Charity Partner

The Midcounties Co-operative is delighted to announce that during 2011 and 2012 we will be supporting Women's Aid as our Charity Partner.

Women's Aid is the national coordinating body for a network of over 370 local organisations, which provide over 500 refuges, help-lines, outreach services and advice centres for women, children and men affected by domestic and sexual violence.

• One in four women will experience domestic violence in their life time
• Two women are killed every week by a current or former partner
• In 90% of domestic violence cases children are in the same or next room
• At least 750,000 children witness domestic violence every year, many of whom are being directly abused themselves

I wanted to take part in the Women's Aid Real Man campaign because domestic violence affects so many women and children during their lifetime and I think it is important to stand up against what is often a hidden crime.

Entrepreneur and Dragon's Den Star, Duncan Bannatyne OBE

For victims, it can be lead to a decline in mental health and emotional well-being, an inability to work, drug and/or alcohol addiction, homelessness, physical harm and even death.

• Providing Refuges and offering emotional and practical support (legal, welfare, housing and financial) to victims of domestic abuse.
• Providing Outreach support and advice services for children and male victims www.thehideout.org.uk
• Campaigning towards the prevention of domestic violence through public awareness and education
• "Real Men" Campaign, ACT

Women's Aid has an income of less than £2.5million per year so our money will make a real difference to their work. Guaranteed statutory grants have declined and funding pledged for next year onwards is now under threat due to the government's impending spending review.

There are 52 centres and 49 safe houses across our core trading area and a large variety of volunteering opportunities' with below:

The money raised by our colleagues and members over the two year partnership, will help support ten refuges based in our trading area and Women's Aid's national campaigns to end domestic violence. For more information please e-mail Community.Team@midcounties.coop.

You can find out more about the work of the organisation at www.womensaid.org.uk