Struggling charity lifted by £22,000 grant from Robbie

A Lifeline service which helps victims of sexual violence has received a £22,000 cash boost from Potteries pop star Robbie Williams. The superstar's Give It Sum charity has provided the funding for Hanley-based Women's Rape and Sexual Violence Service (WRSVS).

It brings the total amount donated to self-help projects which struggle to find funding in North Staffordshire to £2.3 million.

Give It Sum was launched in conjunction with Comic Relief in 2000.

Organisers at WRSVS are delighted and say it will free up more money for help to provide practical and emotional support to people facing desperate situations.

The handout - the second time WRSVS has received backing from Give It Sum - will pay for administration staff crucial to the smooth running of the operation.

But manager Jakki Seaman stressed the group is still struggling to raise a further £20,000 to stay afloat in the coming year.

She said: "This has given us all a real boost. It is really important that we have the right administrative support to keep the service going.

"We have had money from them a couple of years ago and the charity has always been very supportive. It means that fund-raising for the next couple of years has got off to a good start, although we still need to raise £20,000.

"It feels great that we have had funding from Robbie who has that local connection."

The service is contacted by hundreds of women each month, who need confidential support and advice after being sexually attacked, often by their partner or husband.

It is also attempting to reach out to more Asian victims, who may struggle to access help because of language and cultural barriers, with its new Our Lives project.

A spokesman for Give It Sum said: "The WRSVS provides a much needed and valuable service to women who have been raped or experienced sexual violence.

"In recognition of this, together with an understanding of the difficulty in attracting funding for this sort of work, the Give It Sum committee has awarded a further two years' funding."

Source: The Sentinel