Cambridge BS donation supports wellness centre for domestic abuse survivors
The Cambridge Building Society has helped to fund a new wellness centre for domestic abuse survivors through a donation to The Angels Foundation UK.
The wellness centre will be available to survivors of domestic abuse across Cambridgeshire, and the charity will use the £150,000 grant over three years from The Cambridge to build on its support for those in need.
The Angels provides practical and emotional support to survivors of domestic abuse, including furniture and flooring for those moving into new homes, alongside counselling and therapeutic services to help address the mental health impact of abuse.
The multi-year award is the first of its kind made by The Cambridge and has helped The Angels move from operating from founder Caroline Deeprose’s kitchen table to establishing its own wellbeing centre, increasing staffing capacity and enabling it to support many more survivors.
Deeprose (pictured), founder and CEO of The Angels Foundation UK, said: “The first year of funding has taken us from working from my kitchen table to now having our own premises, our own wellbeing centre. It’s enabled me to work full-time on The Angels Foundation as a charity, and we now have a bookkeeper. The money from The Cambridge has helped us grow and we’re able to support many, many more survivors of domestic abuse in Cambridge.”
The charity has also developed its services and strengthened relationships with referral partners during the first year, and is now entering the next stage of its growth.
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The Angels will use the second year of funding to continue meeting demand for its two core areas of support: furniture poverty and providing counselling and therapeutic services for survivors.
The Angels said the long-term commitment from The Cambridge gave the charity the certainty to plan and deliver services for people who need ongoing support.
Peter Burrows, chief executive of The Cambridge, said: “Seeing how our funding has helped The Angels grow from an idea being run from a kitchen table into a charity with its own wellbeing centre is hugely inspiring. We’re proud to be supporting the vital work they do for survivors of domestic abuse and look forward to seeing that impact continue to grow over the next two years.
“Innovative funding streams, including multi-year grants, help charities like The Angels plan with confidence and build more sustainable services for the long term, as part of our commitment to delivering lasting support in our communities.”
The charity’s practical support helps survivors who may be moving into empty properties after leaving an abusive relationship, while its counselling, therapy and recovery workshops provide vital support as they begin rebuilding their lives.
The partnership builds on a relationship that began with a one-off Community Fund grant in 2023, before The Angels became one of The Cambridge’s community partners in 2024.
