Housing association, The Guinness Partnership is supporting local Milton Keynes charity, MK Act to provide additional support to those who are experiencing domestic abuse.
MK Act, which was established 45 years ago, has seen demand for its services double during the pandemic.
Through its work, the charity protects adults and children from domestic and sexual violence and abuse. They provide safe emergency accommodation for survivors and provides counselling as well as other services.
The new funding from The Guinness Partnership is enabling the charity to provide an extra 207 hours of additional staffing as well as support at the domestic abuse refuge which has been full to capacity during the pandemic.
It will also give the charity access to provide 115 specialist domestic abuse counselling sessions for survivors.
Alex Wrigley, Domestic Abuse Lead at the Guinness Partnership said: “MK Act’s support is not just life changing, it is saving lives, and we’re grateful that we can go some way to helping them fulfil this urgent need for their services.
“Providing this latest funding is one of the many ways we’re committed to tackling domestic abuse, which includes partnering with other charities across the country.”
According to statistics from police forces across the UK, there was one domestic abuse call every 30 seconds at the beginning of lockdown.
Sue Burke, CEO of MK Act, said: “During the pandemic, rates of domestic violence increased, and our clients were in a more dangerous situation.
The money that the Guinness Partnership has provided has been invaluable. It’s meant we’ve been able to increase our staffing levels to cope with this demand. We cannot thank them enough. It’s made such a big difference.”
Guinness’s commitment to helping survivors of domestic abuse also includes:
- Developing a Domestic Abuse Support Kit in collaboration with MD Group and the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA).
- Gaining accreditation from the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA), which demonstrates Guinness has the right tools, processes and policies in place to support people experiencing domestic abuse.
- Signing up to the Chartered Institute of Housing’s 'Make a Stand' pledge against domestic abuse.
