The women of west Cork are on the move. The West Cork and Beara Women's Network has just published Every Woman's Essential Directory and Guide.
"With this publication," says the network, "we aim to bring together information of relevance to women in an accessible format. In today's society, information can be power; the information that is available is not often categorised in a way that is accessible to women and so many women can become marginalised because of the lack of such information."
The directory includes topics such as crisis contacts; women's groups; childcare; education and training; the environment; regional and national organisations; health and welfare; enterprise and employment.
There are women's groups in Baltimore, Bantry and Cool Mountain, where, the guide tells us, the group meets "every new moon at least". Other groups are to be found at Darra, near Clonakilty, as well as at Dunmanway and Ballydehob, and there are mothers' unions dotted throughout the region. The new publication brings them all together. It is, says Ms Eleanor Fitzgerald, the co-ordinator, an important social resource to women, produced following careful consultation.
The guide is the first of its kind in the region. The West Cork and Beara Women's Network is sending out a clear message to women that a platform of support exists for them. The network can be contacted at the Community Rescource Centre, Glengarriff Road, Bantry, tel. 027 51315 or fax 027 50034.