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| Victim Support |
“We’ve moved and are ready for business!” said
New Forest and Romsey Victim Support Scheme Chairman, Mrs Maureen
Robinson at the start of National Victim Support Week on Monday,
February 21.
The local scheme has moved into offices at the heart of the community and is now based in The Grove Community Offices, Hythe.
“We are now much more accessible to people who need our services,” said Maureen Robinson. “This
is good news for our clients, because it means that they can
easily reach us and get immediate help from our dedicated volunteers.
“In the last 12 months we have been able to train four new volunteers; and enhance the training of two of our existing volunteers so that they are better able to help people who have experienced serious crime. We have increased our service provision for processing criminal injuries compensation applications, and in 2004 we dealt with 52 – one
application every week of the year.”
The local branch, which is part of the recently formed Hampshire and Isle of Wight Victim Support Organisation, dealt with almost 1700 crime referrals last year that ranged from burglary and criminal damage to rape and murder.
“We are seeking the support of the community during and after National Victim Support Week, “ said Mrs Robinson. “The
move to The Grove has put us under some financial pressure,
so donations to our cause would be most welcome.”
Victim Support is asking people to give up 60 minutes to do something more constructive than take a rest, with a call to ‘make
some time for victims of crime’ in hour-long fundraising activities during the week beginning 25 April.
The Sunrise Appeal aims to help the organisation provide individual support to 250,000 more victims every year, including children, older people, people with disabilities and victims of hate crime such as gay men and lesbians, and people from minority ethnic communities. |
