About Us
Our Story
Since 1845, The Elizabeth Fry Charity has been offering accommodation and assistance to vulnerable women. It all began with the establishment of a Refuge for Destitute Women in east London in memory of Elizabeth Fry. Today, the Charity operates the Elizabeth Fry Approved Premises – a Ministry of Justice Approved Premises for women.
This 24 bed facility is now located in Reading and provides accommodation, support, and monitoring for women released from prison who are deemed to pose a medium to very high risk of causing serious harm to others.
The Approved Premises follows a structured regime of interventions, including group and one-to-one sessions, designed to help residents address the underlying causes of their offending and empower them to make positive changes in their lives.
Our Vision is to be an excellent provider of accommodation and support for women in the criminal justice system.
Our Mission:
To accommodate, support and provide opportunities to the widest range of women in line with Elizabeth Fry’s original ethos.
We believe:
Everyone is capable of change.
Everyone should be listened to, and treated with respect.
Everyone deserves to live and work in a safe environment.
Everyone should be treated fairly and consistently.
