Big Lottery Fund
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Over £660k for families dealing with domestic abuse

Vital support for families across Fife living with domestic abuse will continue for the next five years thanks to funding from the Big Lottery Fund announced yesterday (WEDNESDAY 7 OCTOBER).

Yesterday’s award of £666,733 to Fife Council’s Domestic and Sexual Abuse Partnership will mean they can continue to run their CEDAR (children experiencing domestic abuse recovery) project for another five years. The CEDAR approach is a unique way of working with mothers and children, helping them to recover from domestic abuse by finding a safe place while they deal with their experiences and begin to rebuild their lives.

Councillor Margaret Kennedy, Chair of Safer Communities Committee, Fife Council, said, “CEDAR is a project that has made a significant difference to the lives of children and young people affected by abuse in Fife. The unique CEDAR approach, with therapeutic groups for children and their mothers has been shown to be highly beneficial in mutual recovery.  Helping children to understand about the hurting within their family and they are not to blame for the abuse.

“CEDAR recognises that mothers are the experts in their own children and supports them to talk to their children about their shared experiences, to nurture their child and keep them safe and happy.  This award will allow us to increase the number of groups we can offer across Fife and improve our response to babies, toddlers, children and their mothers affected by domestic abuse.”

Pauline* found the strength to move on from a violent, destructive relationship thanks to CEDAR.  She said, “When the project was recommended I can remember feeling so ashamed and embarrassed that by staying in an abusive relationship I have caused all this hurt and confusion with my children.  I cried all the way through the first session. CEDAR is amazing; somewhere that takes all the broken pieces of your past and gives you the answers to all the unanswered questions.  It allows you to communicate positively with your children and opens up the wounds, heals them and gives you a focus for the future as a family unit again.”

Big Lottery Fund Scotland Chair, Maureen McGinn, said, “This funding will help women and children who have been affected by domestic abuse rebuild their lives together. We know women who have been abused at home can experience further emotional and physical problems.  If they can access effective support and help at an early stage, then they and their children have a better chance of a positive long term future.  I am delighted that this funding will support more women like Pauline and her children through this process and help them to move to a brighter future.”

*Not her real name
Find out more about the CEDAR approach
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=44&v=JcNzYDKRsA8Goes to different website

Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 0141 242 1451 / 0141 242 1508
Website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Twitter: @BIGSCOTLAND #biglottery
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BigLotteryFundScotlandGoes to different website

Notes to Editors:

  • The Big Lottery Fund supports the aspirations of people who want to make life better for their communities across the UK. We are responsible for giving out 40% of the money raised by the National Lottery for good causes and invest over £650 million a year in projects big and small in health, education, environment and charitable purposes.
  • Since June 2004 we have awarded over £8 billion to projects that make a difference to people and communities in need, from early years intervention to commemorative travel funding for World War Two veterans.
  • Since the National Lottery began in 1994, £34 billion has been raised and more than 450,000 grants awarded.

 

Channel website: https://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/

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