A RALLYING call to help a much-needed county lifeline for survivors of rape or sexual abuse raise a massive £50,000 in just one week has been unveiled.
West Mercia Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre (WMRSASC) is taking part in the Women and Girls Match Fund 2022 to raise the five-figure sum in just seven days.
Hard-working charity chiefs are looking to raise £25,000 from public or corporate donations and every pound will be matched by the DCMS Tampon Tax Fund meaning a potential £50,000 windfall could be on its way.
The demand for counselling services for children and young people who have experienced any form of sexual abuse has been steadily increasing over the last few years, and as Covid-19 restrictions were lifted last year the number of CYP referrals surged by more than 150 per cent.
As a result, the centre would like to employ a full-time specialist counsellor to support the increasing volume of referrals, including conducting assessments, child protection safeguarding, and counselling sessions.
Ensuring clients have quicker access to services, will help to prevent the development of unhealthy coping strategies and the ripple effect benefit will be felt throughout the family, friends, and the wider community.
Donations to the project will be generously matched by Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s (DCMS) Tampon Tax Fund during the campaign, meaning your money can support twice as many young women and girls.
Rachel Heard, fund-raising co-ordinator at WMRSASC, said: “It’s an amazing opportunity and we want to raise as much money as possible via public donations during the week.
“Every pound raised will be doubled, which will mean we’ll able to support more young people and children affected by sexual abuse.”
The centre is the only specialist sexual violence service working across Herefordshire and Worcestershire and was selected to take part in the Women and Girls Match Fund following a competitive application process.
All public donations made to participating charities via theBigGive.org.uk during the week of the campaign from Tuesday (March 8) to March 15 will be matched by the fund up to £25,000
Visit www.theBigGive.org.uk and donate from midday on International Women’s Day #IWD2022 (March 8) until midday on March 15.
