A Teesside charity has been awarded more than £91,000-worth of extra funding to support survivors of sexual violence and abuse recover from their ordeal.
The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cleveland (OPCC) has just secured a £91,167.34 one-off grant from NHS England (NHSE) for ARCH Teesside.
The money will support extra counselling sessions for victims of sexual violence over the next 15 months. Additional sessions are aimed at reducing waiting times.
Demand for ARCH’s – and services provided by other specialists – has increased significantly year on year.
Victims/survivors need timely support to aid their recovery, putting even more pressure on services to deliver.
Police and Crime Plan priorities
Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner Matt Storey said: “Increasing the capacity of sexual abuse and violence counselling supports two of the priorities in my Police and Crime Plan 2024-29.
“Those priorities are Improving safety for women and girls and ensuring the right support is available for victims and vulnerable people.
“I want to see an end to violence against women and girls in our society – but while it does exist, it’s doubly important to focus on the victims and make sure they get the right support at the right time to recover as successfully as possible.”
Lisa Russell, ARCH Teesside Clinical Lead, said: “This past year has tested our services in ways we could never have imagined.
“That is why receiving funding from NHSE for our counselling work at ARCH Teesside means so much.
“This support doesn’t just keep our doors open, it gives us the stability to reach even more survivors across Teesside, offering them the safety, compassion and understanding they desperately need and truly deserve.
“Sexual violence continues to destroy lives and our communities; it also impacts our children and young people. This is something as a society we cannot accept. This funding will strengthen our ability to stand alongside survivors, helping them to feel safe, supported and begin their healing journey.”
Extra funding
Last year, Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner Matt Storey awarded ARCH a one-off grant of £15,000 to fund a Support Navigator. The role bridges the critical gap between being referred to Arch and getting specialist support.
The navigator keeps in regular contact with survivors, making sure no-one is left feeling alone or unsafe while waiting for specialist help.
Since 2025, the OPCC has been able to apply for non-recurrent funding from NHSE.
NHSE funding supports specialist services to deliver support, which aligns with its Sexual Assault and Abuse Strategy.