abuse Support): SARSAS is Womankind's formal referral partner for specialist sexual violence counselling across the same regional catchment (Somerset & Avon). Directly comparable in mission, trauma-informed counselling delivery, and women-focused support, with overlapping referral pathways.
• Refuge: Refuge is a national specialist in women's domestic abuse support, providing refuges, advocacy, and counselling. Directly comparable to Womankind's domestic abuse survivor segment and overlapping women-only, trauma-informed service model.
• Women's Aid: Women's Aid is the national federation supporting women experiencing domestic abuse. Directly comparable to Womankind's domestic abuse counselling and befriending services, with similar women-centred, trauma-informed approach and referral-driven GTM motion.
• Rape Crisis England & Wales: Rape Crisis is the national federation of specialist sexual violence support centres. Directly comparable to Womankind's specialist sexual violence counselling service, with aligned trauma-informed, women-only delivery model.
• Samaritans: Samaritans is the UK's largest crisis helpline charity offering listening support across multiple channels. Directly comparable to Womankind's helpline and webchat service in function and emotional support delivery, though operating nationally and 24/7.
• SHOUT: SHOUT is a UK-wide 24/7 crisis text support service. Directly comparable to Womankind's helpline/webchat for emotional support, operating digitally with volunteer-staffed listeners, though national and free-to-user without specialist women's focus.
• Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM): CALM operates a national helpline and webchat for people in crisis. Directly comparable to Womankind's helpline service in listening-support delivery and volunteer-driven model, though CALM focuses broadly rather than women-specifically.
• The Mix: The Mix provides digital support and counselling for under-25s in the UK, including crisis text and webchat. Comparable to Womankind's Young Women's Counselling Service and digital delivery channels, though The Mix serves all young people rather than a women-only niche.

Broad incumbents

• Mind: Mind is the UK's leading mental health charity providing information, support, and advocacy across all mental health conditions. A broad incumbent offering overlapping mental health services (helpline, counselling) but at national scale and across all demographics rather than Womankind's women-only, trauma-informed niche.

Regional players

• Next Link Bristol: Next Link provides domestic abuse and mental health support services across the Bristol and Southwest region. A regional peer overlapping Womankind's catchment and service segments, particularly on domestic abuse support for women.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/womankindtherapy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/womankind-bristol-women's-therapy-centre
• Instagraminstagram.com/womankindtherapy

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Womankind Bristol