Three-year funding boost for Border Women's Aid

Carol Walker, service manager at Border Women’s Aid.

Border Women’s Aid, which provides support to women who have experienced domestic abuse, is celebrating a fantastic end to 2022 with the news that the National Lottery Community Fund has extended its funding until March 2026.

This means that, for another three years, BWA will be able to continue the 1:1 outreach support it has provided to women across the region since April 2020.

Carol Walker, service manager of Border Women’s Aid, said: ‘Working in partnership with the National Lottery Community Fund since first being awarded funding in 2020 has enabled us to shape the service to suit the changing needs of women in the midst of a worldwide pandemic.

"A further three years funding from NLCF gives us the financial security to continue to listen to women and provide a service that is flexible and responsive to what women want.’

The award will also allow the group to develop further the highly popular and effective Own My Life group sessions.

These 12-week courses increase women’s understanding of the dynamics of domestic abuse and the impact this has had on them. Encouraging peer support has been a surprising but very welcome additional benefit.

Border Women’s Aid is now able to accept referrals from partner agencies for Own My Life, creating opportunities for women in the Borders not being supported by BWA to take advantage of group support.

According to Police Scotland, last year in the Borders, more than 1,000 women reported domestic abuse.