£10,000 partnership gives domestic abuse survivors in the Vale free access to wellbeing support
A pioneering new partnership worth more than £10,000 every year has been launched between Vale Domestic Abuse Services (Vale DAS) and The Angel Collective Studios. The partnership will enable women recovering from domestic abuse in the Vale of Glamorgan to receive free access to weekly wellbeing classes designed to support healing, confidence and long-term recovery.
The collaboration was officially launched during Move For Her, a twelve-hour wellbeing fundraising event which brought together more than 40 women and was supported by over ten local businesses in a powerful show of solidarity with survivors.
The event raised £2,000 for Vale Domestic Abuse Services’ specialist recovery programmes, while celebrating a shared commitment to ensuring survivors have access to the wellbeing support they need to rebuild their lives.
Through the new partnership, every woman accessing Vale DAS’ Survivor Network will be able to attend a free weekly yoga, pilates, dance or meditation classes at The Angel Collective Studio in Cardiff Bay. The initiative represents more than £10,000 of wellbeing support annually, removing financial barriers and creating opportunities for women to reconnect with themselves in a safe, welcoming environment as they recover from domestic abuse.
Domestic abuse will affect one in four women in the UK, severely impacting every aspect of a woman’s wellbeing. Alongside specialist advocacy, counselling and therapeutic support, opportunities to reconnect mind and body through movement, mindfulness and community can play a vital role in rebuilding self-esteem, restoring confidence and supporting long term recovery.
The Angel Collective has already supported Vale DAS for more than a year through sponsored wellbeing retreats for women and children. The Move For Her event marked the public launch of a long-term partnership rooted in a shared belief that recovery extends beyond safety and that every survivor deserves the opportunity to heal and thrive.
Claire*, a survivor supported by Vale DAS, said: “Reconnecting with your body and having the time be present with yourself, when everything else around you is going crazy, is so important.
“I wouldn’t be able to afford classes or groups on my own, so something like this has such a huge impact. The first session of allowing myself a little bit of time for me and my own wellbeing, was the first time I thought, ‘I’m going to be ok.’”
Miriam Rees, Founder of The Angel Collective Studio, said: “The Angel Collective was built on the belief that movement has the power to change lives. For women who have experienced domestic abuse, healing isn’t just about finding safety, it’s about rebuilding confidence, reconnecting with yourself and feeling like you belong again.
“We’re incredibly proud to partner with Vale Domestic Abuse Services to remove financial barriers and make our classes accessible to every woman in their Survivor Network. We hope the studio becomes a place where women can take a deep breath, feel supported by a community around them, and remember that they are strong, capable and deserving of joy.
“Move For Her showed just how powerful our community can be when we come together for a shared purpose. This partnership is only the beginning, and we’re committed to creating a lasting impact for women across the Vale and Cardiff.”
Vicky Friis, Chief Executive of Vale Domestic Abuse Services, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Miriam Rees and everyone at The Angel Collective Studio for their unwavering commitment to supporting survivors of domestic abuse. This partnership goes far beyond fundraising. It is an investment in women’s long-term recovery, healing and hope.
“As a charity, we receive no sustainable funding to provide wellbeing opportunities for the women and children we support, despite knowing that quiet opportunities to reconnect mind and body are a vital part of recovery. Experiences like these help women rebuild self-esteem, restore self-confidence, develop supportive social connections and ultimately play an important role in helping to break the cycle of abuse.”
ENDS
*Name changed for anonymity.