Living Without Abuse, a charity supporting anyone affected by Domestic Abuse and/or Sexual Violence across Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland, are finally enjoying their new working spaces after a much-needed refurbishment at their Loughborough and Leicester offices.
Severn Trent Community Fund awarded the charity £14,840 to complete the project, which saw the offices that staff and clients use at LWA receive a much-needed makeover, to provide a warm, welcoming, and safe space for employees and victims escaping trauma.
With almost sixty colleagues using the offices daily to advise, help and support those fleeing or enduring unthinkable situations, it was important that this was done efficiently and quickly, without disrupting them and their workload.
After receiving the funds back in April 2023, LWA wasted no time in planning and ensuring funds were well spent, providing new office furniture, network improvements, furnishings and decorating rooms to allow staff and clients to feel happier in their working environment.
Work began on LWA’s Loughborough office in August, turning their dated meeting room and offices into a relaxed, inviting environment for all.
As well as comfortable furniture and artwork, sound proofing was implemented into the wellbeing/lounge areas to ensure clients and victims of domestic abuse could come and talk to members of LWA’s professional teams in confidence.
The Leicester office located on London Road needed a little more than furniture. Long-serving colleagues were consulted on their opinions and palettes, and after a hiring a decorator to begin the makeover, the client meeting rooms and wellbeing areas were transformed from grey and cold, to warm and inviting in under a week.
Emma Bliss, fundraiser, says: “Thanks to the funding and support from the Severn Trent Community Fund, we have been able to refurbish both our Leicester and Loughborough offices. Our staff deal with a multitude of clients daily, often experiencing stressful and sometimes, very dangerous situations.
“With support needs and demand for LWA’s services increasing every week, it was so important that we could use the funding to provide comfortable and inviting office spaces where colleagues looked forward to coming to work in, and clients could feel safe and relaxed when visiting to discuss sensitive topics.”
