“Any positive action you take, even a small one, can yield big results. It only takes the flame of one match to light a darkened room.”
– Maxi Leigh, Founder and Director
About Support for Survivors
From the experience of one person and her journey of being abused for years, Support for Survivors emerged.
Support for Survivors was formally registered in 2016 and founded by Maxi Leigh. We’re based in Sherwood Community Centre in Nottingham (also a registered charity) and use this facility to run the charity, hold meetings and host personal development workshops.
Find out more about our award-winning services.
Setting up the charity
Find out about our personal development programme
Listen to our founder, Maxi Leigh’s, story on the Life Stories, Life Lessons podcast
Staffing and funding
All our staff, including Maxi and the Trustees, are volunteers. No-one started this enterprise in order to make money and every penny we raise goes into funding basic running costs and course materials.
We’re 100% reliant on charitable grants and fundraising from philanthropic foundations, such as Nottingham City Council, Nottinghamshire County Council, the Big Lottery and Greggs Family Foundation.
Awards
Both Support for Survivors and Maxi herself have gained many awards and accolades. We’re proud of every single one of these and have listed some of them below:
- Marsh Christian Trust award for innovative Mental Health Peer Support - 2019
- Woman of the Year (Nottingham Women in Business Awards) - 2017
- Nottingham CVS 'Best in Nottingham' Community Stars Award - 2017
- Inspire Awards 'Inspiring Individual' - 2016
- The Sheriff of Nottingham Award for volunteering - 2014
- Duke of York special recognition for service to the community - 2011
- Divas of Colour ‘Inspirational Woman of the Year’ – 2021
- Shortlisted for The Ubele Initiative 'Women on the Frontline of Communities' project - 2021
Research
We work alongside the Nottingham Trent University (NTU) to assist them in an annual research programme around the affects of child abuse and its treatment.
The research we’ve been involved in so far is:
- Benefits of survivor-led support.
- Long term-impact of childhood abuse in multiple populations.
- Overcoming shame and encouraging empowerment and connection.
NTU showcase their results each year, which helps further the much-needed research into child abuse and the effects on survivors. If you’d like to find out more, visit our Contact page.
Our philosophy
We work together to overcome the damage and pain that has been inflicted on us, often by people that we were taught to trust the most.
The path from being the ‘victims’ of perpetrators and the ‘subjects’ of treatment, is through the development of our personal integrity as human beings. We act with respect, thoughtfulness and a common sense of purpose. We cherish and respect the freedom of every individual.
We recognise that real freedom is an inner capacity that can only be obtained, step-by-step, according to the personal development of the individual. Through a process of personal learning and development, achieved through the support of others on that path, we overcome fear and anxiety and achieve esteem for ourselves and others around us. We’re all at different stages on the path, but are on the same path nonetheless. We will not be ‘done to’ by anyone acting in some other’s name, but in our name. We will act together.
Any positive action you take, even a small one, can yield big results. It only takes the flame of one match to light a darkened room.
The hardest part for us all is seeking the help we all need – the hand that reaches out, not to push or pull, not to do things to you – but to let you know that we are linked by a common sense of purpose.