New floor at refuge gives a firm foundation for families

Welwyn Hatfield Women’s Refuge offers a safe haven for those fleeing domestic abuse in their own homes. When the refuge applied for a grant to improve its playroom, we jumped at the chance to help.

“Women and their families at the Welwyn Hatfield Women’s Refuge are recovering from traumatic experiences in a new place,” said Jeannie Pitt, B&Q Foundation Manager. “We recognised that our grant could help make a space better for the children, allowing them the chance to be children again and have some fun whilst they adjust to a new life.”

Safe Spaces

The refuge has ten en-suite rooms, some of them large enough to cater for large families of four or five children. The families sleep together in their room and share a living room, kitchen and garden with the other residents. At any one time, the centre can be home to 15 or 16 children but has the ability to cater for up to 25.

Fun places

The B&Q Foundation grant of £3500 supported a new floor for the children’s playroom. Replacing a tired and threadbare carpet with bespoke safety flooring has made the facility cleaner, brighter, safer and easier to maintain. Children are split into two groups for play sessions, the under fives and over fives, and all benefit from structured sessions and free play in the room each day.

It is also used for children to meet with key workers, police officers, or others in a safe and friendly place.  Hosting Jubilee parties and communal gatherings too, it’s proving to be a real focal point for the refuge.

“If the children are happy, the mothers are happy and more likely to stay at the refuge,” said Sarah, Child Services Lead. “Thanks to the B&Q Foundation, the new flooring has set us up for the future to give many more women a new start.”