This year, if you donate to us through the Big Give, you will double your support for the women and children at Marie House.

Marie House is a refuge for women and children fleeing domestic abuse.

The families are not able to contact extended family and friends or to continue in their jobs, for fear of being located. They can easily become housebound, with little to do, and little opportunity to socialise.

The nearest park is a 20-minute walk away, and many of the women struggle to leave the scheme due to physical or mental illnesses, or the risk of being found by a perpetrator. Although there is a communal lounge, playroom and a large garden area at the rear of the building, the garden has no play facilities for the children or a seating area for mums.

The planned garden project will help the women to regain their self-confidence, promote physical exercise, health and well-being for women and children fleeing domestic abuse, and provide an exciting yet safe play area for the children.

It will give the roughly 35 women and 55 children a year who use the project a space to relax, play, and socialise. The mums will be able to play with their children, and meet and make new friends.

Residents will care for the garden as a team by working with a therapeutic gardener, and take part in educational tasks and friendly competitions such as flower growing. Gardening will provide a range of health and social benefits including teamwork skills; confidence; gentle physical exercise; planning and designing, and the satisfaction of seeing what you have planted grow and flourish.

Through growing and cooking vegetables, residents will learn about healthy eating on a budget. Mums can attend outdoor support and teaching sessions in a calm environment while their children are able to play safely nearby.

Please support us through the Big Give to fund this project. Your donations will be matched, and your impact will be doubled, if you give between 12 noon on 28 November and 12 noon on 5 December. Thank you!