One of Britain’s longest-serving domestic abuse charities, MyCWA (Cheshire Without Abuse), is facing closure of its vital support centre and survivor services after nearly five decades of life-saving work. This comes after Cheshire East Council confirmed that it can no longer fund the services beyond April 2025.
The charity’s support centre in Crewe, along with its Macclesfield store and community hub, will be forced to close without urgent funding intervention, ending critical services that have been a lifeline for the community for generations.
Chief Executive of MyCWA, Saskia Lightburn-Ritchie, expresses the devastating impact of this decision, saying, “For almost 50 years, people have fled abuse and we’d be there waiting for them. Not just to keep them and their children safe, but to help them heal and break the cycle of abuse. I can’t quite articulate how catastrophic the impact of this funding decision is going to be. It will be felt for generations to come.”
The closure of the support centre and services will put many critical services at risk, including the 24/7 crisis helpline, emergency refuge accommodation for families and their pets, specialist trauma recovery programs for children, community outreach services, and survivor support groups.
Lightburn-Ritchie highlights the stark financial context of the situation, noting that “£500,000 would maintain these life-saving services for a year. Compare that to the £11 million spent on a struggling car park in Crewe – we must ask ourselves what price we put on human life.”
This crisis comes at a time when domestic abuse cases are surging nationally, with the ONS reporting 200,000 additional cases last year. MyCWA supported nearly 4,000 adults and children in Cheshire East alone last year, never turning away anyone in crisis.
“When someone finds the courage to flee abuse, they often leave with nothing,” Lightburn-Ritchie explains. “Our centre provides emergency food, clothing, and safety. These aren’t just services – they’re the difference between someone staying safe or returning to danger.”
Survivor Abi Blake, who received life-saving support from MyCWA after suffering critical injuries from her abusive husband, emphasizes the stakes, saying, “This charity didn’t just save my life – they gave me a future. They gave me and my sons hope. Losing these services now, when so many need them, is unthinkable.”
Lightburn-Ritchie concludes by emphasizing the critical role that the centre and services play in saving lives, saying, “Our centre and services are the difference between life and death for many. Without intervention, we face preventable tragedies.”
Those wishing to support MyCWA’s emergency appeal can donate at: justgiving.com/campaign/savemycwa.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.