Domestic abuse charity overjoyed at lottery grant

Wolverhampton's leading domestic abuse service has been awarded almost £300,000 in lottery funding.

The money will go towards funding six specialist roles at The Haven Wolverhampton which will directly support survivors of abuse, it said.

The National Lottery Community Fund grant of £294,000 will be spread across three years and also be spent on maintenance and general outgoings.

Steph Boswell, from The Haven, said: "When I received the call that we'd been awarded this grant, it brought tears to my eyes. To secure such a significant sum, in my mind, is like winning the 'Champions League of funding'.

"It is going to make a world of difference to us and directly impact the lives of women and children."

The grant will part-fund a helpline advisor, a safe house worker, a domestic abuse key worker, a children and young people's service worker, a life skills worker, and a counsellor.

The services the charity offer include safe accommodation, community outreach, support for children, and recovery services such as counselling and life skills support.

Between 2024-25, 2,659 helpline calls were answered on average each month, 1,800 women and children were referred and 148 women and 125 children went into safe accommodation, the charity said.

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