13 September 2023
generalA representative from our Foundation, Gabriel Cusato, had the privilege of meeting with Aurora New Dawn, one of the four chosen charities in the Spring 2023 Funding Round. We met with Shonagh Dillon, CEO; Lyn Tiller, Director of Operations, Services, and Innovation; and Brianne Atkins, Senior Stalking Advocate.
Aurora New Dawn is a charity dedicated to ending violence against women and children. Since 2011, they have offered safety, support, advocacy, and empowerment to survivors of domestic abuse, sexual violence, and stalking.
We will be funding their 'Ten-Week Athena Groupwork Programme', which will support 15 survivors of stalking in Berkshire to overcome the traumatic impact of stalking and abuse. This involves Aurora piloting a new adaptation of their existing OCN-accredited therapeutic ten-week groupwork support programme, 'Athena', for domestic and sexual abuse survivors. Aurora intends to make this a collaborative process between the facilitators and participants, allowing them to co-produce elements of each session and tailoring the programme to meet their needs.
Aurora hopes to launch the programme in the autumn and intends to carry it out across the South of England. We look forward to seeing the positive outcomes of this programme and hearing the stories of those it will benefit.
Thank you to the team at Aurora New Dawn for their hospitality during our visit and for providing insight into the work they do. You can find out more about their services and ways to contribute to this important cause here.