Homelessness charity, Llamau, has been awarded a £5,000 grant from the B&Q Foundation. The charity is one of the first in the UK to receive a grant from the Foundation – which has so far raised a total of nearly £500,000.
Llamau will use the money towards expanding its Domestic Abuse services by building three new, private and soundproofed consultation rooms at its Multi-Agency Centre in Caerphilly, enabling the charity to provide more essential 1-2-1 support for victims of domestic abuse. Demand for their service is high, and the charity has seen a significant increase in people seeking help as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; they are aiming to complete the work by the end of 2020.
Llamau is daring to imagine a world without homelessness and works across Wales to prevent homelessness among vulnerable young people and women. The charity has been working tirelessly to meet the increase in demand, particularly over the last seven months, for its essential services including 24 hour staffed young people’s accommodation, domestic abuse refuges and advice and crisis support for young people and women who are at risk of homelessness or domestic abuse.
The money for the grant was raised from the sale of face masks at B&Q*, with all profits going to the B&Q Foundation.
Jenna Lewis, Director of Fundraising and Communications at Llamau, said: “We’re very grateful to the B&Q Foundation for the funding. It’s so important for women to feel as safe as possible when they come forward to talk about the abuse they’re suffering or have suffered. This funding will help us reach more women, providing 1-2-1 support in a space where women feel safe enough to open up about their experiences. This is a vital step in working towards ending homelessness and domestic abuse for women in Wales.”
Catherine Burge, Chair of the B&Q Foundation said: “Llamau does incredible work in Caerphilly helping support vulnerable women and children. We’re really pleased to be able to contribute to the expansion of its domestic abuse services through a B&Q Foundation grant and help the charity provide additional safe spaces for their clients.”
The B&Q Foundation is a charity set up by B&Q; born out of a belief that anyone can improve their home to make life better. B&Q wanted to reach its local communities to help everyone realise the benefits of home improvement.
Through the B&Q Foundation, B&Q will help local communities shape the spaces that mean so much to them – whether it be a community hall or care centre, a hostel or a hospice. Improving the environment around us can be transformative. B&Q has so far raised nearly £500,000 for the B&Q Foundation from the sale of face masks, with £1.50 from each pack donated; all of which will be distributed to charities around the UK through grants.
