International Women’s Day is marked annually on 8th March. It is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. This day also marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality.
On this International Women’s Day, The Elm Foundation would like to highlight the brave and courageous women who access our services as victims and survivors of domestic abuse. It takes tremendous courage and bravery to leave an abusive relationship.
Leaving is fraught with danger and victims and their children are at increased risk of harm when they do leave. The Elm Foundation feels privileged to support women who access our specialist services, to empower them to break the cycle of abuse, be safe and go on and thrive.
Thousands of women have accessed our services over the last year. Whether it be through the Derbyshire Domestic Abuse Helpline – to get advice or support for the first time. Spending time with us in our 3 women’s refuges when they have had to drop everything and flee their abusive partner. Being supported through our community outreach or accessing our counselling services.
As a charity, we feel fortunate to be able to support these fantastic women. Empowering them to realize their strengths. To help build back their confidence and enable them to move forward from abuse. The Elm Foundation’s core objectives are to help women regain control and achieve positive outcomes for themselves and their children. We can only achieve these through our work with these inspirational survivors of abuse.
Here’s what some of the women who have accessed our services have said:
“The Freedom Programme has helped me understand myself and what my worth is”
“The support I have received has enabled me to understand what a positive relationship looks like.”
“Myself and my son are now able to live peacefully.”
International women’s day is also an opportunity to celebrate the wonderful women who work here at The Elm Foundation.
As a charity that supports some of the most vulnerable in society, we cannot do it without the tireless work of our staff. The Elm Foundation is a relatively small domestic abuse charity, with 60 staff and volunteers. Most of those staff, 57 in fact, are women. While we are and remain an inclusive service.
We feel it is important to express our thanks and gratitude for the tremendous work the women in our organisation do. Often this is above and beyond their roles and responsibilities to ensure the people they support are safe and able to grow and thrive. Whether that’s staying late or arriving early to support a client in crisis. Wrapping Christmas donations to ensure children supported by us receive a Christmas gift. Hand delivering food parcels or safety equipment to ensure a survivor can stay in their own home. The women who work at the Elm Foundation are truly magnificent and the bedrock of the services we are able to deliver.
Here’s what survivors have said about the wonderful women at The Elm Foundation:
“My Support worker has given me the emotional support and strength to overcome so much and to help me believe in myself again.”
“I have had nothing but positive experiences with all the staff that have supported me and my two children and I am more grateful than you will ever know.”
“They never even missed a phone call. The work, time and effort and their wonderful personalities have made such a benefit to our lives with the greatest impact and the hard work, care and dedication has not gone unnoticed.”
All of the donations and grants we receive help make a huge difference and help us to continue our work with domestic abuse survivors.
To find out more about how your business can support us please visit https://www.justgiving.com/the-elm-foundation
