Working together to end domestic violence and abuse
Newsletter June 2016
Greetings to our friends and supporters and welcome to our Newsletter
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June 2016
Newsletter
Working together to end domestic violence and abuse
Established 1975
Keep Children SAFE Campaign
Forty children and their families are currently on our waiting list for SAFE’s Children and
Families programme. This is forty too many and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. We know, all
too well that children’s and young people’s exposure to domestic violence can have
devastating and lifelong implications on mental and physical health and lead to later
substance misuse, unemployment, and difficulty forming healthy adult relationships. Children
might hear or see the violence; they might try and stop it, or be the one to call the police or
ambulance. Children are also often the direct victims of violence in the home. These are not
conditions for children to thrive.
We urgently need your support, to help children and their families to be safe, stay safe and to
live their lives free from violence. After receiving support from our Children and Families
workers children and young people tell us they feel safer, have better family relationships,
feel better about themselves, feel more positive, have achieved goals, are better able to cope
and know where to get help in the future.
“Thank you so much for all you have done for Sean, it has made a
significant difference to him. he will talk positively about what you
do and that he feels less angry. In school he is making good
progress and is working hard to compromise when difficulties arise.”
Safeguarding / Parent Family Support Advisor, Feb 2016
Child’s name changed
If this issue is something close to your heart you can help us raise money so that no child
has to wait and the many hundreds of other children and their families in Devon can also get
help. Your help really will make a difference. To make a donation please go to our campaign
page on Just Giving.
https://campaign.justgiving.com/charity/stopabuseforeveryone/keepchildrensafe
Also in this issue
Page 2 Volunteering at SAFE
What’s coming up4
Page 3 A farewell message from our Chair
Page 4 We are on 4
“We urgently need your support, to
help children and their families to
be safe, stay safe and to live their
lives free from violence.”
Volunteering at SAFE
Our most recent volunteer graduates with SAFE’s Volunteer Coordinator, Sarah Richards.
These are the fabulous smiles of some of our volunteers above who have just completed our
10 week course in ‘Understanding the Causes and Effects of Domestic Abuse’. This training
is offered by SAFE and North Devon Against Domestic Abuse in partnership for our
volunteers. The course is accredited with the National Open College Network and our next
course will start in June for another 14 volunteers. SAFE’s volunteer programme began 1
year ago and already I wonder how we ever managed without them. Our volunteers work
with adults and children who have experienced domestic violence and abuse, help with
administration, fundraising and social media. Our volunteers are our true champions giving
the precious gift of their time.
“Finding SAFE and being offered the opportunity to work and train
with such dedicated and passionate professionals has given me a
new beginning, a place with people that value me and put my
knowledge to very good use. I am proud to be one of their volunteers
and will be so for many years to come”.
Sue April 2016
“Our volunteers are our
true champions giving
the precious gift of their
time.”
Look what’s coming up!
A fun night out with Celia
Delaney & you get to
support SAFE at the same
time. It can’t get any better
than that!
Get your tickets from
http://manfound.eventbrite.co.uk
A farewell message from our Chair
CEO Jacinta Wainwright & outgoing Chair Chris Collier at SAFE’s 40th celebration
In November SAFE held its 40th anniversary and it was good to set other matters aside at
our AGM to celebrate the achievements and the impact that the work of our charity has made
to so many lives. Staff, volunteers and trustees both past and present, stakeholders, partners
and our supporters joined in this happy occasion. A display of our history from humble
beginnings - through peaks and tougher times - was illustrated by some evocative old
photographs, newspaper cuttings, documents and affecting and empowering stories from
service users.
.
Old photographs from the Exeter Refuge
Despite raising much needed funding from grants and trusts, financial challenges continue.
At the end of the year, the Board resolved that we would only continue with funded roles and
that we could not continue funding posts through reserves. Sadly hours have been cut in
several posts and at the end of his contract, the post of Boy and Young Men's worker ended.
These most regrettable changes will allow the charity to continue its work through this period.
The Board is resolute in gaining funding and as soon as the financial situation improves
affected staff will be invited to increase hours and/or submit expressions of interest in new
posts as part of this process.
A programme of fund-raising events has already raised much needed funds in the last few
months from some generous initiatives: a theatre production by the Lympstone Players, a
charity ball arranged by a past service user: Family Law’s series of Cream Teas: South West
Angels of Terror Women's Roller Derby Team’s collections: a staff member completing a
sponsored walk. If you wish to put on an event for our benefit, do get in touch as we can
provide materials and would be very glad to support you.
I will be stepping down at the end of June, confident that the Board is a really super group
with a wide diversity of skills and experience and that the leadership of our CEO is skilled
and strong and that they work and contribute well together.
Chris Collier
“I will be stepping down at the
end of June, confident that the
Board is a really super group”.
Yes that right, SAFE is soon to launch our Ebay page and we are looking for donations of
small quality goods to sell and raise money to keep our services going and reach the many
more women and children who would like our help.
We have no store and limited storage so we cannot accept furniture items. Quality clothes,
bric a brac and other small quality items is what we need. If you would like to make a
donation or to find out more about what goods we can sell please pop into the office or
contact Sue Hobbs on 030 3030 0112. Sue is in the office on Wednesdays.
TheGivingMachine is a UK registered charity, whose sole aim is to facilitate raising money
for UK charitable causes and schools. By shopping online via TheGivingMachine at your
favourite shops will generate a free cash donation with every single purchase. With stores
like Amazon, Ebay, M&S, NEXT, Tesco, Sainsbury and John Lewis taking part with hundreds
more, you are bound to find what you want from your favourite shops at TheGivingMachine.
Please join our new giving community by visiting www.TheGivingMachine.co.uk and join to
support Stop Abuse For Everyone; it’s quick and simple to sign up and start giving for free.
It really is as simple as that. Please ensure you don’t miss this opportunity to give while you
are shopping and help spread the word to raise as much as we can from this amazing
program. Your help will make a difference.
Many thanks for your support. https://www.thegivingmachine.co.uk/beneficiaryportal/
view/stop-abuse-for-everyone/
Find out more about SAFE at www.safe-services.org.uk
Call us on 030 3030 0112
Our mailing address is 1 Queens Road Exeter EX29ER
We are on
And it doesn’t end there
Or
there
You can now find us on Facebook & keep up to date
with news, events & campaigns
We have joined TheGivingMachine which will allow you
to generate cash donations without it costing you a
penny. There are over 8000 schools & charities taking
part in this program, with the successful causes raising
£1,000’s every year at no extra cost to their supporters!
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Newsletter June 2015
Message from the Chair
This year began with renewed optimism and we are all looking forward to the future. After much hard work and perseverance by trustees and staff, SAFE is now firmly re-established with new leadership, staff and funding streams and is offering a range of established and new services.
The Board has lost key members, whose efforts over many years and particularly for their work during the last difficult year, are gratefully acknowledged. Our warmest thanks and appreciation to Sarah and to Kirstin. Happily we continue to attract new and skilled trustees and now have nine members on our Board with Von, Karen and Kate joining us as well as a new probationer, Pippa. We were fortunate too to welcome back Lorna for her support as Minute Secretary.
Our most important news is the appointment in February of our new CEO Jacinta Wainwright. We are gratified to have been able to appoint someone with relevant management and business skills with a strong background in the voluntary sector and a deep knowledge of domestic violence and abuse. SAFE is already benefitting from Jacinta’s leadership and her respect for and commitment to our clients is steering our organisational development and partnership work. Jacinta will tell you about this below.
From the CEO
I am delighted to address our friends and supporters for the first time as CEO of Stop Abuse For Everyone. At SAFE we pride ourselves on delivering the best services available for victims of domestic violence and abuse. I am inspired everyday by the dedication, knowledge and commitment of our staff to make a difference, and they do make an incredible difference. I regularly hear amazing stories from staff, past service users and other stakeholders such as teachers, telling us about the difference our work has made for them, a family, a child, or a young person. Here is one such example:-
“I was on your pattern changing course back in 2012/2013 and it really changed my life around...so much so that I'm now the owner/director of a successful local business!”
It takes courage and determination to turn your life around and I am so encouraged that our work can help people do just that. If you have any stories to share about inspirational women, children and men who have turned their lives around to be free of domestic violence - perhaps your own story of hope and resourcefulness - we would love to share it in a future edition of our Newsletter. Please email me at [email protected] if you would like to share a story or even just to say hello, give some feedback about our services or to find out more information about our work and ways you can help. I would love to hear from you.
Walking the Pennine Way
Janet Smith (our fabulous Finance Officer at SAFE) and her husband Bill are walking the Pennine Way from Edale in the Peak District, to Kirk Yetholm just over the Scottish boarder. The walk will take them 3 weeks to complete. They will be carrying all camping equipment, food etc. between them which will weigh over 5 stone. They are raising funds for Stop Abuse For Everyone. The money raised will be put towards resources to help young children who have been traumatised by domestic violence and abuse.
Your donation will be gratefully received by those young people in need of your help and support. If you would like to support this cause please follow the link: https://www.justgiving.com/Janet-Smith22/
Thank you.
SAVE THE DATE
This year is our 40th anniversary and we have much to celebrate.
The charity has maintained its independence and proved itself to be resilient, ambitious and determined to provide a range of services to all those affected by domestic violence and abuse.
You are very welcome to join us at our -
AGM & 40th Celebrations
The afternoon of 24th November 2015
Keep the date and look out for more details later in the year.
With best wishes to you all from the Trustees and all the staff at SAFE.
