Service Announcements & Updates Archives

First Light accepted into the Big Give Women and Girls Match Fund

First Light is delighted to have been accepted into this year’s Big Give Women and Girls Match Fund, giving supporters the chance to help us raise vital funds for local Survivor Crisis Funds.

Why this matters

Through the campaign, we aim to raise £7,000 in donations. Every eligible donation will then be matched through The Big Give, helping us reach a total of £14,000 for local Survivor Crisis Funds across the counties we work in.

The campaign will run from 12pm on 6th October to 12pm on 13th October, giving supporters one week to donate and have their eligible donation matched through The Big Give.

The funds will provide practical, immediate support for people affected by sexual violence, domestic abuse and church-related abuse, helping First Light respond to urgent needs that traditional funding often cannot cover.

For many people, the barriers to safety and recovery are practical as well as emotional. A lack of phone credit, money for transport, food, clothing or personal safety items can prevent someone from accessing support, attending appointments or taking important steps towards safety.

The Crisis Funds will help provide:

Personal safety devices and alarms
Emergency travel costs
Mobile phone credit and data
Food and essential household items
Clothing and toiletries
Emergency accommodation-related costs
Other urgent practical support tailored to an individual’s circumstances

These are often relatively small costs, but they can have a significant impact on someone’s ability to access support, increase their safety and move forward with their recovery.

How your support can help

By supporting this campaign, donors can help create flexible local funds that First Light staff can use quickly and safely when someone faces an urgent practical challenge.

Our ambition is to build support for a Crisis Fund in each county we work in, ensuring that people can receive practical help at the point they need it most.

The Big Give Women and Girls Match Fund is a powerful opportunity to make every donation go further and increase the support available to people who rely on First Light’s services.

This year’s campaign builds on First Light’s previous Big Give activity, while taking a wider approach across the counties we work in.

Previous Big Give campaigns helped raise £10,000 for Cornwall Domestic Abuse Service and just over £3,000 for services in Swindon and Wiltshire.

This year, our goal is to raise £7,000 in donations, which will be doubled by The Big Give to create a total of £14,000.

We know from our work every day that practical support can make the difference between someone remaining in crisis and someone being able to take the next step towards safety and recovery.

More details about the campaign and how to donate will be shared soon. Please look out for updates ahead of 6 October and help us spread the word when the campaign goes live.

Looking ahead: upcoming campaigns and projects

Supporting students during Freshers’ season

Throughout September, First Light will be attending Freshers’ events across the counties we work in, sharing information and resources with students. We will also be exploring opportunities to support student-led Students Against Abuse societies and networks over the next 12 months.

Domestic Abuse Awareness Month: It Didn’t Start Like This

Launching in October, First Light’s Domestic Abuse Awareness Month campaign, It Didn’t Start Like This, will focus on helping people recognise the early signs of abuse and understand how harmful behaviours can escalate over time. We will be inviting communities, organisations and supporters to get involved and help spread the message.

Reclaim the Net: 16 Days of Action

First Light’s 16 Days of Action Against Violence Against Women and Girls campaign will focus on online abuse this year. Through events, awareness raising and a 16-day digital protest, the campaign will explore the experiences of women and girls online and advocate for safer digital spaces.

Celebrating 8 Years of Safer Futures: 2018–2026

For 8 transformative years, First Light has been proud to launch and deliver Safer Futures, an integrated Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence service supporting individuals and families across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

From its launch in 2018, Safer Futures was more than a service delivered by First Light, it was a commitment. A commitment that everyone affected by domestic abuse and sexual violence deserves to be heard, believed and supported, and that safety, dignity and recovery should be accessible to all, wherever they live.

As First Light comes to the end of its delivery of the Safer Futures service, we are taking a moment to reflect on the extraordinary impact created by survivors, staff, partners and communities working together.

A Service Built on Collaboration and Care

Safer Futures began in 2018 through partnership working, bringing domestic abuse and sexual violence services together into one coordinated, accessible system for the first time.

This integrated approach transformed how people accessed support, offering a single point of contact, trauma‑informed responses and specialist pathways for people at every level of risk.

From the very first year, demand was high and remained so throughout the life of the service, reflecting both increased awareness and significant unmet need across the region.

8 Years of Impact Across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly

Between 2018 and 2026, First Light supported tens of thousands of people experiencing domestic abuse and sexual violence. Each year brought increasing demand, growing complexity and continued innovation, ensuring no one was left without help, including during the Covid‑19 pandemic and periods of system‑wide pressure.

Across the eight years:

Over 100,000 helpline calls were answered, offering immediate advice, safety planning and reassurance to individuals, families, friends and professionals across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly
5,000+ high‑risk individuals and families received specialist advocacy through IDVA, DASA and court‑based services, ensuring protection, representation and safety at the most critical moments
Tens of thousands of adults, children and young people were supported through whole‑family, whole‑life approaches, recognising the long‑term and intergenerational impact of domestic abuse and sexual violence
Thousands of people accessed recovery pathways, therapy, mentoring and long‑term emotional support, helping survivors move beyond crisis and rebuild safer, healthier futures
Victims in rural and island communities, including the Isles of Scilly, saw significant improvements in access to specialist help, with year‑on‑year increases in referrals and support reaching isolated communities

While statistics demonstrate scale, the true impact of Safer Futures is found in the lives changed, in survivors gaining safety, confidence and independence, and in families beginning new chapters free from abuse.

Innovation, Early Intervention and Specialist Pathways

Over 8 years, First Light continually evolved support to meet emerging needs.

This included:

Primary care and GP‑linked pathways, enabling earlier identification and faster intervention
Domestic Abuse Support Advisors (DASA) providing accessible, practical and emotional support
Specialist services for children and young people, older victims, LGBTQ+ survivors and those with complex needs
Strong multi‑agency working across health, housing, policing, courts and voluntary services

This ensured people were supported at the right time, in the right way, whether at the point of crisis or during longer recovery journeys.

A Legacy of Compassion and Change

Safer Futures has shaped not only the lives of those it supported, but also the wider system around it. The service model developed over these eight years has been widely respected, trauma‑informed at its core and rooted in belief, dignity and empowerment.

Safer Futures has always been about more than interventions, it has been about human connection, advocacy and standing alongside people when they need it most.

Looking Ahead

As First Light concludes this chapter delivering Safer Futures, we are proud of the legacy created and deeply grateful to every person who contributed, from survivors who trusted us with their stories, to staff and partners who brought commitment, courage and compassion to the work every day.

First Light is excited to continue providing vital support across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly through our First Light Family Domestic Abuse Service Advisors (DASA), our Court IDVA Service and our Family Court IDVA Service, ensuring that safety, advocacy and recovery remain at the heart of everything we do.

Plymouth launches new integrated domestic abuse service – IDASP

A new partnership bringing together specialist charities is transforming the way Plymouth responds to domestic abuse, offering joined-up, trauma-informed support from crisis intervention to behaviour change.

Plymouth’s first integrated domestic abuse service officially launched on 1 April 2026, bringing together four specialist organisations to deliver seamless support for survivors, children and families across the city.

The Integrated Domestic Abuse Service Plymouth (IDASP) is a partnership between First Light, Ahimsa, Barnardo’s and Bridges Outcomes Partnerships. It is jointly commissioned by Plymouth City Council and the Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner and represents a step-change in how domestic abuse services are delivered in Plymouth, replacing fragmented provision with a joined-up model designed around the needs of those affected.

At the heart of IDASP is a simple but powerful belief: that people affected by domestic abuse deserve support that meets them where they are, without barriers, delays or dead ends. Whether someone is living in fear, trying to make sense of what has happened to them, or simply not yet sure where to turn, IDASP is designed to be the place they can come.

Support for survivors:

Through First Light, the service offers free, confidential and trauma-informed support for any adult experiencing domestic abuse. Trained advisers take the time to listen, help people understand their situation and their options, and walk alongside them at every stage of their journey.

For some people that means immediate crisis support and personalised safety planning, speaking to someone who can help them recognise risk and take steps to protect themselves. For others, it means longer-term practical support: navigating housing, benefits, health services or the justice system, with an advocate who listens, who believes them, and who is in their corner. Every situation is different, and the service meets people where they are with compassion and without judgement, whether they are still in a relationship, thinking about leaving, or rebuilding their life after abuse.

Breaking the cycle: working with people who cause harm:

The service also addresses one of the most critical, and often overlooked, parts of breaking the cycle of domestic abuse: working with people who cause harm.

Through Ahimsa, a Plymouth charity founded in 1990 with more than 35 years of experience, IDASP delivers intensive, one-to-one behaviour change programmes with people posing the

highest risk and frequency of harm. Ahimsa’s Behaviour Change Practitioners work closely alongside Independent Domestic Violence Advisers (IDVAs) to continuously assess and manage risk and increase safety for those affected.

Holding people accountable and equipping them with the tools to change are not mutually exclusive. They are two sides of the same commitment to making Plymouth safer.

Support for children and young people:

IDASP recognises that the impact of domestic abuse on children and young people is profound and long-lasting. Barnardo’s provides specialist outreach and support to young people and schools across Plymouth as part of the service.

IDASP is open to everyone in Plymouth regardless of gender, background, ethnicity, faith or circumstance. You do not need to be in crisis to reach out. Wherever you are on your journey, there is support here for you.

Free, confidential support is available now.

Call: 01752 429 736

Visit: www.idasp.org

New Plymouth Sexual Violence Therapeutic Service

We are excited to share that First Light has partnered with Young Devon, Victim Support, and Operation Emotion to deliver the new Plymouth Sexual Violence Therapeutic Service. This collaboration brings together specialist expertise to strengthen support for survivors of rape and sexual abuse across Plymouth.

The new service ensures that anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse can access high‑quality therapeutic support in a safe, compassionate, and supportive environment. Through our partnership model, survivors will benefit from:

A dedicated multi‑agency team working together
Improved access to counselling and therapeutic interventions
A service shaped around safety, wellbeing, and long‑term recovery

This partnership represents our shared commitment to ensuring no survivor feels alone. By combining our experience, we are building a stronger, more connected network of support for Plymouth. Together, we are strengthening accessibility, enhancing service quality, and ensuring every survivor is met with compassion, belief, and the support needed to move forward.

As highlighted by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, this new model is being introduced to create clearer pathways into support, stronger coordination, and better alignment with survivor needs. This model aims to deliver a more joined‑up, trauma‑informed approach that reduces barriers and improves consistency of care.

Our partnership reflects and supports this direction. By bringing together the combined expertise of four specialist organisations, we will ensure:

Simplified access to therapeutic support
Improved continuity of care, from first contact through to ongoing healing
A survivor‑centred approach grounded in compassion, respect, and empowerment
A multidisciplinary team equipped to support a diverse range of needs and experiences

This joined‑up service model aligns with wider regional efforts to ensure survivors receive support that is timely, holistic, and tailored to their individual journey.

We look forward to sharing more updates as this service continues to develop.

View the announcement from The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly: https://devonandcornwall-pcc.gov.uk/improved-support-for-survivors-of-rape-and-sexual-abuse

First Light Impact Report 2024 – 2025

We are proud to share this year’s impact report.

Our report highlights a growing need for support, but it also reflects the power of compassion, collaboration, and commitment. Together, we supported 24,088 people affected by sexual violence, domestic abuse, and church-related abuse. This increase speaks to both the growing need and the strength of our collective response.

Over the last year, we launched a dedicated crisis fund for women and girls facing domestic abuse, providing urgent, life-saving support when it matters most. We also introduced a campaign for young people to build healthy relationships and created resources for parents to have vital conversations through our HappyHealthyLove initiative. In addition, we launched They Think It’s All Over, a campaign addressing abuse across all sports and exploring how we can work together to protect those affected.

None of this would be possible without you. Our volunteers, funders, donors, fundraisers, charity partners, staff, and trustees. Your belief in our mission and continued support have helped us reach more people, amplify more voices, and drive meaningful change.

On behalf of everyone at First Light, thank you for standing with us. Together, we can ensure every voice is heard, believed, and supported.

Our New Gloucestershire ISVA Service

We’re proud to launch the new Gloucestershire Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA) Service in partnership with Barnardo’s.

Together, we offer specialist, confidential, and independent support for anyone affected by sexual abuse or sexual violence. This service is available to adults, children, and young people of all genders and backgrounds across Gloucestershire.

Whether you’ve reported the incident to the police, are considering it, or don’t want to involve them at all – we are here for you.
You will be heard. You will be believed. You will be supported.

We also want to extend a warm welcome to the dedicated team joining us in delivering this vital service.

For more information, visit: https://www.firstlight.org.uk/our-services/gloucestershire-isva-service/