Lincolnshire domestic abuse charity celebrates 20 years - here’s how you can help

EDAN Lincs helps hundreds of victims each year across Refuge, Outreach, and with their Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVA) service.

The charity, which was officially registered on June 29, 2001, initially offered outreach support to women and children in the West Lindsey district.

It later widened its remit to include support for men affected by domestic abuse as well as women, children and young people.

In October 2013 the service saw significant growth in respect of outreach and refuge provision. Outreach support was expanded to include the whole of West Lincolnshire including Lincoln, North and South Kesteven as well as securing the contract to deliver the countywide IDVA service. Refuge provision was expanded to include further dispersed refuge accommodation in addition to the management of the multi-occupancy 11 unit refuge.

August 2018 saw the further growth with EDAN Lincs securing both the contracts to deliver a countywide domestic abuse service and targeted children’s service, and the countywide IDVA Service.

In the middle of the pandemic, the charity has experienced another growth spurt, adding East Lindsey refuges and became a countywide domestic abuse service.

EDAN Lincs now has 21 units of refuge across Lincolnshire, 20 of which are commissioned by Lincolnshire County Council. Their refuge includes two multi-occupancy refuges (11 unit shared accommodation, five unit refuge, and five dispersed properties).

The charity receives BBC Children in Need funding to support children and young people in the refuges, as well as additional smaller pots of funding to further support the services they offer.

During the pandemic over the last year, EDAN Lincs received more referrals and learned to adapt to the changes in accordance with government guidelines of social distancing with work and care. This has been so successful, they have now introduced a new initiative to tackle waiting lists and provide specialist, targeted, short-term intervention to low risk victims of domestic abuse.

The new initiative includes an e-Learning SAFE (Safety, Awareness, Freedom and Empowerment) course, which explores the dynamics of abuse, helps victims to better understand their experiences, and empowers them to make positive, healthy and safe choices for their future.

• How you can help...

EDAN Lincs is raising money to repaint their refuge bedrooms and buy new furniture, through various fundraising challenges.

Can you perhaps bake a cake and share on social media to wish EDAN Lincs a Happy Birthday?

Or maybe you could take part in their ‘Active Challenge’ and do a walk, run, bike ride to help raise the necessary funds?

You can also support EDAN Lincs by buying a Lincoln Lottery ticket or registering on Amazon Smile with the charity so every time you shop there is a small donation to our charity.

To contact EDAN Lincs, call 01522 51004 or email [email protected] (general enquiries) or [email protected] (secure email).

For fundraising enquiries, email [email protected] or contact the charity through their social media channels by following: @edanlincs.