What do we do?

Our free, safe and confidential service is designed to empower those who are experiencing domestic abuse and give them the confidence needed in order to make independent choices about their life. To do this we provide a range of one-on-one and community based services not only for the adults and children of Norfolk, but also those from other areas of the country who require a place of safety.

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Vision

Our vision is simple. We are working to end domestic abuse. We know that this will not be quick or easy to achieve, however, domestic abuse must never be accepted, tolerated, ignored or excused.

We aim to do this by providing a collaborative service to those affected by domestic abuse to support and empower people to make positive changes in their lives. We will challenge attitudes, beliefs and behaviours that underpin and perpetrate domestic abuse and will raise awareness and provide training to further deliver our vision.

Values

Leeway is an organisation which values the people within it including staff, management committee and service users. Leeway promotes certain values and principles in all of its work and expects that employees, volunteers and management committee adhere to these values in relation to their role in the organisation:

Empowerment- We will support and encourage everyone to make their own informed choices.
Equality - We will ensure everyone has equal opportunity to make the most of their lives.
Passion- We will never give up in our vision to end domestic abuse.

Aims and objective

Leeway’s objective is to provide temporary accommodation and other services to adults and children who are subject to domestic violence and abuse. In order to achieve this we aim to:

Improve the health and well-being of adults, children and young people using the service.
Promote empowerment and self-determination for adults, children and young people using the service.
Keep the needs of service users central to service delivery and ensuring services evolve to meet changing needs.
Develop diverse services to meet the needs of diverse communities.
Provide tailored services that meet the specific needs of children and young people.
Share best practice and to promote effective multi-agency working.
Educate and raising awareness throughout society that domestic abuse is not acceptable.

2025-2027 Business Plan

Leeway's 2025-2027 Business Plan sets out our vision and values, organisational identity, and a profile of the services we provide. It includes key statistics, opportunities and challenges, future priorities, and an overview of our income and expenditure.

Our trustees

Leeway’s Board of Trustees takes overall responsibility for the sound governance and financial stability of Leeway charity.

They provide strategic direction to determine and safeguard the mission and vision of Leeway. The Board of Trustees act collectively and effectively, ensuring that decisions are made in the best interests of Leeway and those we support.

Our Trustees have a wide range of experience across a variety of sectors, providing expertise on areas such as Leadership, Business Management, Communications, Legal, HR, Finance, and more. You can read more about our Trustees and their experience in their biographies below.

Brenda Horner (Arthur) – Chair

Brenda is the Chair of Leeway’s Trustee Board and brings a wealth of experience. Brenda is the only woman to have been Leader of Norwich City Council, Lord Mayor and Sheriff of Norwich and has also served as a Norwich City councillor, holding the portfolio for Housing. Prior to...

Sarah Gibb – Vice Chair

Sarah joined the board of trustees as a qualified solicitor, having previously volunteered for mentoring roles supporting the public sector. She is the Vice-Chair and uses her knowledge to support the organisation on issues such as contractual queries and data protection matters....

Judy Leggett

Judy is retired after a career spanning IT, Human Resources and as an elected Councillor. She has an interest in services for children and young people from her time as a school governor and is also a Trustee of a Young People’s charity. Her background provides skills to contri...

Matthew Cotton

Matthew is a long-serving member of the Trustee Board and the Finance Sub Committee of Leeway. In addition to the experience obtained through being involved with Leeway for a decade, he brings experience and knowledge that acquired through almost a decade in working in the financ...

Christine Birchall MICPR

Christine is a trained journalist with national, regional and local newspaper experience, as well as experience working in London and Norwich-based advertising and public relations agencies. She has spent the majority of her career in Local Government communications in Norfolk, C...

Lara Narkiewicz

Lara has worked in education for over a decade in a variety of pastoral and curriculum roles. She is a linguist and, prior to teaching, worked in the charity sector. She is passionate about Leeway's work, and contributes knowledge and advice on safeguarding and issues affecting y...

Smile Frankish

Currently serving as Chief Operating Officer of a Norwich-based company that provides emergency alerting software, Smile brings public-sector connections and expertise in operations, finance, compliance, and risk management to Leeway's board. She has previously volunteered with a...

Maggie Wheeler

Maggie worked in health and social care for many years as a social worker, manager and director. She has trained and mentored colleagues at all levels within the statutory and third sector and worked with many organisations and their boards to help them reflect on their practice ...

Our patrons

Our Patrons use their profile to support Leeway, raising awareness of our important work and the wider issue of domestic abuse.

Nina Nannar

ITV News journalist specialised in arts and entertainment news.

Raised in Scunthorpe, she has previously worked on Midlands Today, Children in Need and BBC News’ 2000 Today. Currently she acts as a News Correspondent for ITV News. Away from her media work, Nina holds a number of positions including Governor of the Norwich University of the Arts, Ambassador of the Prince’s Trust and Patron of Akademi.

We are absolutely thrilled that Nina has chosen to become patron of Leeway and it is superb that, alongside Chrissie, we have two high profile women with such distinguished media careers supporting the charity and the services we provide.

“The work Leeway does is so important. It simply gives victims a place to turn to, to seek out to get answers. Saying walk away may seem the obvious solution but of course, abuse is so much more complicated than that. Knowing that there is a place to call, having that support is invaluable.”

Chrissie Jackson

Presenter of BBC Radio Norfolk’s weekday mid-morning show (10am-12pm).

Born in Manchester and brought up in Norfolk, she worked as a bank cashier and club DJ before beginning her broadcasting career with Radio Broadland (1986-2010), then Heart East Anglia (2010-2013). She joined BBC Radio Norfolk in 2014 and landed the mid-morning show in January 2016.

Chrissie has been our patron since 2009 and in that time we are delighted at the positive impact her support has had on our work.

“I have a huge amount of respect for the people and the ideal of Leeway – the fact that the charity is growing shows their work is more important than ever.”

Georgina Holloway

Former High Sheriff of Norfolk and Leeway patron since September 2017.

In 2011/12, Georgina held the role of Norfolk’s High Sheriff, representing the sovereign in the county and overseeing responsibility for law and order.

As well as this, she has held other roles including President of the St John Ambulance in Norfolk and a non-executive director of King’s Lynn and Wisbech Hospitals NHS Trust.

“I first became involved in Leeway when I was High Sheriff of Norfolk in 2011/12 and knew nothing much about domestic abuse. I soon learnt a good deal and I was honoured to be asked to become a Patron of this charity which does such amazing work for women and children in our wonderful County. What Leeway has achieved over the past five years is outstanding and has changed the lives of many people.”

Our history

2024

Our Suffolk Children & Young People’s team won the Sue Poole Award for their excellent work supporting children and young people experiencing domestic abuse in Suffolk.

2024

Leeway celebrates its 50th anniversary.

2023

Our Suffolk IDVA team won the Sue Poole Award, recognising their hard work and dedication to supporting those experiencing domestic abuse in Suffolk.

2022

Leeway opens a new safehouse in King’s Lynn, taking our total number of refuges and safehouses to nine.

2022

Leeway partners with local organisations to deliver NIDAS, a new domestic abuse service supporting those at medium and high risk of domestic abuse.

2021

The hard work of our staff is recognised as Leeway is awarded Domestic Abuse Charity of the Year by the Central England Prestige Awards.

2021

The landmark Domestic Abuse Act is passed as law in parliament, promising better protections for victims of domestic abuse and tougher action on perpetrators.

2021

Leading Lights accreditation achieved for Norfolk and Suffolk Independent Domestic Violence Advisers.

2020

Leeway launches a new Live Chat service, funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Norfolk. This provides a new way for people to access support in a safe and instant manner.

2020

Investors in People award reviewed and reaccredited.

2019

Leeway opens a new safehouse in the North Norfolk area.

2018

Leeway opens a new refuge in the Broadland area.

2018

Leeway commissioned by the Suffolk Police and Crime Commissioner to provide the Independent Domestic Violence Advocacy (IDVA) service in Suffolk in partnership with Suffolk Constabulary.

2018

Norwich Safehouse opens. £10,000 raised towards furnishing it by an EDP fundraising campaign in memory of Kerri McAuley.

2017

Former High Sheriff of Norfolk, Georgina Holloway, becomes Leeway’s third Patron.

2017

Leeway opened two new safe houses (refuges) in West Norfolk and Breckland.

2016

Leeway was awarded £606,315 from Big Lottery to help provide support to women and young girls living with domestic abuse in Norfolk’s rural communities.

2015

Women’s Aid Standards achieved and awarded.

2015

Having demonstrated a high quality of service, Leeway was awarded the Women’s Aid National Quality Mark.

2014

Leeway was chosen as Norwich's civic charity.

2013

Leeway moved to larger head office premises and received the Co-ordinated Action Against Domestic Abuse (CAADA) Leading Lights accreditation.

2012

Independent Violence Advocacy (IDVA) service began for Norfolk and Norwich and Queen Elizabeth hospitals. Leeway also achieved Level B Quality Assurance Assessment for its Suffolk service.

2010

Leeway achieved a Supporting People Level B Quality Assurance Assessment for Refuge Services, demonstrating good practice and progression towards excellence in our service provision.

2009

Refuges opened in Norwich (owned by Cotman Housing Association) and North Norfolk (owned by Wherry Housing Association). A pilot outreach service was launched in Suffolk.

2007

Our Great Yarmouth refuge opened with the building owned by Cotman Housing.

2006

We started to deliver a parenting service in Great Yarmouth and Specialist Domestic Violence Court Service Independent Violence Advocacy (IDVA) in Norwich.

2005

Advocacy services began in Great Yarmouth.

2004

Advocacy services began in Broadland and South Norfolk.

2003

Leeway’s head office moved to Princes Street in Norwich. Funding was received for a children service outreach in the community, women’s outreach services, a helpline referral worker and an advocacy service in Norwich.

1997

Chapelfield East refuge opened and an Ofsted registered playgroup was set up for the children in refuge.

1990

Leeway’s management committee was established to take responsibility for the strategic management and direction of the charity. An after school club was also set up for children using the refuge.

1989

The first women were employed to run the refuge and support the women and children using the services.

1980's

A second stage ‘halfway house’ was set up for women and children to live in once the risk had decreased and they were awaiting housing.

1974

In the first week of April 1974 a grant was received to be used to open a refuge and the following week Hall entrance terrace was purchased and the refuge began.

1973

Leeway was formed by a group of volunteers and received a grant from Norwich City Council.

Awards

Women's Aid Federation England National Quality Standards

Leeway has been awarded the Women’s Aid National Quality Mark. This award demonstrates that we deliver a high standard of service to women and children experiencing domestic abuse. The Women’s Aid Quality Standards are national standards which measure the quality of domestic abuse services on a number of factors including physical and emotional recovery, rights and access, safety and dignity, and sustainability and autonomy.

Investors in People Bronze Standard

Investors in People is a management framework which aims to achieve high performance by championing best practice in people management. Following assessment, we were delighted to be awarded their ‘Bronze’ standard.

The Harwood Care and Support Charter

In March 2013 Leeway became a signatory of The Hardwood Care and Support Charter. This charter ensures that anyone receiving care and support services in Norfolk gets the highest quality service they want and expect.

Positive About Disabled People

As a disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy.

Leading Lights

SafeLives Leading Lights is the mark of quality for domestic abuse services and is increasingly being recognised by commissioners and funders across the UK. The Leading Lights accreditation programme offers services, partner agencies and commissioners a set of standards for supporting victims of domestic abuse. The programme was launched in 2009, with over 50 services across the country gaining accreditation.