Notts500 has officially launched its Impact Report, bringing together a year of conversations, learning and action from men across Nottinghamshire who have been exploring the role they can play in preventing violence against women and girls (VAWG).

The report was launched on 24 September at an event bringing together Notts500 participants, partner organisations, community members, professionals and supporters of the campaign to reflect on what has been achieved so far and consider what needs to happen next.

Over the past year, Notts500 has created spaces for men to have honest and sometimes challenging conversations about VAWG, misogyny, healthy relationships and the influence men can have in their families, workplaces, communities and wider networks.

The launch provided an opportunity to hear directly from some of the men involved in the project, alongside facilitators and Notts500 ambassadors, who shared their experiences of taking part and the impact the conversations have had on their thinking and actions.

From conversation to action

A central message throughout the evening was that awareness alone is not enough.

The conversations held through Notts500 highlighted that many men want to be part of preventing VAWG, but can lack confidence, knowledge or opportunities to know how to challenge harmful attitudes and behaviours safely and effectively.

The report captures these insights alongside the experiences of participants and the actions they have committed to taking, from challenging misogynistic language and having difficult conversations, to becoming positive role models and creating change within their workplaces, families and communities.

It also explores some of the wider issues shaping attitudes among men and boys, including online misogyny and the manosphere, the importance of positive male role models, the role of sport and schools, and the need to create more opportunities for men and boys to talk openly about healthy relationships.

A movement shaped by men and the wider community

Notts500 has been built around a simple but important principle: men have a role to play in preventing violence against women and girls.

The project has brought men together not to provide all the answers, but to create space to listen, question, learn and take responsibility for the change they can influence.

The launch event reflected this collective approach, bringing together people from across Nottinghamshire who are committed to creating safer communities and challenging the attitudes and behaviours that can allow VAWG to persist.

The evening also looked ahead to the next chapter for Notts500, including the ambition to grow the movement, engage more men, develop ambassadors and create opportunities for conversations and action to take place in communities across Nottinghamshire.

The conversation doesn’t end here

The Notts500 Impact Report is both a record of what has been achieved and a starting point for what comes next.

It sets out what men told us they need to become more effective allies, what we have learned through the project and the opportunities for taking Notts500 further.

We want the report to be read, shared and used to spark further conversations in workplaces, schools, sports clubs, community organisations, families and among friendship groups.

Because preventing VAWG cannot be the responsibility of one organisation or one group of people.

It requires all of us to consider what role we can play in creating change.

Read the Notts500 Impact Report

Discover the stories, insights and recommendations from the first year of Notts500 and explore how we can move from conversation to action.

Read the full Notts500 Impact Report

If you’re a man in Nottinghamshire who wants to get involved, a local organisation looking to support the movement, or simply someone who wants to understand more about engaging men in VAWG prevention, we’d love you to join the conversation.

Notts500 is only the beginning.