Thanks to a grant from Herefordshire Council’s Community Capacity Fund, West Mercia Women’s Aid has been able to offer transformative experiences to women and children impacted by domestic abuse. The funding has not only supported healing and recovery but has also provided opportunities for personal growth, social connection, and empowerment.
Ten women and eight children accessed the project, gaining experiences that would otherwise have been unavailable to them. This support moved beyond immediate needs and risks, shifting the focus to strengths, removing barriers, and opening doors to new skills and broader horizons.
Two families were able to have a ‘normal day out’, something which ordinarily they would not consider doing due to the impact of their experiences of abuse and how that had affected them as a family and as individuals. This helped them reconnect as a family and envision a life beyond abuse. These outings reminded both mothers and children of the joy in shared experiences and helped restore a sense of what family life can be.
One woman, whose story was recently featured in our 1 in 12 series, used part of the grant to purchase a tablet, allowing her to engage more meaningfully with her three-year-old daughter in foster care. She is now able to play games with her and be more interactive during these vital contact times. She also began to travel on public transport for the first time in years—initially with a volunteer, and now independently.
A fun day in the refuge helped women and children to come together to break down barriers by getting to know each other and sharing in fun activities in the garden. Refuge residents also participated in cooking sessions using ingredients from local food waste projects. These activities bought them together, to have fun and learn new skills. One resident, struggling with overwhelming financial stress and ill health, found new hope when the fund enabled her to take her driving theory test. This small but powerful step reminded her that her current challenges do not define her future.
Other women used the fund to cover childcare and travel costs so they could attend group recovery programmes. Beyond recovery, these sessions helped them form friendships. One woman in her sixties used the support to venture into the city to meet family and friends—something she had previously feared due to the risk of encountering her abusive ex-husband. Another young woman continued her gym membership thanks to the fund, maintaining an essential outlet for her mental and physical wellbeing despite financial hardship.
The impact of this funding extended to WMWA’s volunteers, whose involvement has been nothing short of inspiring. Three volunteers—each with their own powerful story—offered their time and talents to support others.
One volunteer assisted with the cooking session, where she took residents to collect food from the food bank and from a local food share project (The Living Room and St Martin’s). She accompanied a client who was nervous to leave the refuge and helped them to complete practical tasks such as banking or collecting prescriptions. This helped to build her confidence, she now goes into town independently to meet up with friends. Another volunteer, currently studying for a social work degree and a former WMWA client herself, supported group recovery programmes and helped build confidence in participants through strength-based coaching. The third volunteer played a crucial role in helping women feel safe and supported enough to join group programmes by checking in with them beforehand and identifying potential barriers. Her thoughtful outreach made all the difference for women who were apprehensive about joining our recovery pathway.
This project, made possible through the Community Capacity Fund, is a testament to what can happen when communities come together to lift up those who need support the most. For women and children who have experienced domestic abuse, even small opportunities can have life-changing effects.
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