Hestia awarded £20,000 to support children experiencing domestic abuse in Ealing and Harrow IMMEDIATE RELEASE Hestia awarded £20,000 to support children experiencing domestic abuse in Ealing and Harrow FRIDAY 28 FEB 2020 London charity Hestia, one of the largest providers of domestic abuse refuges in the capital, has been awarded £20,000 raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery to support children affected by domestic abuse in Ealing and Harrow. Last year alone, more than 2,200 women and children were supported by Hestia to recover from the trauma of abuse whilst in their refuge accommodation and or receiving community based support. 121 of these women and children were supported through Hestia’s refuge accommodation and floating support service in Ealing, while a further 89 were supported through Hestia’s refuge accommodation, floating support and Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (IDVA) service in Harrow. The funding will enable Hestia to continue to provide one-to-one support for children who have fled domestic abuse and are currently living at one of Hestia’s domestic abuse refuges with their mothers. Through the dedicated role of a Children and Family Worker, children will be able to process their emotions and begin to move forward towards a life beyond crisis. It is estimated that almost one million children in the UK are affected by domestic abuse every single year, and research conducted by Opinium on behalf of Hestia found that 55% of British nationals who experience domestic abuse as a child will go on to experience it in adulthood. Access to support such as that offered in Hestia’s refuges is pivotal in breaking the cycle of abuse and minimising the impact that domestic abuse would have on a child’s mental health and development. Katie Beeching, Head of Domestic Abuse at Hestia, said: “Experiencing domestic abuse as a child has a long lasting impact on their development and future prospects. This grant from People’s Postcode Trust, a grant giving charity funded by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, will enable us to ensure we have the right practical, environmental and emotional support in place for children as they enter our refuges to minimise this adverse impact. This role will provide children with an outlet to; express their fears, understand what they have experienced and begin to recover as individuals and as a family.” People’s Postcode Trust, which awarded the £20,000 grant, is a grant-giving charity funded by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. Since 2005, players of the lotters have raised millions of pounds for projects across Britain, including those working to prevent domestic abuse. Katherine Sellar, Community Programmes Advisor at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “The services that Hestia provides to women and children who have experienced domestic abuse not only offer them support during some of the most difficult and turbulent points in their life, but will go on to have a lasting and positive impact for their futures. I’m proud that players of People’s Postcode Lottery are supporting this initiative.” -ENDS- Notes to editor About Hestia: For 50 years, Hestia has provided support and hope every step of the way of recovery. At Hestia we support adults and children in times of crisis. We deliver services across London and the surrounding regions, as well as campaign and advocate nationally on the issues that affect the people we work with. Last year we supported 10,766 men, women and children. This includes victims of modern slavery, women and children who have experienced domestic abuse, young care leavers and older people. From giving someone a home, to helping them to get the right mental health support, we support people at the moment of crisis and enable them to build a life beyond a crisis. We are supported by nearly 600 volunteers across London who provide specialist skills such as art therapy, yoga, IT, gardening and cooking, as well as befriending and fundraising. We are proud to be the home of UK SAYS NO MORE, bringing together a diverse coalition of individuals, charities, businesses and public sector organisations to campaign for an end to domestic abuse and sexual violence. About Hestia’s domestic abuse support in Ealing Last year, 121 women and children were supported by Hestia’ domestic abuse services in Ealing. This includes through our refuge accommodation, community-based support, and one-to-one support to children through our designated Children and Family Worker. About Hestia’s domestic abuse support in Harrow Last year, 89 women and children were supported by Hestia’ domestic abuse services in Harrow. This includes through our refuge accommodation, community-based support, our IDVA (Independent Domestic Violence Advocate) service, and one-to-one support to children through our designated Children and Family Worker. Read more like this A day in the life of a domestic abuse refuge manager First 5 organisations given Everyone's Business domestic abuse prevention award Charity staff affected by domestic abuse given paid leave Manage Cookie Preferences