Labour MP for Nottingham East Nadia Whittome has donated £7,000 to POW Nottingham, as part of her “worker’s wage” pledge.

When Whittome was elected to Parliament in December last year, she pledged to only take home £35,000 of her MP’s salary of over £81,000 and donate the rest to local causes. “Workers need a pay rise – carers, teaching assistants, nurses – and I’ll take mine when they take theirs,” she explained.

POW is a non-profit organisation founded to protect the rights and health of sex workers in Nottingham. The charity runs an outreach service and offers advice and information on issues including immigration, safety, debt and welfare as well as education and leaving the industry. It partners with NHS Sexual Health Services to provide health screening, contraception and sexual health treatment, and runs a specialist drug clinic together with the NHS and Nottingham Recovery Network. During the winter, it has also been giving out hats, gloves and umbrellas to its service users.

Earlier this year, Ms Whittome also announced a £8,000 donation to the St Ann’s Advice Centre.

Nadia Whittome said:

“I am grateful for the vital work POW does, promoting the rights and dignity of sex workers in our city. Women in the sex industry often come from marginalised communities, face high rates of exploitation and violence, and the stigma and secrecy surrounding their occupation further puts them at risk of harm and makes it harder to quit if they choose to. The services provided by POW, from health screening to advice on staying safe and non-judgmental emotional support, can save lives. I am proud to share my salary with them.”

Deidre Bowen, CEO of POW Nottingham said:

“On behalf of POW Nottingham, I would like to extend a massive thank you to Nadia Whittome for her generous and heartfelt donation. It will help us to continue to support our often overlooked and marginalised service users. On a personal note, as Chief Executive Officer of this remarkable and empowering organisation, I am proud of what the team has achieved so far, in what has been a very difficult year. Their resilience, passion and dedication never ceases to amaze me. POW is 30 years old this year and the icing on the cake is receiving support, true understanding, belief and recognition of the work we do. Thank you Nadia, this donation means the world to myself and POW.