Sheffield women’s domestic abuse charity in financial trouble survives but future is still uncertain

A Vida Sheffield group photo at the Everest Challenge fundraising climb to mark the 70th Anniversary of Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tensing at Awesome Walls in Sheffield.

The National Lottery has provided a “rescue package” for Vida Sheffield, a domestic abuse charity that said it saves the NHS £50,000 a month, the Local Democracy Reporting Service can reveal.

With the temporary funding, Vida – whose bosses said was at risk of closure by the end of last month – can stay afloat until October 1 and have eight months to “turn things around”.

Karen Hague, the chief executive of Vida Sheffield, relieved and delighted, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “They (the Lottery) have accepted the fact that the cost of living crisis has impacted on our ability to raise funds generally – it’s much more competitive.

“We’ve been able to make our case and they were so supportive and optimistic that we can achieve sustainability beyond October 1.

“It gives us some time to secure some core funding for the service.”

Ms Hague said their petition – in which they had called the council leader Cllr Tom Hunt to release emergency funding to save the services – was now above 24,000 (it’s almost at 25,000 as of February 5) signatures and they will present their case at the March full council meeting in Sheffield Town Hall.

Vida is said to need £15,000 to £20,000 each month to continue to provide its much-needed services.

You can support the charity by signing their petition on this link.