Charity leads the way in digital learning for people experiencing financial difficulties

Charity leads the way in digital learning for people experiencing financial difficulties

The Haven Wolverhampton has today (25th September 2014) announced the launch of its on-line Financial Stability Advice Tool that will allow victims of economic abuse to gain financial freedom.

On the back of the success of the charity’s ‘Moving on through Economic Empowerment’ project that saw 150 women across Wolverhampton being supported, a brand new on-line digital tool unique to The Haven Wolverhampton is now available to individuals and agencies working with individuals who have experienced financial abuse.

The brand new Financial Stability Advice Tool funded by The Money Trust has been developed by the charity’s Financial Inclusion Team and builds on the financial capability sessions that had been previously run by the charity for victims of financial and economic abuse. It has been designed with a view to aiding victims of financial abuse to become more aware of their own finances, help them become more finance-savvy and gain confidence about making financial decisions.

By launching the tool, the charity aims to demonstrate to people that it is doing everything in its reach to support those who have experienced financial abuse and help them to: regain financial control, get the appropriate support and build stable futures for themselves and their families.  People will be able to access the tool from the comfort of their own homes to learn about complex concepts such as ‘What is APR?’ as well as understand more fully the Universal Credit system and how they can overcome financial barriers and avoid payday lending schemes. The tool will also be a valuable addition to the kitbag of those agencies and professionals working with people affected by Financial Abuse.

It is anticipated that the tool will be widely used by many people and sights are set by the charity to develop an ‘app’ for young people so that they understand the importance of budgeting and prevent the future reliance on loan companies.   

Upon announcing the launch, Rani Kaur, Lead for Community and Advocacy at The Haven said “We are excited to have developed the financial capability tool and aim to empower women with the financial awareness they need to sustain their property agreements following financial abuse.  We also encourage external agencies to become familiar with the tool so that they are more equipped to recognise whether their clients are in a financially abusive situation.”

If you would like to find out how the Financial Stability Advice Tool can help you or help your clients speak to a member of our Financial Inclusion Team on 01902 572145.

The Haven sends out SOS

The Haven women’s refuge is sending out an SOS signal today, urging the local authority, funders and community groups to commit to supporting specialist delivery of expert services for women and children survivors of domestic violence. The service has joined a nationwide campaign run by Women’s Aid in response to a crisis in our network of women’s refuges caused by devastating budget cuts.

The Haven is raising awareness that nationally we already don’t have enough specialist services to meet the needs of women and children who are homeless and experiencing domestic violence.

New research released today by Women’s Aid for the launch of the SOS campaign reveals a severe shortfall in the number of refuge spaces available, as well as broad public support for a national response to close the gap:

• The West Midlands is one of the stronger regions in terms of providing bed spaces, with four-fifths of the refuge spaces required. The region currently has 452 bed spaces, but needs 567: a shortfall of 20% [1].
• Six in ten (61%) voters feel the Government should do more to preserve the national network of domestic violence refuges for women and children [2].
• Nearly six in ten (59%) voters feel the government should do more to ensure funding support for women and children who have experienced domestic violence [3].

Kath Rees, CEO at The Haven

“Two women a week are killed by a partner or ex-partner, and at The Haven we have worked for over 40 years to protect women in the region from perpetrators of domestic violence, to help women and children live full lives free from the fear of violence and try to prevent these murders. Male victims are also supported by The Haven through a partnership with St George’s Charity. However, cuts and gruelling commissioning practices across the country are leading to refuges and services closing and women and children being left at risk. We are sending an SOS today to our local council and supporters to urge them to protect services here so we can continue to play our part in the vital national network of domestic violence services. If you can help by fundraising for The Haven, please contact Laura on 01902 572134.”

Polly Neate, Chief Executive of Women’s Aid said:

“Perpetrators of domestic violence will do everything they can to control their victim, which is why specialist support services are essential to help women escape and build independent lives. A national network of support services, which allows women to get help locally or escape the area, is essential to protecting women and children. This is why we are sending out the SOS signal together, and we urge the local authority to make a commitment to ensuring that the West Midlands will play its part in protecting vulnerable women and children across the country.”

About the SOS campaign

Women’s Aid is sending out an SOS Signal - urging councils and the public to help us Save Refuges to Save Lives.

The charity is calling for:

• central Government to commit to a national funding solution for specialist domestic violence services.
• local commissioners to commit to delivering specialist and expert services for women survivors of domestic violence.
• the public to sign the SOS petition and to send their SOS signal through Twitter.

Going sky-high for charity

Going sky-high for charity

Kiran is set to take to the skies for a 10,000 feet sky-dive all in the name of charity – The Haven Wolverhampton.

Twenty year old Kiran Chander Bhardwaj, a Claims Handler at Wolverhampton based Equity in Finance Ltd, faces her first sky-dive in Nottingham on Saturday 9th August.  She will be doing a tandem sky-dive from 10,000 feet with a qualified instructor from Somerset based Click and Jump who have over 30 years’ experience in sky-diving.

No formal training is required for the sky-dive but all safety instructions will be given to Kiran on the day when she will in her own words be having an “exhilarating experience everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy.”

Commenting on her decision to donate all funds raised to The Haven, Kiran said “The Haven is an organisation that I believe in and that it should receive all the support it can for their very worthy goal.”

Hayley Edwards Marketing and Publicity Officer at The Haven added “Given the current climate of The Haven’s funding potentially being drastically reduced, donations are gratefully appreciated and the lengths that supporters go to to raise funds for The Haven is amazing.  Any monies that we receive are spent very wisely to ensure that we can deliver services to our service-users.

Kiran has a target of £500 to reach and is currently making good headway. Anyone wishing to donate to Kiran’s skydive can do so by visiting http://www.bmycharity.com/thehaven.

The Haven Summer Appeal

The Sun has got its hat on - let the children play and be free from Domestic Violence

The Haven Wolverhampton asks the people and business of Wolverhampton to donate towards their Summer Appeal that will help children make new memories and friends along the way.

Over the Summer months, The Haven will support up to 100 children across its refuge service. In order to keep the children and young people in our care active, engaged and occupied The Haven produces a programme of summer play for all the children to enjoy.  

Play, fun and laughter are always high on the Summer Play Programme agenda with a view to helping to re-build the children’s confidence and making the experience of refuge as enjoyable as possible and make it a Summer to remember for all the right reasons.  Our Children’s and Young People’s Team organise a range of activities such as art and craft workshops, book clubs, cooking competitions, sports days and outings to leisure centres, themes parks and museums.

To be able to implement this programme The Haven needs your help! We appeal for donations of new games and toys, tickets to local attractions and even financial donations which will enable the children to visit and engage in events taking place across the UK.  For example, £10.00 would provide a swim session for 8 children or a game of bowling for 4 children. People may have contacts within various services that could provide concessionary or discounted tickets to attractions.

Hayley Edwards Marketing & PR Office at The Haven says “Every donation that we receive is greatly appreciated.  It is important to us that we give those children who are living in temporary accommodation the chance to relax, laugh, joke and have fun. The support we receive helps to provide a stable and safe environment and works towards helping these children re-build their lives after domestic violence.”

To make a donation and arrange delivery call 01902 572173 or email hayleye@havenrefuge.org.uk for more information.

The Grand Lands Midlands Premiere Of The Bodyguard

SMASH HIT WEST END MUSICAL
THE BODYGUARD
AT WOLVERHAMPTON GRAND THEATRE

PUBLIC ONSALE DATE: FRIDAY 18 JULY AT 10AM

Michael Harrison and David Ian are delighted to announce that Thea Sharrock’s hit production of THE BODYGUARD will embark on a national tour which will include Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from Tuesday 21 April – Saturday 2 May 2015.

Based on Lawrence Kasdan’s 1992 Oscar nominated Warner Bros. film, THE BODYGUARD has a book by Alex Dinelaris and opened at the Adelphi Theatre in London’s West End in December 2012, where it continues to play to packed houses and standing ovations. It was nominated for four Laurence Olivier Awards including Best New Musical and Best Set Design.

Former Secret Service agent turned bodyguard, Frank Farmer, is hired to protect superstar Rachel Marron from an unknown stalker. Each expects to be in charge; what they don’t expect is to fall in love. A romantic thriller, THE BODYGUARD features a host of irresistible classics including Queen of the Night, So Emotional, One Moment in Time, Saving All My Love, I’m Your Baby Tonight, Run to You, I Have Nothing, I Wanna Dance with Somebody and one of the greatest hit songs of all time – I Will Always Love You.

THE BODYGUARD is produced by Michael Harrison and David Ian.

Casting will be announced at a later date.

Lady Rollers swop their skates and rink for trainers and mud

A group of Wolverhampton ladies have opted to ditch their skates and don their trainers to face the gruelling challenge of the five-mile JCB Mud Run in aid of The Haven Wolverhampton.

Representatives from The Wolverhampton Honour Rollers will be heading down to the JCB Mud Run on Saturday 5th July at the JCB estate in the heart of the Staffordshire countryside.  The JCB Mud Run is definitely not for the feint hearted – it is a physical, muddy and very challenging course that will see people trudging through a series of obstacles including a mud slide, a hay stack and a giant concrete pipe buried in the undergrowth.

The group facing the challenge is made up of ladies from a range of professions, but all with one common aim in mind – to raise funds for The Haven Wolverhampton.  Some have experienced the Mud Run before, whilst for others this will be their first time.  Though none of them are strangers to a challenge or tough competition.  The Wolverhampton Honour Rollers Derby team is the City’s first and only flat track roller derby league team and over the past few months have taken part in Roller Derby matches across the county to raise funds for The Haven.   

On supporting The Haven, Nik Sephton commented, “The Wolverhampton Honour Rollers Team is a community in itself and we want to contribute something to a local cause within the wider Wolverhampton community.  We chose The Haven Wolverhampton for this very reason – they are a Wolverhampton based charity that help so many people across the city to escape domestic violence and abuse and with the threat of funding cuts to such vital services fundraising efforts are needed more than ever."

The team has a target of £500 to raise and is making good headway in reaching this target.  Anyone wishing to sponsor them can donate on-line at https://www.justgiving.com/WolverhamptonHonourRollersMudRun2014/.

Hayley Edwards, Marketing and PR Officer for The Haven said “The Wolverhampton Honour Rollers never cease to show us their commitment.  Over the past few months they have demonstrated a huge amount of support to The Haven by selling our merchandise at bouts as well as donating funds from cake sales to name a few.  The JCB Mud Run is an incredibly tough course but we are sure that they will do us proud and finish in great style.”

Child Mentors Required in Wolverhampton

Fun-loving and dedicated individuals required to work on city-wide project

Could you be a child mentor volunteer working with children across Wolverhampton?

Wolverhampton city-wide initiative “Wolverhampton Improving Futures” works with children between the ages of 5-11 years old with a primary aim to prevent them from developing anti-social behaviour and instead steer them in the direction of achieving their full potential.

Working with a number of agencies across Wolverhampton, including The Haven, the project offers children the support and life skills they need to increase their self-esteem, self-confidence and improve their behaviour and achieve their full potential. Each child is offered an individually tailored one to one mentoring programme with a carefully screened, trained and supervised adult volunteer mentor.  Volunteer mentors work on a 1-2-1 basis, spending between 2 – 4 hours per week over a 12 month period on a programme of activities. 

Jennifer Edwards, Improving Futures Officer at The Haven said “Mentoring a young person is a fun, rewarding and at times challenging experience, but we ensure that volunteers access training, regular supervision and 1-2-1 support so that they get the best experience possible.  We carefully match all our volunteer mentors to children who need someone who can listen, support and most importantly engage them in a range of fun, creative, varied activities.”

If you think that you could offer a few hours to help a child to improve their future call now more for information or to sign up to the next Training Programme.  This 3 day course covers relationship building, boundary setting, solution focused techniques and safeguarding and offers a comprehensive introduction to the mentoring programme. 

For more information on the Wolverhampton Improving Futures project contact Mandy Smith, Wolverhampton Improving Futures - Programme Manager at asmith@wolverhamptonvsc.org.uk    / 01902 328977 or jennifere@havenrefuge.org.uk   / 07738764669.