COMMUNITY Levelling Up funding has supported the creation of a new Support Hub in Truro for families impacted by domestic abuse.

Funding has enabled the move to larger premises for Cornish-based charity True Butterflies Foundation and is supporting them to build their service capacity through additional staff and volunteers.

True Butterflies Foundation has received £79,731 from Cornwall Council's Good Growth community levelling up programme. The Roseland & Truro Community Area Partnership played a key role in allocating funds to local projects.

Cllr Rob Knill of Chacewater Parish Council, and chair of the Roseland & Truro Funding Panel, said: “Those who volunteered to sit on the CAP Funding Panel were unequivocal in their support for the True Butterflies Foundation bid.

“The bid not only identified a clear need for specialist care, as well as the provision of appropriate space and surroundings to deliver that care, it also offered a wide range of potential solutions that will hopefully help many families or individuals affected by domestic abuse for as long as they need it.”

True Butterflies Foundation supports survivors of domestic abuse and their children. The charity offers a broad range of support services, including mentoring, counselling, therapeutic-based workshops and court support helping families towards recovery.

However, the number of families requiring support increases year on year, leading to some families having to wait up to 8 months for the support they need.

Executive director, Angela Lowe, explained: “We have already seen an improvement to our waiting times, due to having space to offer more appointments, as we extend on our staffing levels over the next year, this will continue to get better.

“We are so thankful for this opportunity for the charity to grow and are very proud of been able to provide our support to individuals and families in Cornwall.”

Two new support leads, one for adults and one specialising in children, are working with volunteers to increase service capacity, meaning many more families can be supported each year.

For help and support with domestic abuse including recovery, visit saferfutures.org.uk

For more information about volunteering, visit www.truebutterflies.org