The Friends of North Dorset Womens Refuge celebrated 25 years of supporting the refuge with a lunch party at Motcombe village hall, attended by members of the Friends group and representatives of organisations and groups that support the charity’s work.
Founder Sara Jacson, who cut a birthday cake made by her grandson Jack, recalled the growing awareness in the late 1990s of the need for a refuge for women in North Dorset. There was no money, she said, but both the former North Dorset District Council and Purbeck District Council wanted to help.
The fledgling organisation applied for funding from the government’s Safe Communities scheme and on 2nd January 2000 they received money to set up the refuge. The charity Friends of North Dorset Women’s Refuge (FNDWR) was founded that year to support the residents and their children at the refuge and make their lives a little better.
Sara recalled a meeting with the senior housing officer at North Dorset District Council: ‘With tears in his eyes, he said: “I cannot imagine what it is like to leave a place you have felt safe and loved. Sara, we will make this as good as we can, but we cannot sustain this level of support.”
‘So here we are now, 25 years later. Everybody here has helped in some way – toys, food, money, hampers. Some knit or sew. You all do wonderful things for us. Everybody helps in some way.
‘We need £1,000 every month to provide what is needed.’
The Friends of North Dorset Women’s Refuge welcomes financial donations to help to provide bedding, cutlery and crockery, fresh fruit, support for relocation costs, when families go into permanent accommodation, and funds for outings and parties.
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