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The Independent is delighted to reveal that – thanks to your support – its campaign to raise £300,000 to build a pioneering safe home for domestic abuse survivors has reached its halfway point.
A fantastic response from readers who have given online or by texting a £15 donation has ensured that the project – to help provide a home for a family fleeing the horror of abuse – is now well underway with foundations laid and brickwork started.
High-profile supporters including Sir Keir Starmer, Dame Joanna Lumley, Olivia Colman and chef Andi Oliver have all given their backing, as well as campaigners and charity workers.
Be a brick, buy a brick and donate here or text BRICK to 70560 to donate £15
As the campaign, in partnership with the domestic abuse charity Refuge, reached this significant point, Geordie Greig, the publication’s editor-in-chief, thanked readers for their generous donations.
He said: “A huge thank you for your continued support. We’re so pleased to say we are now at the halfway point of the campaign, with donations standing at £150,000.
“Thank you to all those who have given to us but we need to make this a reality. Any more donations help towards building a home for survivors of domestic abuse. So be a brick, buy a brick and help rebuild women’s lives.”
One woman fleeing domestic abuse is turned away from a refuge every two hours due to space and capacity. The Independent has heard testimony from a wide range of survivors, including a woman held hostage in her flat for a week and others simply too terrified to leave.
BBC presenter Victoria Derbyshire opened up about the abuse she, her siblings and her mother endured at the hands of her father, describing in brutal detail how he scalded her by pouring hot soup over her school uniform.
Cherie Blair KC recalled the time she was pushed down the stairs by the partner of a victim she was representing.
In an interview with The Independent, Sir Keir vowed that he and his cabinet would all donate to the campaign, as he recalled the murder of a woman stabbed 71 times by her abusive ex-partner.
The safe house being built by firm Persimmon will be semi-detached, with a living room, open-plan kitchen and dining room as well as a private garden. It will be located close to local transport links and amenities so that the family can travel to and from school, go to work, and carry on with their lives. If they have a pet, they will be able to bring it with them – often a stumbling block for those trying to flee.
The home, which is being built at an undisclosed location to protect those who live there, will also feature the latest security measures, including a fireproof letter box, CCTV, and enhanced locking features on windows and doors, and will be linked to the local police force.
Here they can find safety and freedom, and rebuild their lives – brick by brick.
Please donate now to the Brick by Brick campaign, launched by The Independent and charity Refuge, to help raise £300,000 to build a safe space for women where they can escape domestic abuse, rebuild their lives and make a new future. Text BRICK to 70560 to donate £15.
The national domestic abuse helpline offers support for women on 0808 2000 247, or you can visit the Refuge website. There is a dedicated men’s advice line on 0808 8010 327.
