About Us

Our Core Values

  • CCWS is respected and trusted by both the Chinese community we serve and statutory stakeholders and partners we work alongside.
  • CCWS is committed to achieving social justice for the most vulnerable individuals and families in the Chinese community in the South West.
  • CCWS is a needs led organisation delivering and supporting the delivery of health and social care services that are relevant and culturally meaningful for the Chinese community in the South West.
  • CCWS is non-judgmental and works to a strict ethical code of sensitivity and confidentiality with all its clients.
  • CCWS is committed to defending and advancing the principles of equality and human rights for its clients and staff across all its work and activity.

Our History

In the autumn of 1988, at the inaugural meeting of the National Federation of Chinese Women in Birmingham, four young Bristol women came up with the idea of establishing an organisation to support the needs of local Chinese women and their families. After a consultation meeting with local Chinese women early in 1989, a successful application for funding was made to Bristol City Council. The Bristol Chinese Women’s Group was born shortly afterwards. In 1992 the Group’s success attracted funding from the old Avon County Council and the Group changed its name to the Bristol and Avon Chinese Women’s Group.

Many years on, the world is very different to how it was in 1989. Patterns of migration from East and Southeast Asia to the UK have changed. The challenges facing organisations in the voluntary sector are as acute as ever while the way in which public services (particularly across health and social care) are commissioned and delivered is changing, becoming more bespoke and targeted at reducing inequality.

The main thrust of our work has always been to break down the isolation experienced by Chinese women and their families, supporting them to overcome language and cultural barriers and access services. We have worked hard at this and developed a good reputation both among statutory partners and the Chinese community.

In 2021, the organisation completed its change of name from Bristol and Avon Chinese Women’s Group to Chinese Community Wellbeing Society, having outgrown its descriptive name many years before that.