Women’s Aid hails extra cash
Renfrewshire Women’s Aid has welcomed news it will receive a share of £350million to help protect women from domestic abuse during the coronavirus crisis.
The Paisley -based organisation says the cash boost will help it continue to provide services to women in need during the lockdown.
Grants from the Scottish Government’s £350m Communities Fund have been made to Scottish Women’s Aid and Rape Crisis Scotland to ensure that access to these key support services is maintained.
The money will also ensure victims still have access to methods of reporting crimes during the crisis, including using online video, text messaging and phone calls.
Scottish Women’s Aid is set to receive £1.4m of the funding, to be distributed to its bases across the country.
No confirmation has been given yet on how much each branch of the lifeline service has been given, but Rae Gilbert, who works at the Violet Street base, says it will have a positive impact.
She said: “We were so pleased to see that the Scottish Government recognised we are in need of extra help during the pandemic.
“We don’t know what we will receive, but we are starting to discuss ways in which we could use any funding to help us help women who are in need in Renfrewshire.
“No matter what it is, it will be a positive for us as women still need us now as much as they always have.
“Once we know what is going to be available for us, we can put plans in place that will allow us to do as much as we can for women in Renfrewshire.”
Staff at the lifeline organisation were forced to close its doors last month due to the lockdown.
They are still providing their services via email and over the phone until further notice.
Rae added: “We are still here, but our office is not open.
“Women who need us can still get in touch and we are here to help them via phone and email.”
Anyone who needs to get in touch with Renfrewshire Women’s Aid can email helpline@ sdafmh. org. uk or info@ renwomensaid.co.uk
You can also call the domestic abuse helpline on 0800 027 1234.