The Angels Foundation UK has opened a wellbeing centre in Cambridgeshire after receiving the first year of a three-year, £150,000 funding commitment from the Cambridge Building Society.
The charity, which supports survivors of domestic abuse, has used the funding to move from operating from founder Caroline Deeprose’s home to dedicated premises, while also increasing its staffing capacity and expanding the number of people it can help.
The Angels provides practical support for survivors moving into new accommodation, including furniture and flooring, as well as counselling, therapy and recovery workshops designed to address the longer-term effects of domestic abuse.
The £150,000 award is the first multi-year grant of its kind made by The Cambridge. The partnership followed an earlier Community Fund grant in 2023, before The Angels became one of the building society’s community partners in 2024.
SECOND YEAR OF SUPPORT
With the wellbeing centre now established, the charity plans to use the second year of funding to continue developing its two main areas of work: tackling furniture poverty and providing counselling and therapeutic services.
The longer-term funding arrangement is also intended to give the charity greater certainty when planning services and working with referral partners.
Deeprose, founder and chief executive of The Angels Foundation UK, said: “The first year of funding has taken us from working from my kitchen table to now having our own premises, our own wellbeing centre. It’s enabled me to work full-time on The Angels Foundation as a charity, and we now have a bookkeeper.
“The money from The Cambridge has helped us grow and we’re able to support many, many more survivors of domestic abuse in Cambridge.”
The charity said its practical assistance is particularly important for people who have left abusive relationships and are moving into properties without essential furniture or flooring.
Its therapeutic services are intended to provide longer-term support as survivors rebuild their lives, including through counselling and domestic abuse recovery workshops.
LONGER-TERM FUNDING
Peter Burrows, chief executive of The Cambridge, said: “Seeing how our funding has helped The Angels grow from an idea being run from a kitchen table into a charity with its own wellbeing centre is hugely inspiring.
“We’re proud to be supporting the vital work they do for survivors of domestic abuse and look forward to seeing that impact continue to grow over the next two years.
“Innovative funding streams, including multi-year grants, help charities like The Angels plan with confidence and build more sustainable services for the long term, as part of our commitment to delivering lasting support in our communities.”
The original kitchen table from which Deeprose started the charity is now kept inside the new wellbeing centre.
