PARCS GROWS EVERYBODY

An Oral History Project documenting the life stories of PARCS team (1981-2021) in partnership with Tavistock institute and Portsmouth History Centre.

[PARCS GROWS EVERYBODY @PARCSGROWS1981]

Thank you to everyone who watched our panel today at the Oral History Society Conference. It's been an honour and a privellege, we hope you found it interesting to listen in on our process. Here's Emily, our project manager speaking after the conference ✨💜

[PARCS GROWS EVERYBODY @PARCSGROWS1981]

Thank you so much to everyone who attended our round table discussion at #OHS50! We apologise if people were unable to hear the audio clip of our Project Director Juliet Scott. Please send us a message if you’d like to hear her segment! #parcsgrowseverybody #oralhistoryproject

[OnTheRecord @ontherecordcic]

Consent is a continuous process - fascinating presentation on methodology and the value of prioritising support from @PARCSGROWS1981 #OHS50

[PARCS GROWS EVERYBODY @PARCSGROWS1981]

@guptgargi Thank you so much for your continued support 💜

[PARCS GROWS EVERYBODY @PARCSGROWS1981]

#OHS50 can you spot us in the itinerary? #parcsgrowseverybody #oralhistory

[PARCS GROWS EVERYBODY @PARCSGROWS1981]

#parcsgrowseverybody #oralhistoryproject #feministoralhistory #lifestories #heritageproject #nationalheritagelotteryfund #rapecrisis #communitystories #Portsmouth #PARCS1981 #intersectional #intergenerational #sexualabuse #sexualviolence #hampshire #antiviolence #feminism #BAME

[PARCS GROWS EVERYBODY @PARCSGROWS1981]

Diana Warren-Holland set up the first Rape Crisis Line for Portsmouth in 1981, which eventually grew and became Portsmouth Abuse and Rape Counselling Service. Without Diana’s determination and resilience all those years ago, the Project we are creating today would not exist. ⬇️

[PARCS GROWS EVERYBODY @PARCSGROWS1981]

The Tavistock Institute (@T_I_H_R) was awarded a grant by The National Lottery Heritage Fund (@heritagefunduk) to create the project titled: 'PARCS Grows Everybody' - We thank them both for their support 💜

[PARCS GROWS EVERYBODY @PARCSGROWS1981]

Dr John Stedman, Archivist and Records Manager at PHC, said: “PARCS necessarily works outside the public eye to preserve the confidentiality of those it helps. The archive will be a permanent record of these remarkable women’s achievements.” (cont.⬇️)

[PARCS GROWS EVERYBODY @PARCSGROWS1981]

“Portsmouth History Centre”

We thought it would be fitting to shed some light on what will be the home of our project 💜 (cont. ⬇️)

[PARCS GROWS EVERYBODY @PARCSGROWS1981]

The Tavistock Institute (@T_I_H_R) was awarded a grant by The National Lottery Heritage Fund (@heritagefunduk) to create the project titled: 'PARCS Grows Everybody' - We thank them both for their support 💜

#parcsgrowseverybody #nationalheritagelotteryfund #tavistockinstitute

[PARCS GROWS EVERYBODY @PARCSGROWS1981]

“Hoof it ourselves”

This photo was taken in the second decade (1990-2010) when the PARCS team were decorating/renovating one of the downstairs spaces in Angersteine into an office space. (Cont. ⬇️)

[PARCS GROWS EVERYBODY @PARCSGROWS1981]

Kim had told us that there was no real health and safety back in the day, and we got the gist that they made it up as they went along, or in Kim’s words: “Hoof it ourselves!” (Cont. ⬇️)

[PARCS GROWS EVERYBODY @PARCSGROWS1981]

The Tavistock Institute (@T_I_H_R) was awarded a grant by The National Lottery Heritage Fund (@heritagefunduk) to create the project titled: 'PARCS Grows Everybody' - We thank them both for their support 💜

#parcsgrowseverybody #oralhistoryproject #feministoralhistory

[PARCS GROWS EVERYBODY @PARCSGROWS1981]

“Curtains to cover up the damp”

The first building provided to PARCS by Portsmouth Council was by no means perfect - but it meant that PARCS had a home. In the picture above is one of the counselling rooms from the third decade (2001-2011). (Cont. ⬇️)

[PARCS GROWS EVERYBODY @PARCSGROWS1981]

Kim described to us that they used the orange curtain to cover up the damp that was coming through the walls. Despite the challenges the building posed to the staff and volunteers, they were still able to create a safe, therapeutic environment to welcome survivors into. ⬇️

[PARCS GROWS EVERYBODY @PARCSGROWS1981]

The Tavistock Institute (@T_I_H_R) was awarded a grant by The National Lottery Heritage Fund (@heritagefunduk) to create the project titled: 'PARCS Grows Everybody' - We thank them both for their support 💜

#parcsgrowseverybody #oralhistoryproject #feministoralhistory

[PARCS GROWS EVERYBODY @PARCSGROWS1981]

As mentioned in this old newspaper article, Diana was no stranger to controversy. PARCS was one of the 1st Rape Crisis Centres to provide counselling to male survivors and went one step further when PARCS merged the counselling teams and buildings for male & female survivors. ⬇️

[PARCS GROWS EVERYBODY @PARCSGROWS1981]

Our Consultant, Gemma, has provided a quote on her reflection of this newspaper article and what is available to survivors now: "Offering specialist support for trans and non-binary survivors of sexual violence is, for me, not controversial. It’s a basic human right." (Cont. ⬇️)