Synergy Essex rape and sexual abuse centre gets £1.2ml lottery funding

Synergy Essex, who received the funding, is a partnership between South Essex Rape and Incest Crisis Centre, the Centre for Action on Rape and Abuse and Southend-on-Sea Rape Crisis.

The three centres cover Essex and ensure victims and survivors of sexual violence and abuse are able to access high-quality support services.

The funding from the National Lottery enables Synergy Essex to continue delivering support to new and existing beneficiaries.

Between April 2021 and March 2022, almost 6,000 individual cases were supported by Synergy Essex and almost 34,000 one-to-one support sessions were held.

A person who has benefitted from the service said: “The staff explained all the help they could give me and said it in a way that I actually understood.

“The staff listened to what I had to say and made me feel like there was a way forward. Knowing that someone is there who understands the situation lifts a big weight.”

Lee Eggleston, operations manager of SERICC, said: “Providing a triage service for survivors, family members and agencies has had an enormous impact on our community and how they can access holistic support.

“We are delighted to receive this news and would like to thank National Lottery players for this essential continuation funding of over £1.2 million.

“The funding enables will enable us to grow a new project team to seven staff and develop new prevention resources and online e-learning products for the ICENA training team.”   

Helen Bushell, head of regional funding for London, the South East and East of England at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, and the hard work and dedication of local projects like Synergy Essex, this funding will provide specialist sexual violence and abuse support to survivors in Essex.

“We’re pleased to see our funding is being used to give people support when they need it most.”