Intervention: Hull
Fund: Community Investment Fund, Social and Sustainable Housing
Date of Investment: November 2017 (CIF), August 2019 (SASH)
Impact Area: Housing and local facilities
Beneficiary Group: People who have experienced domestic abuse
Hull Women’s Network is an experienced award-winning charity in the Preston Road area of Hull. Hull Women’s Network was established in 2004 to help address domestic violence across the city.
Women live with high-risk domestic abuse for an average of 2.6 years before getting effective help. With the benefit of access to safe, high quality housing, Hull Women’s Network supports women and their children to break free on their first attempt.
The loan enabled Hull Women’s Network to purchase 33 houses dispersed across Hull
Transition to independent living, free from domestic violence
Women and children fleeing domestic violence in Hull
33 houses gives capacity to support more than 150 women and their children over the life of the loan
The loan enables Hull Women’s Network to provide supported accommodation for up to 2 years for women and children fleeing domestic violence. This reduces Hull Women’s Network’s reliance on rentals from private landlords
Hull Women’s Network has a strong track record of delivering this model of housing and support
We are delighted to receive this major investment from the new SASH fund as it will have a huge impact on our beneficiaries. We’re seeing major demand for homes for women fleeing violence in Hull. Thanks to this investment, we will be able to provide immediate homes for women in crisis, as well as permanent accommodation for women who are recovering from abuse and moving on with their lives.
Lisa Hilder, Trustee
The loan enables Hull Women’s Network to purchase 49 dispersed properties
Transition to independent living, free from domestic violence
Women and children fleeing domestic violence in Hull
49 houses gives capacity to support more than 300 women and children over the life of the loan
The loan enables Hull Women’s Network to provide a mix of crisis and supported accommodation, alongside move-on housing. Without this, Hull Women’s Network was increasingly limited in its capacity to support women and children fleeing domestic violence
Strong track record. Existing SASC borrower
SASC has been a tremendous support to us. We have helped them create an innovative and bespoke loan structure, which was designed to meet our needs. They have shared the investment risk with us, and this has been critical to us being able to provide sustainable housing for women in need. Research tells us that women fleeing domestic violence are known to return to the perpetrator an average of seven times before finally breaking free from abuse. With access to safe, high quality housing, we can help them to break free from the abuse they suffer first time and this new investment will greatly help our mission.
Lisa Hilder, Trustee
