Maidenhead Advertiser

Filling Good raises £924 for Dash fund

Maidenhead: Eco shop supports domestic violence charity

- By Adrian Williams adrianw@baylismedi­a.co.uk @AdrianW_BM

Zero waste pop-up shop Filling Good has raised over £900 for a charity which supports people suffering from domestic abuse.

The shop in the Nicholsons Centre opened back in November and decided that it would give a percentage of its profits to The Dash Charity from opening until the end of the 2020.

Since then, the volunteerr­un shop has raised £924.

All donations are vital to Dash, which cannot hold its usual community events at the current time.

The charity is battling through lockdown by making as many of its services available online as possible but this is ‘not ideal’.

For example, its ‘Healthy Relationsh­ips’ workshop for

young people would usually take place in schools, which are now closed.

“Unfortunat­ely the Borough isn’t able to give us as much money as we need to run the service,” said Alison Bourne, CEO of Dash.

“We rely on donations and quite often when we get money, the donators say what they want the money spent on.

“The donation from Filling Good is unrestrict­ed, which means we can spend it on whatever we need – on things like school books and uniforms for children in refuges. That is gold dust to us,” Alison said.

The money will also help fund the call-ins, which cost the charity about £13 a call.

“That £13 can save a life,” said Alison. “It’s a misunderst­ood epidemic – we have had a massive increase in clients, particular­ly in children who have experience­d or witnessed domestic abuse.”

Dash would ordinarily expect to be supporting around 75 children a year, but this year expects that figure to be more than 100.

One of the three directors of

Filling Good, Sophie Ibison, said: “We’re very keen to support charitable organisati­ons, especially local charities, and decided that the first one we wanted to donate to would be The Dash Charity.

“We’re well aware of the increase in domestic violence due to COVID restrictio­ns and lockdowns, and felt that it would be a good time to help the lives of women, children and men suffering.”

‘We’re very keen to support local charities’

 ??  ?? Sophie Ibison and Nelly Semaille. Ref:133173-6
Sophie Ibison and Nelly Semaille. Ref:133173-6

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