Leeds Women's Aid launches Big Give Women and Girls Campaign to raise vital funds for online support, while celebrating 10 years of its Horsforth store

Leeds Women's Aid has announced its participation in the Big Give Women and Girls Campaign this October, aiming to raise funds to sustain its online chat service - a safe and discreet way for women and girls across Leeds to access support.

- Daisy Bush

Running from Wednesday 8th October to Wednesday 15th October, every donation made through the Big Give portal will be doubled, offering supporters the opportunity to make twice the impact.

Since the online chat launched five years ago, there have been more than 1,600 contacts. The service was launched during the COVID-19 pandemic in response to the rising demand during lockdown, when victim-survivors were unable to access support outside their homes. For many women, making a phone call is not safe, with over half of service users reporting that they feel unable to speak on the phone due to the risk of being overheard.