DAVSS (Domestic Abuse Volunteer Support Services) is an award-winning charity which supports any victims of domestic abuse aged 16 years and above in West Kent. It was launched in 2011 by three women who had not been able to access domestic abuse support when they needed it. Over the years, it has supported 21,000 people – women and an increasing number of men.
In 2023, the charity took on a new leadership team, including Head of Business Development, Louise Wright, and one of her projects has been to find DAVSS its own base within the charity’s catchment area of Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge & Malling. Up until recently, the charity had been using space in the police station in Tunbridge Wells.
Here we ask Louise Wright about the support DAVSS received from TeamCB:
WHAT’S THE BACKGROUND BEHIND THIS DEAL?
“Unfortunately, the need for our services at DAVSS is growing and, only recently, a report was published [by the National Police Chiefs Council] describing violence against women and girls as a ‘national emergency’.”
“We have been really lucky to have been given space at the police station for a while but we recognised that we’d outgrown it and really needed our own building. Often our visitors found walking into a police station or, indeed, accessing support in the middle of a busy town centre challenging. We started looking for somewhere with an open plan feel, meeting rooms, a kitchen, toilets and our own car park. We also wanted space for virtual hearings for those we support.”
“Bracketts were really helpful and found us a converted oast locally which was available to rent and it was more or less ready to go. The building had everything we needed, including a car park. Having found a potential space, we then required legal advice regarding the lease.”
WHAT LED YOU TO WORK WITH COOPERBURNETT?
“CooperBurnett has had a long relationship with DAVSS, as Gemma Gillespie and Melissa Gire from the Family & Matrimonial team, have provided our clients with pro bono support for many years. In the last financial year alone, 88 advice meetings have taken place.”
“Their advice has meant the world to our clients and helped them feel more confident about their legal position – particularly when they are very vulnerable. I felt that, as a charity, we wanted to acknowledge CooperBurnett for that help over the years and cement our relationship even further.”
“In addition, I’ve known Victoria [Sampson] for many years, having worked with the hospice charity ellenor previously, where she was an Ambassador. I got in touch and she said the best person to speak with would be [Commercial Property Partner] Oliver Bussell. He then also introduced us to [Commercial Property Solicitor] Imogen Fleur.”
WHAT SUPPORT HAS COOPERBURNETT GIVEN YOU?
“It’s about managing the risk and Imogen and Oliver has been great at explaining in detail what certain aspects of the lease would mean for us and talking through the ramifications of the various options. Having CooperBurnett onboard has meant that we have been able to make fully informed decisions throughout the process, regarding whether this is the right property for DAVSS.”
“I’ve never had to deal with a commercial lease before, so was surprised by the amount of paperwork. I went through everything and highlighted the sections I didn’t understand or needed more information on and sent Imogen a huge list of questions. She answered them all and has been great at explaining everything in a straightforward way.”
HOW’S THE FUTURE LOOKING FOR DAVSS?
“Having our new base will give us the opportunity to develop our outreach service for victims of domestic abuse. We help clients to stand on their own two feet again, while also supporting any children they might have as well. We are also there to offer guidance on finances, as well as suggestions for home security, such as new locks and video doorbells.”
“We are particularly pleased that our new base offers disabled access. This means visitors with children in buggies can easily access our space, as well as people with limited mobility. Importantly, we can also open up our recruitment in the future to people with disabilities, which is fantastic.”
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO ANOTHER BUSINESS LOOKING TO WORK WITH COOPERBURNETT?
“I’d have no hesitation at all in recommending CooperBurnett. All in all, it was a good experience and having Imogen and Oliver by our side meant that I truly enjoyed the process and learnt a lot. They were both extremely responsive and brilliant at keeping in touch. I’m looking forward to continuing our relationship with the firm.”
To discover more about becoming a CooperBurnett client, call us on: 01892 515022.
Have you got a question or need some advice? If you require any more information about our services, please do not hesitate to contact one of our team.
