A CASH-STRAPPED city refuge has been awarded a £79,900 grant to fund a “desperately-needed” recovery and rehabilitation scheme.

South Hampshire’s Women’s Refuge (SHWR) was forced to make a public appeal for donations last year after changes to government funding.

Now the Southampton centre for vulnerable women has been given the grant - which will fund them for one year.

The generous donation has come from the Longleigh Foundation charity for its new RENEW (Rehabilitate, Empower, Nurture and Energise Women) programme - a specialist recovery scheme for women fleeing abusive relationships who also struggle with problems such as drink/drug dependency and mental health issues.

An estimated one in four referrals to refuges in England are currently declined due to a lack of space - and a further 10 per cent are rejected because the refuges are not equipped to support women with complex needs.

Now the grant will enable SHWR to provide more than 30 families with one-to-one support to help them successfully transition from the refuge to independent living.

Subject to the programme’s success this year, there is an option for Longleigh to grant-fund the RENEW scheme for a further two years up to a value of £244,526.

SHWR, operated by social housing provider Stonewater, was hit by funding cuts, threatening its unique recovery services. The 10-bed refuge is one of only a handful in the South of England with specially trained staff providing dedicated professional support.

“Without funding our service could only offer temporary accommodation with minimal support from limited local services,” said Louise Cox, supported housing manager for Stonewater.

“We are extremely grateful to Longleigh Foundation for this significant funding that will now enable us to really develop the RENEW project which is so urgently needed in the area. This money will also enable us to train more frontline housing staff.”