New women's refuge opens

Woy Woy Women and Children's Service has reopened its doors to provide refuge accommodation to women and children escaping domestic violence.

Formerly known as Woy Woy Women's Refuge, the new service now operate from a newly renovated premises.

Manager Ms Sue Cable said the new furnishings and repainting had produced a facility in which local women and children would not only feel safe, but would benefit from the facility's bright new surroundings.

"For the past five years, Woy Woy Women and Children's Service has operated under extremely difficult conditions and was hardly the facility to provide safe and supportive refuge for victims of domestic violence," Ms Cable said.

"It's been a long time coming, but we now have a facility of which we can be justifiably proud, even if it meant we had to close altogether for the last six weeks."

Chief executive officer of Women's Refuge Movement Ms Cat Gander and Member for Gosford Ms Marie Andrews opened the new facility in Woy Woy on September 10.

Press release, 6 Sep 2010 Heidi Blyth, Coast Shelter