Happy Birthday

The Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire has helped Swindon’s domestic abuse experts mark five
years on the town’s high street.

Although traditionally a fifth anniversary is marked with wood, at the Survivor@SWA shop
the day was marked with an array of tempting treats. Nicky Alberry, Chair of Swindon
Domestic Abuse Support Service (SDASS) also spoke to thank everyone who has played a
part in helping the charity raise over £1,000 every week to directly support survivors of
domestic abuse.

The shop was first opened on 12 July 2019 and soon moved to bigger and better premises
in The Parade, enabling the team to store and rotate donated goods according to the
season. Over the past five years, the shop has built a solid reputation for selling quality
items at accessible prices, helping people face the cost of living crisis whilst also doing good.

SDASS Patron the Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, Sarah Troughton, was on hand to cut the
cake and officially mark the start of the celebrations, forming part of the charity’s 50 th year
supporting the people of Swindon.

The Survivor@SWA shop is testament of the support that the people of Swindon give to
SDASS, with all goods sold in the shop having been donated and, with the exception of a
part-time manager, the shop is solely staffed by volunteers.

Nicky Alberry, Chair of SDASS, explained: “The Survivor@SWA shop is a critical part of our
fundraising and is a great example of how local people are helping to support other local
people across Swindon. It also provides a much-needed resource in that it’s another way for
people who may be experiencing domestic abuse to find out how they can be helped and
seek a way to escape.

“Another benefit of the shop is that it acts as a place where the victims of domestic abuse
who have fled to our refuge – often with little more than the clothes on their, and their
children’s, backs – can go and choose the goods they need to start their new lives.

“With society in general now seeing the value in second hand goods, we’re pleased to be
helping in the mission to reduce, reuse and recycle. We pride ourselves in the fact that our
goods are of excellent quality and thanks to this no-one should be embarrassed about
shopping in a charity shop – actually quite the opposite!”

The Survivor@SWA shop is open six days a week at 20-22 The Parade. It sells a variety of
quality clothes, shoes, jewellery and accessories, books, DVDs, china and glass, soft
furnishings and household items.

If you need advice for yourself or a friend relating to Domestic Abuse, call the confidential
24/7 Helpline, which is always answered by an Advisor, on 01793 610610.

Ends

Editor’s notes – for additional information please contact Eleanor Butler, Vox PR, on
07775 943 085 or eleanor@voxonline.co.uk
ABOUT SDASS: Swindon Domestic Abuse Support Service is free and confidential, serving
Swindon and the surrounding area. Our service operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,
supporting ALL victims of domestic violence.
Originally founded in 1974 as Swindon Women’s Aid, SDASS operates a purpose-built
secure refuge with 22 individual flats which can accommodate lone females or mothers with
dependent children and has a dedicated team of trained staff. In the community SDASS has
a network of Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVA) who work with victims not
staying in the Refuge, and have Advisors within the Great Western Hospital, Doctor
Surgeries and Health Centres across the town.
A specialist Children and Young People’s team supports the specific needs of children both
within the Refuge and also in the Community. Our Training Programmes not only help
victims understand their situation to help them move forward but also provide general
education to young people about healthy relationships.
Increased emphasis is being placed on prevention and a new team has been established to
advise those who have concerns about their behaviour and its impact on their relationships.
Our fundraising shop in the Parade in Swindon is open 6 days a week, staffed entirely by
volunteers – quality donations always welcome.
Our dedicated helpline – 01793 610610 – is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The
phone is always answered by an advisor.