Great Yarmouth domestic abuse charity gathers to celebrate women

Jo Critch, the chief executive of Feathers Futures, said the charity is run by Great Yarmouth women, for Great Yarmouth women

A domestic abuse charity has been offering pamper sessions on International Women's Day.

Feathers Futures, a domestic abuse charity in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, has been holding sessions to bring women together.

The charity said it helped more than 450 women last year.

Jo Critch, chief executive, said: "This whole place is run by women in Great Yarmouth... it is peer support, connectiveness and friendship."

Feathers Futures was founded in 2018 to help provide a safe space and help women across Great Yarmouth.

"We do the skills, the education and training... but actually just coming together and knowing you're not alone and you have friends in this town is really, really important," said Ms Critch.

Jo Critch said International Women's Day is "not about excluding men"

The charity won the Community Group Award at the BBC Radio Norfolk Make A Difference Awards last year.

On International Women's Day, the charity has hosted a range of events including crafts, baking and pampering sessions.

"There's no discrimination, there's no gender bias... International Women's Day is across the whole of the world and it's around women who are disadvantaged across the world as well as our communities," said Ms Critch.

"It's not about not excluding men. We've got sons, we've got brothers... we've got great positive male role models and like there are men whose behaviour's not acceptable. It is the same for some women and it's about having safe space to support each other and come together and we have chosen here to celebrate women in Great Yarmouth."

"There are some wonderful women in Great Yarmouth... it is an absolute pleasure to have set this charity up and be here day in, day out... and knowing just what a difference it makes that they support each other."