A DOMESTIC abuse support charity has relaunched.

Kendal-based Springfield supports vulnerable women and men across South Lakes with its women's refuge and community hub and community-based support.

At an event at Kendal Town Hall supported by Ginger Bakers, Baba Ganoush, Relish 37 and MTP, Springfield officially changed its charity's objective to include men which has recently been practice in any case.

CEO Tori O'Callaghan-Lake said: "Springfield has been supporting vulnerable adults in Kendal since 1915. Our specialist domestic abuse refuge was one of the first refuges in the country and our community service has been in operation since 2015.

"We are very proud to share that our refuge is now staffed 24 hours per day and from May will be able to accommodate women as well as their children. These changes have been made after receiving feedback from current and past residents.

"Our community service provides specialist domestic abuse support for victims and survivors in the South Lakeland area, we support those who have left their abuser and those who are still in their abusive relationships. We run various group work programmes, including our newly launched children's group and Power to Change.

"We have the only specialist independent stalking advocacy careworker (ISAC) in the whole of Cumbria, this role supports victims and survivors of stalking and works closely with Cumbria Constabulary to secure stalking protection orders.

"Our ISAC supports clients who experience stalking as part of domestic abuse as well as those who have never been in a relationship with their stalker.

"Since the cost of living crisis, we were supporting more and more clients who were remaining in abusive households as they couldn’t financially afford to leave, we applied for funding which has enabled us to recruit a specialist poverty lead support worker. This worker helps clients source funds and benefits to enable them to flee safely."

The service, which accepts self and agency referrals, also works in more rural, hard-to-reach communities.

As part of the relaunch, a Friends of Springfield membership of two annual newsletters, coffee mornings and a pin badge for a minimum of £25 per year was announced.