Windfall for domestic violence team

A CHARITY working with domestic violence victims is celebrating seeing off the threat of closure after a huge lottery grant.

Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Domestic Violence (HARV) Team has been awarded £420,778, the largest of six grants to Hyndburn organisations in the latest Big Lottery funding round.

The “delighted” group said it will enable them to provide an independent domestic abuse service for the two boroughs over the next three years, providing support to women and children.

It brings to an end a period of “uncertainty” after HARV warned last December it might be put at risk by the Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner’s decision to award a £6.6m three-year contract to national provider Victim Support instead of the Safer Together consortium, of which it is a member.

Amanda Elwen, business manager, said: “The team here at HARV have worked tirelessly over the last nine months. The hard work has paid off and funders have come forward to invest in quality, as they recognise the value of small and specialist, local services.”

CEO Debbie Fawcett said: “I am so proud of the team here at HARV. They have stayed committed to local people and to local services, they go above and beyond to help both adults and children who are really struggling and have continued to put people first in a period of great uncertainty.”

Other funders of HARV this year include BBC Children in Need, Comic Relief, Lloyds Bank foundation and Women’s Aid.

Debbie added: “We have received an enormous amount of support from national funders and local people and we are so grateful for their continued investment.”

Almost £50,000 of lottery funding has also been shared by five other Hyndburn schemes.

The beneficiaries are The Hyndburn Project (£10,000), Braille IT (£10,000), Altham St James CE Primary (£9,995), Enfield Cricket Club - ‘Play, Encourage Cricket for All’ (£10,000) and Save the Dog Inn, Belthorn (£9,781.31).