Coronavirus: Hundreds raised for Staffordshire Women's Aid

The money will be spent on food vouchers for women supported by the charity

A charity that supports domestic abuse victims has received a fundraising boost after it was forced to stop physical donations due to coronavirus.

Staffordshire Women's Aid has had to restrict all food, clothing and toy donations due to the pandemic.

A JustGiving page has raised over £1,400 which will be used to replace donations with food vouchers for vulnerable women and their families.

Bosses said the response to fundraising was "absolutely fantastic".

The charity provides support and advice for victims of domestic and sexual violence and has 12 families in refuge accommodation.

It relies on donations from the public to provide the women and families it supports with essential supplies.

Chief executive Dickie James, said: "The community response is something that people don't see until we get a crisis situation like this.

"The relationship is more important than ever at the moment."

Ms James said the charity was continuing to help people it is already in touch with and was also taking new referrals on its helpline.

"We've had to mobilise as quickly as possible. I think every day the situation changes, but we are doing our very best to be available to victims out in the community," she added.

Campaigners have warned that domestic abuse has already increased elsewhere in the world as more people at risk from abuse are forced to stay indoors with their abusers due to the pandemic.

Home Secretary Priti Patel has said victims are allowed allowed to leave home to seek help at refuges despite rules to stop coronavirus spreading.

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