Brick by Brick appeal extended

The Independent and Refuge have announced that their Brick by Brick campaign has reached its target. They say, after a huge swell of support from readers, businesses and some very well-known faces, a generous sum from Nationwide has got the appeal over the line. Its £150,000 donation has meant the £300,000 target has been met, which will enable The Independent to build a home for women and children fleeing domestic violence.

And due to the speed and volume of support, The Independent and Refuge have announced they will now be extending the appeal to raise funds to build a second home, doubling the amount of women and children who will be helped out of abuse and into new futures.

Like the first house, the second build will give access to a safe, supportive space regardless of women’s circumstances, added the Independent and Refuge. Currently, every two hours a woman is turned away from an overburdened refuge, with nowhere else to turn. This might be because of capacity, or because she has teenage children, more than two children, pets or complex needs. The house will again be constructed by Persimmon, and will be equipped with discreet security measures, including CCTV and an arson-proof letterbox, ensuring that women and their children can begin to recover from trauma in an environment designed with their safety as the paramount concern.

The Independent and Refuge say Brick by Brick is a response to a crisis that has become even more acute in recent years. Alongside the homes being built, the appeal is a call to action to help address — and raise awareness of — these statistics:

• One in four women is affected by domestic abuse in her lifetime
• One woman is killed by an abusive partner or ex every five days, on average (in England and Wales)
• Every week, approximately three women die by suicide as a result of domestic abuse
• Every two minutes, someone turns to Refuge for help

Since launching, the campaign has garnered significant high profile support, including the Queen, Sir Keir Starmer, Dame Joanna Lumley, David Morrissey, Ranvir Singh, Olivia Colman, Dermot O’Leary, Dame Helen Mirren, Rylan Clark, Andi Oliver, Victoria Derbyshire, Saffron Hocking, Sharon Gaffka, Jung Chang, Sir Patrick Stewart, Gurinder Chadha, Penny Mordaunt, Cherie Blair, Anna Whitehouse and Joely Richardson.

Nationwide says this is its latest commitment to provide help for survivors of domestic abuse. On top of its donation to the Brick by Brick campaign, in January this year it announced it was rolling out 400 Safe Spaces in its branches for domestic abuse survivors, in partnership with Hestia. Upon asking a member of staff to use a Safe Space, individuals can use a private room to help them – giving them access to a phone if they need one, and the chance to discreetly contact family, friends or specialist support.

Geordie Greig, editor-in-chief of The Independent said: “Thank you so much. With donations from our readers and companies, and support from the prime minister, the Queen and some very well-known faces, we have managed to raise our target of £300,000 to build a safe home for survivors of domestic abuse. We give enormous thanks to Nationwide's CEO Debbie Crosbie and all her team. They have shown incredible philanthropic generosity and helped us to close the deal on our first house. They have made the vulnerable safe. But we're not done yet. The Brick by Brick campaign is now aiming to buy another house for Refuge – a second safe space to house women and children escaping terrible torment and begin the recovery process. With your continued support, we can make that happen. So, be a brick, buy a brick and please donate now.”

Charlotte Kensett, director of customer experience and social impact at Nationwide Building Society added: “We’re proud to play our part in taking a stand against domestic abuse and back the Brick by Brick campaign. Our support will help women and children get away from terrible situations that ruin and threaten lives and will help make a difference by giving survivors much-needed refuge and help. In addition, we offer Safe Spaces across more than 400 of our branches, where victims of domestic abuse can access support.”

Hetti Barkworth Nanton, chair of trustees at Refuge said: “We are overwhelmed by the generosity of Nationwide which has come forward with this incredible donation, helping us reach our Brick by Brick target after just a month of the appeal launching! This means that by early next year a secure home will have been built and will be ready to welcome a woman, and any children and pets she may have, fleeing her abuser – keeping her safe, and providing hope for the future. We are so motivated by the success of what has been achieved together and are delighted to be extending the appeal in order to purchase a second house. Together with The Independent, its readers and Persimmon, we know we can make a life-saving difference to even more women's lives."

Anthony Vigor, chair of the Persimmon Charitable Foundation remarked: “The support received from both the public and celebrities for the Brick by Brick campaign has been outstanding. Their generosity means that we can now secure the purchase of the first house and begin working towards a second home that will benefit another family surviving domestic abuse. We feel privileged to be involved with this project and the life-changing benefits it will deliver.

David Morrissey, actor and Refuge champion commented: “As Brick by Brick reaches its target to build a home, I want to say thank you. Thank you for donating, for listening to survivors’ stories, for spreading the word and for helping to save the lives of women and children who are subject to the most appalling abuse. Please, if you can, stay with us: the more money we raise, the more women we reach. The more people who hear about the scale of domestic abuse, the more likely it is that we can enact the change that is so desperately needed.”

For more information or to donate, people can visit: Donate to Refuge | Help Stop Domestic Violence or text BRICK to 70560 to donate £15

Refuge's National Domestic Abuse Helpline is available 24/7 on 0808 2000 247. As well as offering advice and support, Refuge provides information on accessing emergency temporary accommodation whilst waiting for a space in a specialist refuge.