A local domestic violence charityis moving to bigger premises and expanding its team to accommodate an enormous surge in demand during the pandemic.
Since September, Domestic Violence Assist has recruited 20 volunteer advisers – mostly retired legal professionals – alongside six full-time case workers to run their 24/7 helpline.
22,000 referrals from police forces, social services, housing associations and charity organisations flooded in throughout 2020 – double the total for 2019.
Since Christmas Day, the charity has dealt with 2,800 cases of domestic abuse – with January expected to be its busiest ever month.
The rise in referrals has seen DV Assist move to a larger space in South Manchester – a move made possible by grants from Forever Manchester and the National Lottery Community Fund.
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Founder and chief executive of DV Assist Luis Labaton said there was “no doubt” that the pandemic has played a role in the big rise of domestic violence and abuse, but confirmed the charity was well-equipped to handle the growing caseload.
He stated: “Many people living with controlling, abusive and unpredictable partners have effectively become trapped at home during the various lockdowns and since the introduction of the tier system.
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“The COVID-19 crisis has increased domestic tension and led to more physical, sexual and financial and emotional abuse.
“With fewer visitors to the home, evidence of abuse may have gone unnoticed and therefore not brought to the attention of the various agencies. We have also seen cases where single parents have had their children taken by partners during the lockdowns and not returned due to the situation.
“More victims – men and women – have sought assistance from us. The intensity and pattern of abuse appears to have escalated, while at the same time access to other resources offering help has reduced due to the impact of the pandemic.”
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Other charities have also experienced busy months.
The NSPCC also received a record number of calls in November 2020 – stating that domestic abuse harming children is being reported 50 per cent more during the pandemic.
The rules state that domestic abuse victims do not have to remain at home in lockdown if they need to seek help and assistance.
Home Secretary Priti Patel has reiterated this message in a letter earlier this month, stating: “I fully agree on the vital need to continue to remind victims of abuse that they do not have to observe restrictions if they need to leave home to seek refuge or help.
“This was a message recently repeated by the Prime Minister when announcing the new national measures, and we will continue to take every opportunity to reinforce this.”
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DV Assist is the UK’s only registered charity specialising in arranging civil protection orders for victims of domestic abuse – covering non-molestation injunction orders, prohibited steps orders and occupation orders.
For more information, visit DVA Assist online and on Twitter at @_DVASSIST.
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FA Cup final confirmed for 3pm kick-off time as Metropolitan Police stress safety for fans
Danny Jones
The start time for the 2023/24 FA Cup final has officially been confirmed with holders Manchester City and challengers Manchester United set to kick off at 3pm on Saturday, 25 May.
It’s a Manc final for the second year running and yet another Manchester Derby this year as City beat Chelsea on penalties to try and defend one of their trophies from last season and Man United did just about enough to scrape through against Coventry City this past weekend.
Logistics and travel arrangements for the conclusion of last year’s FA Cup proved problematic, with the Metropolitan Police stressing that they needed the schedule brought forward to try and help curb crowd trouble – the first time the final had been reverted back to a traditional 3pm start since 2011.
Kick-off times for the knockout tournament have varied for the last three finals, having taken place at 4:45 and 5:15pm in the two years prior to 2023’s first-ever all-Manchester final, but it looks as though the same rationale has been put in place once again.
As per an official statement by the FA, the final has now been officially confirmed as 3pm BST which has been agreed with local authorities, members of the Safety Advisory Group and broadcasters, as well as with the clubs who must take the time needed for fans to travel to and from Wembley into consideration.
While pockets of fighting broke out before and after the game last year, it was deemed that this time would still be the best kick-off time for all parties involved and there will, of course, be an increased police presence in London for the game next month.
Although prioritising safety comes as welcome news, it’ll no doubt prove to be a blow to broadcasters who prefer later kick-offs when eyeing up peak audience numbers; the game is also set to clash with ITV’s coverage of the rugby as the Investec Champions Cup final is also due to start at 2:45pm.
With last season’s historic FA Cup final being the first time the two sides had met in the final in the entire history of the oldest competition in all of football, it rounded off a massive year of viewing figures for the tournament which has continued to hit record numbers in 2024.
The game will once again be shown live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and ITV1; ITVX, UTV, as well as STV, and there will no doubt be huge screenings of the game all over Greater Manchester, where an increased police presence is also expected.
Manchester City start work on next phase of stadium expansion, hotel, museum and more
Danny Jones
Manchester City have officially started work on the next phase of their ambitious stadium expansion plans which will see their capacity increase and the wider Etihad Campus transformed into a ‘best-in-class entertainment venue’.
Planning permission for the Etihad Stadium update was secured back in July 2023 and the club has confirmed that the first steel beams have now been installed after arriving in recent weeks.
The £300 million project will not only see the Etihad’s capacity climb from 53,400 to over 60,000 but, as previously detailed, the City Football Group‘s plans also entail the creation of a brand new club shop and museum, an integrated 400-bed hotel as well as an updated fan zone set to house around 3000.
With the initial steel framework now in place, not only has ground now been broken 12 months on from full arrival and just in time for the club’s 130th birthday, but they’re already making fast progress.
Man City fans can expect to see the number of seats jump up in time for the 2025/26 season, with the bulk of the stadium expansion and other renovations taking place around the North Stand – the tier facing opposite the brand-new Co-op Live Arena, which faced setbacks this week.
In addition to the other main leisure attractions, once completed, the newly expanded stand will also boast a sky bar and stadium roof walk above the upper tier, giving fans and tourists the chance to enjoy unique views of the pitch and the Manchester skyline.
Drawing parallels to Tottenham Hotspur’s new stadium, which was finally completed back in 2019, this will see City once again trying to assert themselves at the forefront of modern football experiences.
Moreover, with neighbouring Co-op Live arriving as a joint venture between the CFG and Oak View Groups, the Etihad Campus is perfectly poised to achieve the owners’ goal of becoming a “world-class, all-year-round entertainment venue”.
Importantly for the East Manchester district, the stadium infrastructure project will also bring job opportunities and economic growth to the area, with the club insisting they want to build on their “long-standing investment and commitment to its local community”.
As per an official press release, it is estimated that approximately 890 full-time roles will be created during the construction phase alone and even more are expected to be delivered once Manchester City’s new hotel, museum, sky bar and dedicated fan zones are finished.
Speaking at the site, Managing Director of Manchester City Operations, Danny Wilson, said: “It’s been an exciting few months with the arrival and installation of the first steels and fantastic to see the development and progress of the build in recent weeks.
“This project has been designed with our fans at its heart and demonstrates our commitment to creating one of the most memorable fan experiences in world sport. Fans will have the opportunity to extend their matchday by joining us at the new covered fan zone, visiting the museum, or staying at the hotel… The next evolution of the campus is well underway and it’s great to mark the progress being made.”