'As soon as I walked in, it felt warm, homely and safe'

Family fleeing abuse handed keys to reader-backed haven

- ATHENA STAVROU

A safe haven built by The Independent's Brick by Brick campaign is now officially home to a family fleeing domestic abuse.

Construction on two purpose-built safe houses was completed earlier this year, and now a survivor of abuse has been handed the keys to their new home - and a fresh start. The hugely successful campaign, launched in partnership with leading domestic abuse charity Refuge, was backed by readers, politicians, royalty and celebrities when it launched in September last year.

When the initial target of £300,000 was reached after just a month of fundraising, The Independent decided to build a second house as more than £585,000 was raised in total by our generous readers.

The first occupant, who must remain anonymous for safety reasons, said: "As soon as I walked in, it felt warm, safe and homely. It's the first time I had slept properly in months. The children are the happiest they have been for a long time."