Battens Charitable Trust donates to VOICES, a charity supporting people affected by domestic abuse

VOICES, a charity which supports people in the South West who have experienced domestic abuse is to receive a welcome donation of £400 from the Battens Charitable Trust.

VOICES are based in Bath and raise awareness about domestic abuse as well as providing individual support for those affected. It was set up in 2014 by a group of women who had experienced domestic abuse and who want to provide support for those in need and to help them begin a process of recovery.

The Chair of VOICES Brigid Musselwhite said; “We are very grateful to the Battens Charitable Trust for the financial support. The important work we do in Bath and North East Somerset depends solely on the generosity of both individuals and grant-giving bodies such as the trust. This donation will make a real and direct difference to the lives of people living either with or beyond domestic abuse. “

VOICES works on behalf of those with the lived experience of domestic abuse giving them the opportunity to influence and improve the services available to them.

A person receiving support from Voices says: “VOICES is different because it offers help all in one place. No more going from one place for this help and another place for that, having to explain things all over again. They see me and the whole picture all under one roof or service, which is so helpful. There is a kind of unsaid common thread running through all that they do and offer: A safe space, a confidential space, an accessible to all space”.

The BCT has donated more than half a million pounds to local charities across Somerset and Dorset since its inception in 1985.

The Head of Commercial Property at Battens Bath office, Patrick Mears said; “The pandemic has made it difficult for many charities to raise funds in the usual way. The BCT is very pleased to be able to support Voices so they can offer vital care and support to people affected by domestic abuse.”