BOLTON’S only refuge for women and children escaping domestic abuse is appealing for funding to ensure its future during one of the most critical times in its history due to a number of factors but particularly to the rise in domestic abuse with the Coronavirus and the ‘lockdown’.

I visited Fortalice when I was President in 2018 and was extremely impressed then with what they were doing. When I spoke recently to Gill Smallwood CEO of Fortalice, she confirmed that they are very much involved with families in Horwich and the other towns of Bolton through the Refuge in many ways. E.g. in addition to the Refuge with its flats providing places for 22 women and up to 70 children escaping from Domestic Abuse, they support over 700 local children and young people each year to deal with the impact of Domestic Abuse and Violence. “This service needs to grow in our present situation” Gill Smallwood said, “to provide more support for young people dealing with trauma.” They provide counselling in addition to helping women to find accommodation for their families. It is the only organisation of its sort in Bolton.

Horwich Club Council Zoom meeting recently decided to allocate money from the Community and Vocation budgets to support this vital service to our community.

In her letter of thanks Gill Smallwood said, “I would like to thank Horwich Rotary for the generous donation of £600. Financial donations are extremely welcome in these unprecedentedly difficult times. Without people like yourselves we would struggle to give our families the critical support we provide.”