We’ve been awarded £41,567 to help run recovery services for domestic abuse victims.

The cash, from the National Lottery’s Community Fund, is for our Sunrise Centre project, which has been supporting people who have experienced domestic abuse since 2012. The project delivers educational and therapeutic groupwork programmes and social activities to increase their support networks.

But since lockdown, the centre had to close. Staff have continued to support customers as best they can through telephone and virtual platforms but this isn’t enough for victims who are reporting increased isolation, anxiety and loneliness. In some cases, staff have had to deal with complex situations, such as perpetrators using child contact during lockdown as a tool to control their victims again, and those who recently left relationships before March not yet having any support networks.

The funding means we can further develop online tools, programmes and support groups, as well as adapting their current support to be COVID safe, so we can support the hundreds of victims and survivors in Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire who are struggling post lockdown and at risk of returning to an abusive relationship.

Lucy Willis, Head of Domestic Abuse at Glow, said: “COVID-19 has affected everyone and with most agencies working from home, only limited provisions are in place from victims who need urgent support.

“The impact of the lockdown for people living in abusive relationships will last far beyond the current COVID crisis and we are preparing for more and more people to come forward for support as social distancing restrictions are slowly lifted. This money will mean we can help more people move towards a life free from abuse.”

Elly de Decker, England Director, The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “Alongside National Lottery money, our funding teams have been working hard to get £200m of Government funding out to communities across England over the last few months.

“The way groups and charities – large and small – have come together and adapted to support people through the COVID crisis is truly inspirational, and we are continuing to distribute funding, as quickly as possible, to where it is needed most.”