A Salford domestic abuse charity is campaigning for emergency help after struggling to pay for its hub as costs rise in the build up to Christmas.
Salford Survivor Project helps women, children and men flee from domestic violence as well as offering support to those who have experienced abusive or violent relationships.
The project is appealing for money for Christmas and asking for help to keep its Eccles based hub open, which is located on Church Street.
Jane Gregory, CEO of the project, is looking for 100 sponsors for the project, who can afford to give £3 a week.
The project is struggling to keep afloat and keep their hub open, which costs £1200 a month before training, office costs, software and insurance.
Jane, who in 2022 won The Pride of Manchester (regionals for Pride of Britain) for her services to volunteering and the community, said: “We have a hub in Eccles where we offer training, counselling, advice and guidance. Unfortunately, we don’t have the funds to keep it open.
“We help the community a lot, we give people food, clothing, furniture and we help people move into emergency accommodation, we help at Christmas when people have no food and no presents.
“In our space we have a training room to do courses, a room where we can have counselling and therapy, we have a safe space for everyone so this has got to come first.”
A GoFundMe has been set up with the goal of £5000 to be raised, with over £500 raised so far.
Jane has been suffering from an immune disorder and has been struggling with the pressure to find the money and fundraise for the company, which she says is making her extremely ill.
Jane added: “I’m exhausted, I’m tired and I’m really struggling. Salford Survivor Project was set up in memory of those that have been murdered, I need that legacy to carry on and I need to make sure we have training in place.
“We have had no funding this year from anyone and we raised all the money ourselves, because I’ve been so ill I haven’t had the time to source funds. I used to do 80 hours a week, but physically I can’t do it anymore, I don’t have time to put in for funding bids anymore, even if it is for small amounts that aren’t even touching the surface.
“People suggest the council but we won’t take money off the council as we have to be completely independent, they can’t have a right to our records.”
Earlier in the year, the Salford Survivor Project asked for sponsors, estimating that the charity would need 100 sponsors who could give £3 a week or £12 a month, which would cover all the costs, however they only found 26.
“I know in this cost-of-living crisis it is tough, but even spreading the message and raising awareness for abuse, writing funding bids or a collection for the children at Christmas, it can all help.” Jane added.
Jane helps people struggling at Christmas time with gifts, clothes and food delivering up to Christmas eve and she needs help to spread the Christmas cheer this year, but their work involves helping people all year round.
She said: “We help thousands of people every year, we give 500 children presents at Christmas, we feed families, we do food parcels and we accompany people to the police station.”
@janegregory215♬ original sound – thesurvivorproject
She spoke on the benefits of having a hub not only on the people in need, but also on the volunteers, saying:
“In our space we have a training room to do courses, a room where we can have counselling and therapy, we have a safe space for everyone. People can come in and see us and have a safe, private chat and we don’t want to give all that up but we’ll have to because we cant afford to keep it.
“It’s great to be together in the office as we are in a very stressful job, sometimes dealing with life or death, we all support each other and we are each others morales booster.”
Kayleigh Power started the fundraiser for Salford Survivor Project after Jane and Salford Survivor project ‘helped her to rebuild her life.’
Kayleigh said: “I’ve decided to help them as Jane helps so many people, including myself, when I had to escape domestic violence. I had nothing and she helped me so much by rebuilding my life.”
“[Jane’s] always helping other people so I thought it’s time someone helped her instead of her trying to do it herself.”
You can donate to Kayleigh’s GoFundMe here or the website’s donation page here.
The Salford Survivor Project helpline can be accessed on 0161 706 0468.
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