Christmas can be difficult for survivors of domestic abuse. Help us bring women comfort, joy and dignity this December by donating items or supporting us financially.

Around 14,000 people in Luton experienced domestic abuse last year. Many are mothers and their children experience that abuse too. The festive period can be especially challenging for women at risk, as families spend more time together, more time at home and more money on gifts, food and activities. This can heighten tensions and trigger abusive behaviours.

This Christmas, will you help us support every woman that contacts us? There are lots of ways you can do this from donating essential toiletries, coats and knitwear to giving financially. Enter our prize draw and you may also win a gift for yourself – a brand new tablet!

Want to donate financially?

Financial support helps keeps our service going and our doors open to women at risk. Just £20 could pay for a support session for a woman facing abuse this Christmas. We’ll help her develop a safety action plan and walk with her every step of the way to a life free from abuse.

Why it matters

Referrals to our service almost double around Christmas, as women seek help for themselves and their children.

We work with all new clients individually to develop a personalised support and safety action plan, usually putting steps in place to enable them to leave abusive relationships. But it can still be a dangerous and difficult process and women are rarely able to take much with them. Poverty and economic abuse may also leave women with little in the way of financial resources to help them rebuild their lives and care for their children in the short term.

At Stepping Stones, we provide holistic person-centred care that tackles not just domestic abuse, but related issues including substance misuse and offending. We are the only women’s service in Luton supporting ex-offenders and tackling deep seated trauma though specialist mental health care provision. We are also the only domestic abuse service locally offering free onsite childcare for clients. This provision means having a young child is not a barrier to accessing support.

Last year we helped 486 vulnerable women and children in Luton and Central Bedfordshire to move forward following domestic abuse, an increase of 26% compared to the year before. With your help we can support many more women in 2027 on their journey from abuse and despair to healing and renewal.

Thank you for supporting women impacted by domestic abuse this Christmas.