Lancaster domestic abuse scheme helps survivors recover

Survivors of domestic abuse in Lancaster have been taking part in a new scheme to help them recover from the stress and anxiety caused by the abuse.

The scheme is being run by Impact's Domestic abuse service, LetGo. This has been funded by Lancashire Sport Partnership through their Positive Together project.

Kirsty Thompson, Community Networker at Impact said: “We already offer courses to help clients understand what has happened to them and to assist their psychological recovery but we wanted to offer an opportunity for physical and social recovery. The group have really benefitted from this experience which has raised their confidence and helped them make new friends.”

Some of the women attending the sessions have received training to become peer mentors.

Lisa, a peer mentor with Impact said:“I wanted other women to know that they can feel so much better if they attend courses like The Freedom Programme, my role is to give them support to attend meetings and court or to just meet up for a chat if there’s something bothering them."

Six self-defence sessions were delivered by experienced tutor and Women’s Business and social media guru Jane Binion at Dallas Road Community School. Jane said: “It has been amazing to see how much they have enjoyed it and really come out of their shells.”

Katey Foster from Lancashire Sport Partnership attended the final session and was impressed by the skills the women had gained.

She said: “It has been a very positive experience for everyone involved and hopefully will be the springboard for them to try other activities.”

The group will be learning relaxation and stretching techniques to combat stress over the next four weeks with yoga teacher Helen Dixon.

For more information about the project and other Domestic Abuse courses locally please contact Kirsty on 01524 61398.