Wolverhampton refuge The Haven receives second Royal accolade
Refuge workers supporting women and children in need have been prized with their second royal award of the year.
The team at The Haven were praised with a Princess Royal Training Award after being named one of 40 recipients across the country.
Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal invited members of the Wolverhampton charity to St James' Palace before commending the team for its 'innovative' training scheme.
Training coordinator Rebecca Matthews, who collected the award on behalf of the charity earlier this month, said: "It was fantastic to be honoured for the peer mentor programme that we offer at the Haven Wolverhampton.
"It was especially special to be presented the award by the HRH The Princess Royal and how enlightening it was to find that she takes time to sit and read all the applications that have been shortlisted.
"She also takes part in deciding who should receive the awards and took time to speak to one of our peer mentors who attended.
"Achieving this prestigious award allows The Haven to be externally recognised for our achievements, bringing industry-wide recognition."
The Haven, which first launched in 1973 and is one of the largest refuge providers in the UK, was crowned one of the winners after judges received 116 applications.
The honour recognises groups across the nation for their commitment to delivering ‘outstanding’ training and skills development programmes.
Judges commended the Waterloo Road charity for its low-cost peer mentoring programme delivered by volunteers, who are survivors of domestic abuse, to all faiths and ethnicities.
Other recipients of the award included Coventry Building Society, George Clothing, Mercedes-Benz Cars UK, The Co-operative Group and Waitrose.
Chris Jones, chief executive of the City & Guilds Group – which delivers the awards – said: ‘It’s fantastic to celebrate the second annual Princess Royal Training Awards and honour so many businesses from the West Midlands.
"The businesses in this region set an example for the rest of the country.
‘The successful companies of the future will be those like The Haven which prioritises developing their people and giving them the opportunity to learn and grow.
"This is vital for organisations to remain competitive in the global market and to enable them to steer a smooth course through future challenges, from technological change to the rise of the four-generation workforce.”
It was the second time this year The Haven received royal recognition for its work supporting women and children affected by domestic violence, homelessness and abuse.
The charity was gifted with the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service - the highest accolade handed to voluntary groups in the UK - for its work in October.
It offers a range of support services to women and children across the city, which includes providing 63 units of accommodation in secure refuges across Wolverhampton and a 24-hour domestic abuse helpline.
The team also provide training courses to help business working with women and children to understand signs of abuse.
