After an incredible two months of fundraising, we are delighted to announce that a grand total of £41,082 has been raised for our domestic abuse service DAWN. This money, together with 12 months of further funding from the South Worcestershire Community Safety Partnership (beginning 1 April 2025), means that the DAWN service is now back open and taking new referrals.
Helen Davis, interim CEO at Worcester Community Trust said,
“We are incredibly grateful to the local community for pulling together and supporting DAWN over the past few weeks. The passion for how valued the service is has shone through, and we truly appreciate every message of support we have received.
“Our special thanks go out the survivors who shared their stories, the amazing DAWN team who remain loyal to this service and their clients, the local organisations who pledged money and donated incentives to the campaign, local councillors, and of course the public for their incredible generosity. This money will enable us to continue supporting victims and survivors of domestic abuse over the next 12 months.
“We still need to secure a significant amount of additional funding to avoid a long-term reduction in the level of service, so we are continuing to work closely with funders and partners to ensure that the future of DAWN is secured. It is imperative that this community-based service continues and grows, to ensure victims and survivors can access a service that is tailored to their needs.
“In the meantime, we will be carefully managing the waiting list during this period, opening and closing if necessary, to ensure we can maintain the exceptional quality of service that we are committed to providing.”
In the UK, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men experience domestic abuse in their lifetime. Support from DAWN for male and female victims and survivors of domestic abuse can include safety planning, support in accessing housing, benefits advice, debt advice and legal services, support in regaining financial independence, support at criminal and family courts, referrals to other specialist services and sessions aimed at building confidence and self-esteem.
Tom Collins, Labour MP for Worcester, is supporting Worcester Community Trust in finding long-term sustainable funding for DAWN.
“The DAWN project is doing incredible work and is desperately needed in Worcestershire. It’s vital that we take serious action to tackle our huge crisis of domestic violence. Nobody should ever have to live in fear or at risk of violence, and while the government has set itself the mission to halve violence against women and girls, we need local projects to deliver support too.
“I’m desperate to see the DAWN project survive and grow, and I’m ready to work to find long-term funding.”
Though the Crowdfunder is now closed, you can still support the DAWN project by making a donation to Worcester Community Trust directly.