South West women named finalists in award tackling violence against women and girls

Sherilee Rollinson, Lucy Rhodes and Claire Knight were announced as the final three in the Combatting Violence Against Women and Girls category at a special event at Powderham Castle on October 21. The award recognises individuals working to prevent violence, challenge harmful attitudes, support survivors and help women and girls live safer lives.

Sponsored by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, the category reflects the commissioner's commitment to tackling violence against women and girls, a key priority in the Police and Crime Plan 2025-2029.

The OPCC's Disruptive Violence Against Women and Girls Programme brings together organisations across the region to develop approaches to prevention, education, tackling perpetrators and changing attitudes.

Each of this year's finalists has made a contribution through a different aspect of that work. Sherilee Rollinson, founder of Empower Core Programs CIC, works to empower women and girls through self-defence, confidence-building and personal safety education. Her workshops and courses help participants recognise their strengths, establish boundaries and develop practical skills to protect themselves. Working alongside community partners, including Devon and Cornwall Police, she has also helped survivors of crime, domestic abuse and financial hardship access support through funded and free places.

Over the past two years, her programmes have expanded into schools across Devon and Cornwall, helping young girls develop confidence, resilience and lifelong safety skills.

Lucy Rhodes, lead youth work practitioner at SPACE Youth Services, leads the organisation's "Is This Okay?" programme, which aims to challenge harmful attitudes towards women and girls. Working with schools across Devon, she supports young people at risk of experiencing or displaying harmful sexual behaviours, while helping education settings address misogyny, sexual harassment and the influence of misogynistic material online.

Her youth-led approach has given hundreds of young people opportunities to share their experiences, influence local decision-making and contribute to safer school and community environments. Through education and early intervention, the programme aims to ensure harmful behaviours are challenged rather than accepted.

Claire Knight, founder and chief executive of Phoenix Rising New Beginnings CIO, established the organisation after identifying a lack of long-term recovery support for survivors of domestic abuse. Drawing on professional and personal experience, she created a service to help women rebuild confidence, recover from trauma and break the cycle of abuse.

Phoenix Rising provides recovery programmes, counselling, wellbeing activities, peer support groups and specialist courses for women recovering from domestic and sexual abuse. The organisation has expanded in recent years, securing National Lottery funding and becoming a registered charity, while increasing the number of women it supports across Devon and beyond. Its work focuses on helping survivors move forward with greater confidence, strength and hope.

Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said: "These finalists demonstrate the many ways individuals and organisations can make a real difference to protect people and help them recover from their abusers. Through education, advocacy, empowerment and support, they are helping to create safer communities and improve the lives of women and girls across the South West."

The three finalists will now progress to the West Country Women Awards Grand Final in November, when the winner of the category will be announced.

The awards celebrate women making a difference across Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and the wider South West. The initiative has grown beyond an annual awards programme into a year-round community offering networking, training, events, partnerships and other opportunities to support women.

Organisers said the standard of nominations in the category had been exceptionally high, reflecting the range of work taking place across the region to prevent violence, challenge harmful behaviours and support survivors. The finalists' work demonstrates how practical self-defence education, early intervention with young people and long-term recovery services can all contribute to creating safer communities.