A donation drive which was launched with the aim of supporting women and children at Harrogate Women’s Refuge has proven to be a huge success with £305 raised and countless toys donated.
The successful initiative was launched in late December by Jessica Williams, a Care Supervisor at Bluebird Care Harrogate. Jessica’s selflessness and dedication to supporting the Women’s Refuge follows her own personal experience of a women’s refuge back in 2018 after she was the victim of domestic violence by her ex-boyfriend on the night England lost in the World Cup.
According to the Office of National Statistics, in 2022 around 1.7m (6.9%) of women suffered domestic violence in England and Wales during the year, while research by the University of Lancaster last year showed that violent domestic abuse incidents increase by 38% when England loses football matches.
For Jessica, her experience of domestic violence led to her being placed in a women’s refuge in Northallerton. While she was hours away from her home and family, it was here she was able to rebuild her life and regain her confidence, with the help of the Independent Domestic Abuse Service (IDAS) and their team. However, during her time at the refuge she also met numerous women who had arrived with their children, with little to no belongings after being compelled to move quickly for their protection.
Amidst a growing cost-of-living crisis affecting people across the UK, and inspired by these moments in her life, Jessica decided to launch a donation drive in a bid to play her part, give back to the community that helped her to get back on her feet, and support others going through a similar experience she did.
The donation drive has proved to be a huge success, thanks to the generous support from members of the community who donated numerous gifts including Lego, a scooter, a tablet, and many more items for families.
Jessica Williams said: “I am delighted with how the initiative has gone. I think it has been a real success and it’s meant a lot to me to know that the donations from this drive will make a real difference to the lives of other people going through what I know is such a difficult time.
“This is a cause which is very close to my heart, and I hope my story, and the generous donations, will go a long way towards helping other women and children.”
Sam Mortimer, Registered Care Manager at Bluebird Care Harrogate, added: “We were delighted to offer our support to Jessica after she told the team about her desire to support a charity close to her heart, as well as stories of the incredible work they do.
“We were quickly inundated with donations at the office. The Harrogate community has really pulled together to support this important cause, and it has been very heart-warming to meet so many people who are willing to give donations and toys to support women and children receiving support from the Women’s Refuge. Thank you to all our kind hearted team, customers, and local community for your generous support.”
