Domestic abuse charity to close in funding crisis

A domestic abuse charity which has been supporting women for 31 years will close due to lack of funding.

Sheffield-based Vida accepts around 200 referrals each year, but officials said the service would close later this year after reaching a funding "crisis point".

Sheffield City Council has previously been asked to fund the charity's work, but said it could not do so though resources to support women were invested in a range of organisations.

Vida chair Marilyn Gregory said: "What we've needed all along is support from those that refer clients to us, which is the NHS and the local authority. There's no other service that's trauma-focused in Sheffield."

Vida started life in the mid-1990s as the Sheffield Domestic Violence Forum. It currently has four part-time staff members as well as volunteers and needs around £250,000 each year to operate.

"We reached a crisis point last year and we were saved by National Lottery funding, which enabled us to go forward for another year," said Gregory.

"Since then, funding opportunities have just narrowed down."

The chair said the past five years had been "really challenging" with staff constantly on the brink of not knowing if they would be paid.

"It's been exhausting for everyone."

The charity needed another cash injection but failed to gain further Lottery funding.

It could have "limped on" but staff were "exhausted", explained Gregory.

"It's really sad, we've had 30 good years. I'm really proud of the hard work and dedication from our staff, they have been amazing."

In 2024, Vida launched a petition calling on Sheffield City Council to provide emergency funding after cuts threatened its ability to provide services.

Responding at the time, the council said it could not directly fund the charity but would do "all we can" to support it to find other funding options.

Gregory said support from the council had always been given "verbally" but not "financially".

Councillor Maleiki Haybe, chair of the adult health and social care policy committee, said: "We would be sorry to see Vida close its doors.

"Vida is a long-standing and well-respected local charity, and we thank everyone at Vida for the excellent support they have provided to many women survivors of abuse over the years."

He added: "The council hasn't funded Vida for some time now. Our officers met with Vida in 2024 and supported them with their communications with the Department of Health and Social Care and other potential funders.

"The council's resources to support women and provide counselling is invested in a range of organisations through our Domestic Abuse Strategy, including women's refuges, the Domestic Abuse Helpline and Independent Domestic Violence Advocates."

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