98ft ‘HAVEN HEIGHTS’ CHARITY ABSEIL IN SOLIDARITY FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN WEST MIDLANDS AFFECTED BY ABUSE
The charity abseil is to fundraise for The Haven Wolverhampton, the city’s leading provider of domestic abuse and sexual violence support services
Members of the public are invited to brave the 98ft ‘Haven Heights’ abseil, The Haven Wolverhampton’s charity fundraiser, in support of women and children affected by abuse.
The Haven Wolverhampton is a Women’s Aid organisation that supports women and children in the West Midlands who have been subjected to domestic abuse and sexual violence. Funds raised will go towards the charity’s lifesaving support services to help victims and survivors to recover from trauma.
The charity fundraiser will take place on Saturday 21st March, where abseilers will descend from the Greenhouse at the Custard Factory, Digbeth, Birmingham. Spaces for the abseil are limited and filling up fast.
Highlighting the need for support services for victims and survivors, it is reported that an estimated 2.2m women over the age of 16 were affected by domestic abuse in the year ending March 2025* and that more than 6,800 children in the West Midlands were domestic abuse victims between 2022 and 2024.**
For The Haven Wolverhampton, 1,800 women and children were referred to the charity and on average 2,659 helpline calls were answered by its triage and advice team each month, between 2024-25.
An example*** of how women supported by The Haven Wolverhampton feel upon starting their journey is shared below:
“The bravest step I ever took didn’t seem brave at all. I didn’t leave all at once. People think leaving happens in a big moment; a packed bag, a slammed door, freedom waiting outside. For me it was smaller and much more subtle than that. It was noticing how quiet I had become. It was waiting to see what mood he was in before I spoke. It was apologising for things I hadn’t done. And then one day, when someone asked if I was okay, I stopped pretending. That was my first step.
“When I arrived at The Haven Wolverhampton, I still didn’t feel brave. I felt like I might go back. But they didn’t rush me. They stood beside me until standing stopped feeling safer than moving. Courage, I learned, isn’t a leap. It’s leaning back and trusting you’ll be held. It’s just one step away from fear, and towards something better.”
Chloe Richards, Fundraising Lead at The Haven Wolverhampton, who is taking part in the charity abseil herself, said:
The women we support, every day, are learning to trust again and lean into our support. Similarly, we are asking our abseilers to trust the ropes and begin their journey back to solid ground. Every person who signs up for the challenge is helping women to make the first step and get support. Whether that’s a helpline answered, a room ready, or a voice believed.
“Our 98ft ‘Haven Heights’ abseil is more than the adrenaline rush – it’s about doing something brave to show solidarity with women and children who have been subjected to abuse. So, if you want to do something unforgettable in Birmingham at the iconic Custard Factory, while making a huge impact to those who need our support in the region, join me and sign up today!”
Fundraising efforts, like the ‘Haven Heights’ charity abseil, are essential to the survival of The Haven Wolverhampton’s support services, which includes The Haven Hub helpline support over the phone, online and in person, its safe accommodation, community outreach, support for children, and recovery services such as counselling and life skills support.
To book an abseiling slot today, with varied registration prices and minimum fundraising amounts, please visit www.bit.ly/havenheights. Alternatively, contact the fundraising team by emailing give@havenrefuge.org.uk.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, please call our free helpline on 08000 194 400 or visit www.havenrefuge.org.uk