Alana House

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Alana House This page is a place to hear news about our project, find out more about our work and support Alana House.

Alana House is an innovative women’s community solution that uses a holistic approach to support women in Berkshire by empowering them to take control of their lives, make informed decisions and improve their life chances. Alana House Reading opened in April 2010, adopting the recommendations from the Corston Report, which identified the key criminogenic pathways for women and the different approach needed to support them. Initially established to support women offenders in the community, Alana House has developed over the years to support vulnerable and distressed women with complex needs in Berkshire. If you use the Alana House services, please follow https://www.facebook.com/AlanaHouseCommunity to receive information about our regular groups and sessions.

Our Alana House community project is a confidential, non-judgemental space that welcomes and empowers women to rebuild a...
08/10/2026

Our Alana House community project is a confidential, non-judgemental space that welcomes and empowers women to rebuild after trauma and embrace a positive future.🪻

The Alana House guidelines, known as the ‘Alana House ten’, reflect the shared values expectations that help us create a welcoming, safe and inclusive space for all our service users.

These core principles are key to maintaining the supportive, encouraging environment that enables women to build connections, feel respected and valued, and take positive steps towards change.

The National Women’s Justice Coalition (NWJC) has recently published a briefing on women’s centres, and the essential pa...
02/10/2026

The National Women’s Justice Coalition (NWJC) has recently published a briefing on women’s centres, and the essential part they play in local early intervention structure.💜

The briefing was developed in collaboration with:
• The JABBS Foundation, a charity focused on empowering women and girls, particularly those affected by or at risk of entering the criminal justice system.
• The Centre for Young Lives, an independent think tank and delivery unit working to improve the lives of children, young people and families across the UK, with a particular focus on those facing the greatest challenges.

The NWJC is lobbying for women’s centres, like Alana House, to be recognised as a core component of early intervention systems. These centres help to empower women and provide them with the resources and support they need to thrive and rebuild their lives.

The briefing provides a call for long-term investment and action, and sets out six recommendations for the Government.

It is now available to read on the NWJC website 👉 https://wearenwjc.org.uk/womens-centres-an-essential-part-of-the-governments-early-intervention-infrastructure/

Did you know that there is a map of women’s services across the UK? 🗺️The Women’s Services Map, created by the National ...
01/10/2026

Did you know that there is a map of women’s services across the UK? 🗺️

The Women’s Services Map, created by the National Women’s Justice Coalition, is the UK’s first directory of services for women and girls, particularly those in contact with the criminal justice system.

The online interactive map shows women’s services across the country, alongside contact information and referral instructions. These services cover a range of different areas, from mental health to accommodation.🌱

Domestic violence services, including Alana House, are also included on the map. We are very proud to be part of such an important resource that provides a lifeline for women and girls who have experienced trauma.💜

The map is continually updated with new services and women’s centres, giving women across the country vital information about where to get support in their area.

To view the map and see what support could be available to you, please visit: https://www.womensservicesmap.com/

You can also find the specific Alana House page on the map here: https://www.womensservicesmap.com/centre/alana-house-womens-community-project/

The 2025/2026 Parents And Children Together - PACT achievements report has been released, and we are so proud to share s...
17/09/2026

The 2025/2026 Parents And Children Together - PACT achievements report has been released, and we are so proud to share some of our Alana House successes.💜

It has been an incredible year at our women’s community project. We are honoured to have empowered 218 women to make positive life changes through holistic and trauma-informed services.

We could not continue providing life-changing support to women without the amazing efforts of our Alana House team, who ensure that our service users feel safe, seen and listened to. We must also thank our supporters for their consistent encouragement and belief in our work.🌷

We are looking forward to another year of being there for our women every step of the way, no matter what it takes.

You can read the full report here 👉 https://www.pactcharity.org/about-us/our-story/reports/

A day in the life of our Alana House Team Leader, Lynda, is never the same as the previous one! ☀️Lynda has written a bl...
04/09/2026

A day in the life of our Alana House Team Leader, Lynda, is never the same as the previous one! ☀️

Lynda has written a blog about some of her daily responsibilities, from supporting her team with their wellbeing and celebrating their achievements, to often-overlooked tasks such as answering the phone and welcoming visitors. 📞🤝

She also attends partnership meetings with organisations such as the Royal Berkshire Hospital, and monthly MATAC (Multi-Agency Tasking and Coordination) sessions focusing on domestic abuse.

Lynda’s dedication and passion for her role is clear. She, and all staff at Alana House, go above and beyond for our service users, helping to empower women and give them a supportive, safe space.

Thank you to Lynda for giving us an insight into her day and the vital work she does! You can read the full blog post here 👇💜

https://www.pactcharity.org/blog-a-day-in-the-life-of-the-alana-house-team-leader/

An opportunity to have your voice heard 👇Healthwatch England is carrying out a national project to better understand the...
26/08/2026

An opportunity to have your voice heard 👇

Healthwatch England is carrying out a national project to better understand the impact of delayed and inappropriate hospital discharge on patients, families, and carers. Healthwatch Reading is supporting this work locally by gathering experiences from people in our community.

Leaving hospital is a critical stage in a person's recovery and can have a significant impact on their health, wellbeing, independence, and confidence.

They want to hear from people who, within the last 12 months, have experienced:

▪️A delayed discharge, where they remained in hospital after they were medically ready to leave.

▪️A difficult or inappropriate discharge, where they did not feel ready to leave hospital, did not have the right support or equipment in place, or were given insufficient information about their ongoing care and recovery.

The survey is open until 9 October 2026 and takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. It can be completed by patients themselves, by a carer, family member, or friend supporting someone who has had a delayed or difficult discharge experience.

Paper copies of the survey are available if required and Healthwatch Reading can support people who may need help completing it. Please contact them on: [email protected]

If you would like to fill out the survey and share your experience, please follow this link 👉 https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/hwreading/

Last week, a group of our service users visited Beale Wildlife Park.🌲The day out was very kindly funded by Reading Famil...
24/08/2026

Last week, a group of our service users visited Beale Wildlife Park.🌲

The day out was very kindly funded by Reading Family Aid, whose invaluable support allowed some of our Alana House ladies and their children to see lots of interesting creatures, from capybaras to parrots!

Aside from seeing these fascinating critters up-close, our attendees also took in the beautiful surroundings of Beale Park, including serene lakes, bright flowers, and bee hotels. 🐝🌼

A lovely and thoroughly enjoyable day was had by all. Thank you again to Reading Family Aid for their generosity, which made this experience possible for our service users. 💜

🍰 Last week, some of our service users visited Alana House with their children for a Mum and child baking session!On the...
20/08/2026

🍰 Last week, some of our service users visited Alana House with their children for a Mum and child baking session!

On the menu this time were delicious funfetti cupcakes. These were baked to perfection and then decorated beautifully with icing after they had cooled.

Our service users then tucked into their baked goods together. We hope they enjoyed both making and eating them. 🧁

Read more about the important work that Alana House does supporting and empowering women to make positive changes to their lives 👉 by visiting our website: https://www.pactcharity.org/alana-house/

Everyone at Alana House and PACT were deeply saddened to hear of the death of Lady Val Corbett. Lady Val was a passionat...
19/08/2026

Everyone at Alana House and PACT were deeply saddened to hear of the death of Lady Val Corbett.

Lady Val was a passionate prison reformer alongside her husband, Lord Robin Corbett. Lady Val founded the Robin Corbett Award in 2013, following the passing of her husband. From here, she also launched the Corbett Network in 2017, which aims to engage with employers to consider recruiting people with convictions after they are released from prison.

Alana House were lucky enough to receive the Robin Corbett Award in 2024, in recognition of the work we do to empower women. It was a privilege to meet Lady Val and receive the award from her.

Lady Val was a remarkable woman, who will be sorely missed.

💜 Have you ever wondered what a day working at our Women's community project is like?Georgie, our Alana House administra...
07/08/2026

💜 Have you ever wondered what a day working at our Women's community project is like?

Georgie, our Alana House administrator, has written a day in the life blog all about the different tasks she takes on as part of her role.

Georgie plays a vital part in Alana House's offer of support to women, from responding to and forwarding on important referrals, to organising food provisions, and working as part of an funded project.

No two days are the same at Alana House, with every member of staff dedicated to providing a service that helps women feel safe, supported and listened to.

Thank you to Georgie for giving us a glimpse into the incredibly important work she does every single day. 🌸

You can find the full blog post here 👇

https://www.pactcharity.org/blog-a-day-in-the-life-of-the-alana-house-administrator/

Address

2 South Street
Reading
RG14QS

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

0118 9217640

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