Sue Lambert Trust, the Norfolk-based charity supporting survivors of sexual violence and sexual abuse, has been in the news recently, after one of its primary funders decided to cut funding. And yet since the story broke, supporters and the community have rallied. CEO Clive Evans explains what else people can do
In February, the Norfolk charity Sue Lambert Trust received news from one of its primary funders, the Norfolk Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC): future funding would be cut by 73%, leaving the charity facing a £140,000 shortfall. The decision came as a shock, especially when demand for its specialist one-to-one counselling has never been greater. The response from the local community after this news has been overwhelmingly positive, and now the charity is calling on local people and companies to act so they can address the funding gap facing them, and get back to supporting more survivors, sooner.
For more than 40 years, Sue Lambert Trust and its team of professionally qualified counsellors, have been helping local people to heal from the trauma of sexual violence, abuse and rape. It is a charity that, inside the privacy of its counselling rooms, has transformed thousands of lives.
Following the PCC’s decision, the charity has been forced to reduce the number of new clients it can take on, as it finds a way forward to fill the unexpected funding gap. In Norfolk, an estimated 1 in 12 people will experience sexual violence in their lifetime. And each month, up to 85 people contact the charity seeking help. Yet due to the funding reduction that came earlier this year, new clients are now limited to just 10 per month.
Sue Lambert Trust CEO Clive Evans says: “Sexual violence, rape and sexual abuse devastate lives. But our support enables people to heal and have hope for the future. That chance – that hope – has now been taken away from hundreds of people in Norfolk.
“Having the enormous courage to act, to pick up the phone and ask for support, at the darkest of times, to only hear we don’t have the spaces available, must be gut-wrenching for the people we exist to help. That’s why we must remain hopeful, and we must ask our local community to keep rallying round. Our support has transformed thousands of lives of people living locally, empowering people to take back control, and to heal.
“Sexual violence and rape remain serious problems in our society, and more people are finding the courage to speak out and seek the specialist support they need to heal after years, and sometimes decades, of pain. We must find a way to reopen more counselling slots following the PCC’s decision. That is where our local community, individuals and businesses can do something to make a real difference.”
Clive says hope must remain the focus. Following public media coverage about the cuts, the charity was overwhelmed by messages support, asking what they could do. Supporters have already launched petitions, run half marathons and even abseiled The Forum in Norwich. Community efforts like the Anti-Pest Fest concert have also raised vital funds, while local small businesses are stepping up too.
“All charities are facing tough times, but we must remain hopeful,” Clive says. This scale of funding cut removes a lifeline for hundreds of victims living with trauma every day.
“For the more than 600 people we support each year, we are often the only place they can turn: to feel safe, heard and able to heal. The response from our community so far has been incredible.”
“When the PCC news hit, our community rallied. It’s shown us that people want to do something, and it made us more determined than ever to keep going and support everyone who needs us. We’re so grateful, but we still need the power of kindness and the local community to get behind us.
“All these individual acts will add up, together, our community spirit can be really powerful. No matter what you can do, you will be sending a clear message that you believe survivors of sexual violence, rape and sexual abuse, deserve the chance to be heard, to be supported, and to heal.”
Show your support for Sue Lambert Trust by:
- Signing and sharing this supporter-led petition
- Taking on the Tandem Skydive Challenge on 11 th July or run the Blickling Half Marathon on 18th October.
- Becoming a regular donor – whether £2 or £20 per month it all makes a significant difference
- Leaving a gift of hope in your Will to leave a lasting legacy of safety and healing for survivors
- Taking action as a business – make Sue Lambert Trust your Charity of the Year, donate services in kind, volunteer or launch a fundraiser at your workplace.
- Volunteering at fundraisers and events.
As Clive concludes: “The challenges we face are real, but after recent actions and messages, we know that there is an opportunity to harness all the compassion of our community. Every act of kindness sends a clear message to a survivor: you are not alone, and hope remains.”
Visit Sue Lambert Trust.
Featured image of Clive Evans by Mary Doggett
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