Help women and children live in safety

Hello all,

As always, thank you so much to everyone who has supported us over the past few months. We’re continually blown away by the generosity of our supporters, helping us to continue the work we do.

Refuge Focus

At Leeds Women’s Aid, we provide specialist accommodation for women and their children who have experienced domestic abuse. Our housing includes self-contained flats in our main refuge with 24-hour staffing, as well as independent refuge sites and dispersed safe houses in the community. This range allows us to meet different needs and offer women a safe place to begin rebuilding their lives.

No two women are the same, and neither are their experiences. Our staff work closely with each resident to develop a personalised plan, offering emotional and practical guidance. This can include help finding safe and secure housing, building financial stability, improving wellbeing, recovering from trauma, and addressing child and family welfare concerns.

In this update, we want to share some of the work facilitated by our Domestic Violence Support Workers and the lengths they go to in order to build a real sense of community and support within refuge.

To celebrate Valentine’s Day, residents in our refuge had a special ‘Galentine’s’ coffee morning, where they made their own delicious treat bundle and shared wellbeing tips. Our activity coffee mornings are a creative way to include our residents and allow space for them to bond and share.

 During Ramadan, some of our residents enjoyed an Iftar Party at refuge. They enjoyed some delicious homemade food and had a great time spending their evening together. One resident said "Opening our fast together was delightful heartfelt experience. I really appreciate all the effort everyone put towards making it a memorable and meaningful evening."

Our residents can be away from family and friends while in refuge, so it's important to be able to share special moments like these.

Our younger residents also had an exciting visit recently from Lion Learners. The children had a brilliant time getting up close with a range of animals—including a snake, gecko, guinea pig, and even a tarantula! It was a fun, hands-on way to build confidence and encourage social interaction.

Support Workers also help create opportunities for residents to relax and learn something new. One sunny afternoon, women took part in a herb planting session—learning new skills, and creating something they could all share. One resident reflected:

“I find these sessions quite helpful in a way that I can get awareness about new things, and if I want to share something, I can easily share.”

Behind these activities is the everyday work our staff do to create a safe and welcoming environment.

One resident, who came to refuge with her daughter, recently said:

“Since I received the help of Leeds Women's Aid, who have accompanied me in this process, my life and that of my daughter have changed.
Now we live more calmly—without stress and without fear. I’ve started to take care of myself. My health is improving. I’ve started studying and I feel positive and eager to continue improving.
My daughter is happy with her new friends in this beautiful place where they have brought us. Thank you all very much.”

In Other News . . . .

International Women’s Day 2025

This International Women’s Day, we were truly overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity of the organisations and individuals who donated items for the women and children living in our emergency refuge accommodation.

In addition to these donations, several special events were held in support of Leeds Women’s Aid, including a fundraising bikeathon, an arts and crafts event, an International Women’s Day-themed pub quiz, and several live music performances.

Easter 2025
We were grateful to receive a large donation of Easter eggs this year, ensuring that every child and young person in refuge received at least two eggs. These generous gifts came from the general public, community groups, and donation drives organised by local businesses. We thank everyone who donated and helped make Easter special for the children in our care.

Rob Burrow Leeds Full and Half Marathon 2025

We were absolutely blown away by the dedication of our supporters who took part in the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon and Leeds Half Marathon on 11th May, raising a combined total of £7,151. It was inspiring to see the purple Leeds Women’s Aid t-shirts among the runners and to cheer them on as they passed by. Everyone involved should be proud of this incredible achievement.

The funds raised will directly contribute to sustaining our vital domestic abuse services across Leeds.

Children and Young People Hub

Building work has started on our new hub, a dedicated space designed to support around 100 children and young people each year living in our emergency refuge accommodation. This sanctuary will offer a safe place to relax and socialise, helping young residents recover from the trauma of domestic violence and abuse. The project involves a major refurbishment of an existing building on site, including adding a first floor, a new kitchen, updated heating, accessible entry and toilets, a sensory area for children under five, and a teenage zone.

To stay updated on the work of our charity, please follow us on social media:

Facebook: facebook.com/leedswomensaid

Twitter: @LeedsWomensAid

Instagram: @LeedsWomensAid

Best wishes

Links:

• Leeds Women's Aid website