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Today, although there is a mass of information available from many sources on very many subjects, women's organizations are not yet widely publicized. For the most part they are still difficult to locate and the information available is often too limited to be of much use. This directory seeks to remedy this.

To emphasize the diversity of women's experience and to ensure that the directory is truly national and that it reflects the wide diversity of the interests and concerns of women in different areas, no restrictions were placed on the variety of organizations listed.

The amount of information obtained varied considerably according to area in both amount and content. Some local authorities, libraries, individuals and phone books had a great deal more to offer than others. Occasionally, I quickly managed to find the relevant information, but more often the jackpot took time to access. Often I could not find the requisite information. Even so, the directory comprises by far the most comprehensive list of women's organizations yet published.

Organizations are described briefly. Each entry contains enough information for anyone wanting to find out more to be able to make contact for further details. It is hoped the way the book is set out allows for that information to be found quickly and easily. The Table of Contents at the beginning of the book provides easy access to national organizations by category and local organizations by area.

The directory lists over 4,800 organizations in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, as well as the Republic of Ireland, listed as Eire. All are relevant to women and at least two thirds are specifically women's organizations. The directory is indispensable for:

women who need immediate help
basic facts about organizations
information about products and services created or run by women · women branching out into new activities
women who want to contact other women with similar interests

The directory will be particularly useful for women who are:

looking for organizations that are difficult to locate
moving to a new area and wanting to find organizations relevant to their needs
living in isolated areas and wanting to contact other women
already involved in a women's organization and wanting information about similar organizations

The directory took a year and a half to compile. There were three main stages. The first was gathering the information, which was interesting and fairly easy. This information then had to be checked, a time-consuming and exhausting process; fortunately I had help with this. The third stage comprised typing the information into the database, again time-consuming and exhausting. I did this by myself but fortunately I have lots of stamina and patience. The length of time between gathering the entries and the directory being published has unfortunately been considerable, partly owing to technical difficulties. As with all reference books of this kind, by the time it is published, many entries will no longer be accurate. Check by telephone before visiting. In particular, e-mail addresses may not be accurate.

I hope the directory will prove a useful and practical guide.

Loulou Brown.

( Loulou Brown is a freelance writer and editor with a wide range of interests, including feminism, alternative medicine and poetry. She has a BA in social sciences and an MA in women's studies.In 1993 she produced a worldwide database of women's journals and magazines, published by Harvester Wheatsheaf in the International Handbook of Women's Studies (WISH).The She Women's Directory is her fifth book.)