Criminal money to fund therapy for abuse victims

A charity supporting victims of domestic violence has been given £10,000 of criminals' money to provide drama therapy.

Bradford-based Beyond the Margin is a group of arts-based psychotherapists and community volunteers who work with families in Holme Wood, providing arts therapy, workshops, food parcels and free school uniforms.

Founder Lauren Batty said receiving the money felt "almost like making bad money good".

"There's something really important in having local community-based solutions, so the fact this money is able to be reinvested back into the communities which have been affected by crime is really important," she said.

The grant came from West Yorkshire Combined Authority's People's Fund, a £500,000 pot that has been seized from criminals through the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Beyond the Margin was one of 45 organisations, who were selected by public vote, to receive money as part of the scheme.

Batty said knowing the charity had been selected by the community made her "really proud".

"I know our work is important and that it makes a huge impact, but then to know other people want to vote for us makes me feel really reassured that we're on the right track," she said.

The money will be used to fund Project Power, a new drama therapy scheme for women who have experienced or are currently experiencing domestic violence.

"We are seeing an ever-increasing need for a really specific project around domestic abuse support," said Batty.

"We're hoping we can support women to reclaim their power and their strength and their future from suffering domestic abuse and that, in turn, it will not only impact them, but their children and their families and their future children."

Batty said Holme Wood estate had a high rate of reported domestic violence incidents and it was an issue the charity had wanted to address for some time.

"Holme Wood is an area that doesn't often report crimes, so the fact that we're having such a high level, there's probably way more we don't even know about," she said.

"So it feels like this is the right time to launch something that's really specific around domestic abuse."

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