A new drop-in session has started in Maidstone to support women affected by domestic abuse, thanks to funding from Town & Country Housing and Golding Homes.  

Run by the charity Joining Hands Joining Hearts (JHJH), the ‘And breathe…’ coffee mornings are free, friendly drop-in sessions run by and for women who have experienced abuse.

The sessions follow a relaxed structure, with the first part of the morning a chance to discuss any issues that people are facing, followed by activities, such as crafting, suggested by participants.

Keeley Beaney is the founder of JHJH and said that she’d been looking to start the initiative in Maidstone for some time.

“We’ve been running a similar group in Swale since 2016 and it’s really popular. From talking to people who come along, and other contacts, I knew there was a demand for something similar in Maidstone,” she said.

“John Nicholson, founder of the Community Driving School CIC, is one of our trustees and he put us in touch with Sarah from Town & Country Housing. She was really supportive of our plans, and thanks to funding from Town & Country Housing and Golding Homes, we have been able to set this new service up!

“We’ve also been supported by Switch who has let us use their youth club space for during term time.”

Town & Country Housing’s support will cover all staff and food and drink costs for a year, while Golding Homes is funding all craft and art materials that the group will need.

Sarah Maidman, Community Development Officer at TCH, explained why TCH got involved:

“As a housing association, we’re often the first port of call for people experiencing domestic abuse. Our Community Safety team works with a lot of residents in and around Maidstone, so it made perfect sense to help JHJH bring these sessions to the town.”

Georgina Pennicott, Head of Neighbourhoods and the Designated Safeguarding Lead at Golding Homes, said:

“We’re proud to be supporting these coffee mornings and survivors of domestic abuse. It’s more than just coffee, it’s a space to talk, heal and grow.

“Everyone deserves to feel safe in their own home, and by partnering with Joining Hands, Joining Hearts, we hope to help raise awareness, provide support and be part of creating lasting change in our communities.”

• The coffee mornings run from 9.30-11.30 every Friday during term-time at Switch, 34A High Street, Maidstone, ME14 1JH
• Children are welcome, and women can also bring a friend along too. Simply pop-in or ring Keeley on 0786 413 6131 if you’d like to chat or meet up first.