The Cithrah Foundation, a charity based in Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland, aims to show the love and compassion of Jesus in a practical way. Accommodation manager Anna McAllister gives a typical example of how a mother was helped, and of Blythswood’s part in that. The story is anonymised for client safety.

Our client had five children and had been subjected to undue control which escalated to physical abuse after the birth of her youngest. She came to us hoping for temporary accommodation. Unfortunately our refuge was full, as it so often is.

But our advice and benefits worker helped her to separate her finances from her husband’s, and our support services contacted Blythswood on her behalf. We helped her to plan her escape from this abusive situation and to secure a private rental.

To make sure that she could leave without threat or harm, we moved her when her husband was at work. Blythswood at Ballyclare had boxed up kitchen essentials and furniture items so that this lady and her children would not be going into their new home with nothing. Within a few days of their initial approach, this family was free from abuse. And thanks to the generosity of the people at Blythswood the upheaval of moving out of the family home was made less stressful.

When we see the relief on the faces of our service users, when we are able to give them hope in what has been a hopeless situation for so long, we understand how necessary are the volunteers and charity workers across all of the organisations involved who pull together to make life a little easier for people who feel lost and broken.

Our aim is to help individuals to live a life of their choosing, free from abuse. We know that we can lift the phone and Blythswood will be ready, willing and able to meet the need of our clients.