LAHRI Speculative Lunch: Women’s Aid Federation of England Collection

Do you have a research in domestic violence, in the history of feminism, or in feminist archives?

Lunch Conveners:

  • Alison Fell (LAHRI/School of Languages, Cultures and Societies)
  • Joanne Fitton (Special Collections)
  • Representatives from Feminist Archive North (FAN), based at the University of Leeds, and Women’s Aid Federation England (WAFE).

FAN/WAFE Background:

Women’s Aid Federation of England (commonly called “Women’s Aid” within England) is the sole national coordinating body for a network of over 370 local domestic violence organisations, providing over 500 refuges, outreach, advocacy and children’s support services. The first Women’s Aid federation was set up in 1974.

The Feminist Archive North is a collection of material relating to the Women’s Liberation Movement from 1969 to the present.

Topics covered by FAN include the women’s peace movement, women’s studies women and development and violence against women. FAN collections are kept on deposit at the University of Leeds Special Collections. FAN is an independent charity with a Board of Trustees.

WAFE, FAN and the University of Leeds Special Collections are at an advanced stage of negotiating the deposit of the WAFE archive at the Brotherton Library. The intention is for a transfer to take place in 2020.

Purpose of the Speculative Lunch:

FAN, WAFE, LAHRI and Special Collections are keen to engage the academic community to scope the ways in which this comprehensive archive collection can be used in research. The event will include short presentation from FAN, WAFE and Special Collections.

Artefacts from the archive will be made available to view throughout the lunch and there will also be a showing of a brief film showing.

It is hoped that attendees will form an academic network that will enable the development of sustained research activity with this new collection.

Registration for the Lunch: 

If you would like to attend this event, please register your interest by emailing the LAHRI administrator.

A full vegetarian lunch will be provided by LAHRI. If you have further dietary requirements then please do flag this at the point of booking.