WISHED PROJECT

The project is led by The Barn at Easington and commissioned by Sunderland City Council. It is delivered in partnership with Wearside Women in Need (WWIN), Change Grow Live (Sunderland’s drug and alcohol treatment service), and Sunderland’s Housing Options Team.

 

WISHED takes place in a calm, nature-based setting at The Barn at Easington. Women come together for creative activities, shared meals, reflection, and conversation. Alongside this, practitioners and partner organisations offer informal support in a relaxed, non-judgemental way.

 

The core belief behind WISHED is simple: Women heal and grow best in safe, compassionate spaces — especially when creativity, nature and strong relationships are at the heart of the work.

 

Who the Project Supports

So far, sixteen women have taken part in WISHED across two phases of the pilot programme in 2025.

The women who joined were living with complex and overlapping challenges. These included:

 

• Trauma and difficult life experiences

• Domestic abuse

• Addiction and recovery

• Insecure or unstable housing

• Mental health challenges

• Social isolation

 

Many had experience of services that felt rigid, impersonal, or judgemental. WISHED aimed to offer something different.

 

How the Project Was Evaluated

The second phase of the pilot (October to December 2025) was independently evaluated by Dr Sue Robson. The evaluation built on learning from the first phase earlier in the year.

The evaluation looked at both measurable wellbeing improvements and personal experiences. It included:

 

• Wellbeing questionnaires completed before and after the programme

• Weekly written reflections from participants

• Focus groups with women, staff, artists and partner agencies

• Ongoing learning sessions with partners

 

This allowed the project to measure real changes in wellbeing, while also capturing women’s voices and stories.

 

What Changed for the Women

1. A Safe and Supportive Space Makes a Difference

 

Women consistently described WISHED as:

• Calm

• Welcoming

• Peaceful

• Joyful

• Emotionally safe

 

The natural environment, creative activities and shared food helped women relax and feel accepted. Many said they felt:

 

                “At peace”                                     “Connected”                                     “Able to be myself"