Chair’s Report

Chair’s Report: Donna Cullimore

I am proud to serve Stop Domestic Abuse as the Chair of Trustees. The past year has demonstrated some of the organisation’s key characteristics of resilience, adaptability and flexibility.

There have been many challenges that we have met with understanding, skill

and passion this year.

We expanded our services in new areas of Hampshire in April 2019 and started new services to reach more people affected by domestic abuse. We have also responded well to COVID-19.

None of this would have been possible without the dedication of Claire Lambon, our CEO, and the wonderful team of staff and volunteers who have risen to every challenge. I want to thank every one of them.

Domestic abuse has received a lot of media attention, both due to the Domestic Abuse Bill going through Parliament and the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on victims and survivors. We want domestic abuse to be ‘everyone’s business’ and to remain a priority for the whole of society.

Through engaging with the media and projects like Ask Me (see page 12) we break the silence to talk about domestic abuse and its impact on women, children, young people and men.

Our Buy a Brick campaign (see page 16) continues strongly, with nearly £750,000 secured towards our £1million target.

The need for refuge has never been more strongly exemplified than during the COVID-19 lockdown when being told to ‘stay home’ was not a safe option for many domestic abuse victims.

The months ahead will present new challenges which I am confident Stop Domestic Abuse will meet with resilience, adaptability and flexibility. We all have our part to play to achieve our vision of a world without domestic abuse.

Please do what you can to help us make our vision a reality.