The Angels provides practical and emotional support to survivors of domestic abuse, including furniture and flooring for those moving into new homes, alongside counselling and therapeutic services to help address the mental health impact of abuse.
The multi-year award – the first of its kind made by The Cambridge – has helped The Angels move from operating from founder Caroline Deeprose’s kitchen table to establishing its own wellbeing centre, increasing its staffing capacity and enabling it to support many more survivors.
Caroline Deeprose, Founder and CEO 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.”
Having established its new premises, developed its services and strengthened relationships with referral partners during the first year, The Angels is now entering the next stage of its growth.
The charity will use the second year of funding to continue meeting demand for its two core areas of support – tackling furniture poverty and providing counselling and therapeutic services for survivors.
The long-term commitment from The Cambridge is also giving The Angels greater certainty to plan and deliver services for people who need ongoing support.
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 charity’s practical support helps survivors who may be moving into empty properties after leaving an abusive relationship, while its counselling, therapy and recovery workshops provide vital support as they begin rebuilding their lives.
Feedback from people using the services has highlighted the difference this support can make. One survivor who attended a domestic abuse recovery workshop described it as the first time she had felt understood and able to be with others who had experienced similar things, saying it had given her “hope and strength” for the future.
Inside The Angels’ new wellbeing centre sits the original kitchen table from which Caroline began the charity – a reminder of how far it has come and how many more survivors it can now support.
The partnership builds on a relationship that began with a one-off Community Fund grant in 2023, before The Angels became one of The Cambridge’s community partners in 2024.
Discover more about The Cambridge’s community partnerships and support for good causes at cambridgebs.co.uk.
Find out more about The Angels Foundation and the support it provides to survivors of domestic abuse at angelsfoundation.org.uk.
Caption: Caroline Deeprose, Founder and CEO of The Angels Foundation UK
Credit: Alan Bennett / Media Imaging Solutions
