Hi,

I'm Jenny, a Support & Outreach Worker for a charity called Spires in Streatham. We offer support to street based and indoor sex workers and independent escorts in Lambeth, Wandsworth, Merton, Croydon, Lewisham and Southwark. But if you are further afield please do give me a shout as we are happy to work with you!

Outreach Services

We do outreach to working premises, homes or neutral venues such as coffee shops if you prefer, and can bring free condoms and other contraception items, needle exchange, lists of dodgy punters operating in your area. We can advise on working safely, and how to work within the law, and advocate on your behalf if you are having trouble with the police or other agencies.

Drop In Services

You can come and visit us in Streatham at Spires, 8 Tooting Bec Gardens, Streatham, SW16 1RB either by appointment, or on Tuesday evenings between 6pm & 9pm

During the drop in we offer hot food, showers, clothing, toiletries, condoms etc as above, but also advice on benefits, housing, drugs and alcohol, sexual health, domestic and sexual violence, exiting sex work, volunteering and adult learning opportunities and a whole range of other things. We aim to try and help with anything you might throw at us, and you can have one to one support from an allocated support worker for as long as you need us!

You are also welcome to come along just to relax and socialise with like-minded people!

We are an independent charity, and do not work with the Police. We will treat you with respect and discretion, without judgement, discrimination or prejudice in any form and have strict rules of confidentiality.

Please email streetlink@spires.org.uk

or call me or my colleage Dionne if you would like a visit or an informal chat.

Jenny Medcalf - 0208 696 0943 x 205 or 0788 591 1175
Dionne Ormonde - 0208 696 0943 x 208 or 0752 658 4704

just a heads up that this charity have volunteers that support the nordic model. i'm worried that people may be pressurised into exiting huffingtonpost.co.uk/sara-c-nelson/london-sex-workers_b_5609376.html (this article contains inaccurate info including saying that selling sex is illegal)



_{[link made non-clickable - DON't post these on the forum]}

Hi,

This is Jenny from Spires Streetlink. I'm so sorry that I haven't responded to your post sooner Ms Redhead - I'm a bit of a technophobe so posting on forums doesn't come naturally to me!

As a charity as a whole, and each of the individual staff that work on this project we all actively support decriminalisation. We work in partnership with networks such as the English Collective of  Prostitutes and are members of the UKNSWP. We had our own conference yesterday which had a session lead by Dr Jay Levy where he explained in detail the failings of the Nordic Model, and a session from ECP entitled "The Case for Decriminalisation".

We have been quoted in the BBC and on local press and radio advocating for decriminalisation.

Our model of support for sex workers is based on offering choices without judgement. If an individual wants to exit then we will give them all the support they need to do so. If they do not wish to exit then we will not insult them by suggesting that exiting is the route they should be choosing. We work with many sex workers who are happy in their work, and we can offer advice on how to work safely and how to work within the current law (which we are involved in campaigning to change!), or just provide coffee and condoms!

I'm so sorry that you are feeling unsettled about us - we are really laid back friendly people who are prepared to fight for sex workers' rights whether or not they want to exit.

Unfortunately we cannot control what our volunteers do or say outside volunteering with us - we did however have a conversation with the volunteer in question and I believe they retracted the blog afterwards.

We were delighted to meet Amy at our conference yesterday and I'm sure she can give you her own views on where we stand and what sort of people we are

Jenny
x

Hi,

This is Jenny from Spires Streetlink. I'm so sorry that I haven't responded to your post sooner Ms Redhead - I'm a bit of a technophobe so posting on forums doesn't come naturally to me!

As a charity as a whole, and each of the individual staff that work on this project we all actively support decriminalisation. We work in partnership with networks such as the English Collective of  Prostitutes and are members of the UKNSWP. We had our own conference yesterday which had a session lead by Dr Jay Levy where he explained in detail the failings of the Nordic Model, and a session from ECP entitled "The Case for Decriminalisation".

We have been quoted in the BBC and on local press and radio advocating for decriminalisation.

Our model of support for sex workers is based on offering choices without judgement. If an individual wants to exit then we will give them all the support they need to do so. If they do not wish to exit then we will not insult them by suggesting that exiting is the route they should be choosing. We work with many sex workers who are happy in their work, and we can offer advice on how to work safely and how to work within the current law (which we are involved in campaigning to change!), or just provide coffee and condoms!

I'm so sorry that you are feeling unsettled about us - we are really laid back friendly people who are prepared to fight for sex workers' rights whether or not they want to exit.

Unfortunately we cannot control what our volunteers do or say outside volunteering with us - we did however have a conversation with the volunteer in question and I believe they retracted the blog afterwards.

We were delighted to meet Amy at our conference yesterday and I'm sure she can give you her own views on where we stand and what sort of people we are

Jenny
x

thanks for addressing my concerns xx

Excellent!
Something similar in North London or Hertfordshire? Or Manchester area please? Thanks

MAASH operate in Manchester.

Has anyone got any up to date info on this org? I fear they have moved to being an exit focussed Nordic model org. They aren’t a UKNSWP member any more afaik.

Thanks for the reassurance!