A GLOUCESTERSHIRE women’s refuge has received £100,000 of support with help from the council.

The Stroud Beresford Group, an independent charity, offers accommodation, advice and support to women and their children affected by domestic abuse.

Stroud District Council, in partnership with the group, has successfully bid for £100,000 of government funding to help boost provision for vulnerable victims of domestic abuse and their families.

Manager at Stroud Beresford Group Jill Cooper said: “Refuges are a vital source of safety and help for women and children experiencing domestic abuse.

“We are extremely grateful to the council for its support and the government for providing £100,000 to help us continue our work alongside the other agencies in the county to help those in desperate need.”

Leader of Stroud District Council Geoff Wheeler added: “This is great news. The funding will enable the group to continue its excellent work at the two refuges it manages in the district and allow it to help a greater number of women and vulnerable families, enabling them to be settled into alternative accommodation more quickly.”

Stroud Beresford Group has provided women’s refuge accommodation in Stroud for nearly 40 years.

In that time it has housed approximately 1,400 people and currently provides two refuges which offer support, outreach and children’s services, support groups and workshops.

It is able to support up to eight families at a time and families stay at the refuge for an average of twelve to sixteen weeks.