Housing association provides lifeline to domestic abuse victims

We have donated £1600 to Haven Domestic Abuse Service in Boston.  

The funds will go towards Haven’s Sponsor a Room project which encourages local organisations and individuals to help cover the cost of decoration, new bedroom furniture and flooring.  

The Sponsor a Room project supports Haven – previously Boston Women’s Aid – to redecorate and refurbish spaces to make them warm and welcoming for survivors who have fled their homes in crisis, for their own and their children’s safety.  

Our donation will help to provide matching curtains and bedding, new towels and accessories to make a room more homely, including cushions, shelving, trinkets, photos, pictures as well as toiletries and comforting gifts for children.  

Sarah Pascoe, Chief Executive Officer at Haven Domestic Abuse Service said : “We would like to thank Platform Housing Group for its generous donation towards our Sponsor a Room appeal.  It is such a worthwhile project, supporting us to redecorate and refurbish our refuge spaces.  Survivors often retreat to their rooms in the early days to try and make sense of what has happened to them and process how they ended up here.  It is therefore vital that these spaces feel safe and warm and give a clear message that we care.”  

Michael Bruce, our Director of Platform Hub and Income Management said : “We are delighted to support such a significant cause.  The statistics around domestic abuse make for sobering reading so anything we can do within our communities to ease the suffering of survivors is key for us.”  

Sarah concluded : “It is likely that people who go to a refuge have been told for years that they are not worthy and that no one cares; this is the first step for them to believe that somebody actually does.  The refuge will be there home, their space, for as long as they need it and until they are ready to move on and live a life free from abuse.”  

We urge customers who are experiencing domestic abuse to contact our Localities Team who will ensure they are offered the right support.  We work with other agencies such as Refuge, Victim Support, Women’s Aid, the police and local authorities to combat the issue.  As a housing provider, we also have powers to take legal action which can result in perpetrators losing their homes, in order to protect the survivor, other residents and the wider community.  

Haven Domestic Abuse Service has been providing specialist domestic abuse services since 1987; it offers support and advice through encouragement and understanding with a non judgemental approach.  It provides a confidential service within its refuges and in the community through experienced domestic abuse workers.  

To support the project please visit https://havendomesticabuseservice.enthuse.com/cf/sponsor-a-room.  

For anybody going through domestic abuse please visit www.havendas.org.uk.  

Photo caption : l to r, Chloe Waters, Funding and Communications Officer at Haven Domestic Abuse Service and Michael Bruce, Director of Platform Hub and Income Management at Platform Housing Group.