At the end of June 2017 and I went to my first couch to 5k running session and, as I struggled to run for 1 minute I thought to myself what have I signed up for! In August I completed my first 5k run and by the end of the year I was running 4 miles. I decided to set myself the challenge of running in the 2018 Swindon Half Marathon. To help be through the daunting training run I decided to do it for a local charity who support victims and survivors of domestic abuse, knowing what great work they do and how my sponsorship money could help would help me power on.

Swindon Women’s Aid Registered Charity Number: No.268048

“We are committed to empowering and supporting victims and survivors of domestic abuse; by providing a range of flexible and accessible services that promote positive change. Using our knowledge and expertise we inform policy and raise awareness to protect and keep victims and survivors safe. Our Values: We are committed in heart and mind to challenging domestic abuse We empower todays victims to become tomorrow’s survivors We are open minded and compassionate in our approach We respect the choices of all service users and are empathic to their needs Our teams strive for excellence in all services they deliver We build honest and trusting relationships We challenge inequality and respect diversity We walk alongside individuals nurturing confidence and independence.”

They provide both specialist emergency refuge for women and children fleeing violence and abuse and a community service which provides outreach support to both female and male victims, including those in same sex relationships.

This is how your donations can help

£5 *Travel expenses to school and back for a woman and child living within the Refuge – SWA provide travelling fee for school runs, this is important as children could have moved quite some distance from their school when coming into the Refuge.

£10*Help to advise a woman of her options and assist her into refuge accommodation. *Essential toiletries for a woman in Refuge. *One mobile phone 'top up'. *Week’s breakfast supply for a family staying in the Refuge. *Essential bedding for a family staying in Refuge. *Group work session to support the recovery of a woman (Recovery Tool Kit). *New SIM card and credit for a woman needing to change her phone number for safety reasons.

£20 *Essential toiletries and food in a welcome pack for a family who have fled domestic violence without any possessions.

£30 Children’s fun day- At our Refuge we hold fun days of activities for children, helping them to play in a safe and happy environment. Your donation could help them be children again by being able to express themselves and having fun!

£50 *Domestic violence awareness training to frontline professionals.

£100 / £200 Could refurbish a flat in Refuge – Some flats within our Refuge can be left looking a little worn this can be due to a family living in the flat for quite some time or this could just be a busy family. Therefore, some flats are in need of repairs, paint jobs, carpets needing to be relayed. This amount of money can help us hugely when it comes to ensuring the flat is up to standards ready for another family to move in.

Please visit their website to see what great work they do http://www.swindonwomensaid.org/

Thank you for visiting my page and any donation you give.

Rachael