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A new support group for survivors of domestic abuse is meeting weekly in Epping.
Thrive Survivors Group
Thrive Survivors Group is a safe space, offering peer support and professional facilitators in comfortable surroundings with refreshments too.
Funded via the Epping Forest Public Health Grant and the Community Safety Partnership the group first met in April. It is a partnership between the Epping Team Ministry, Epping Forest Health and Wellbeing Board, Changing Pathways and Epping Forest CSP and is proving to be a vital resource for women who have found the courage to leave abusive relationships.
New members
Currently around seven women attend the Tuesday (term-time) meetings, but there is room for more.
Changing Pathways, an organisation providing free and confidential support to those subjected to domestic abuse and stalking in Epping Forest and other districts in Essex, run the meetings. Changing Pathways facilitator, Bexx and mindfulness coach Catherine all offer support with coping strategies and next steps to help attendees move on with their new lives.
Free and confidential support
Phillis the Thrive group co-ordinator, who runs the group, is also a domestic abuse survivor bringing a personal element to the discussions. Attendees are encouraged to share their stories, or just listen quietly and seek one-to-one support outside the main meeting.
Solicitor Lorraine who was visiting the group as part of Thrive Group initiative to bring in various professionals to offer help and advice to the survivors is a family lawyer.
Partnership working
Cllr Holly Whitbread, Chair of Epping Forest Community Safety Partnership said:
This is a great example of partnership working at its best. It brings together a number of organisations that are able to provide emotional and practical support for women escaping domestic abuse.
It is already proving successful and there is room for new members, so I would urge any women in our district who need support to contact the group.
More information
For more information
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