The keys to the first of two safe havens built by The Independent’s Brick by Brick campaign for women fleeing domestic abuse have been handed over.
Construction of the first purpose-built safe house was completed this week, after the hugely successful campaign launched in partnership with leading domestic abuse charity Refuge was backed by readers, politicians, royalty and celebrities.
The Queen, Sir Keir Starmer, Dame Helen Mirren, Dame Joanna Lumley, Olivia Colman, Victoria Derbyshire, Andi Oliver, David Morrissey and Sir Patrick Stewart were among those to offer their support.
Stories of the reality of domestic abuse, including brave survivors such as Esther who spent a week held hostage in her own flat, kickstarted a national conversation about the prevalence of domestic abuse in the UK.
The new house, which has been built by Persimmon Homes, is in a secret location to protect survivors. It is a semi-detached home with a living room, open-plan kitchen and dining room.
The home also features a private garden for survivors to enjoy secure outdoor space and includes a number of safety features, including CCTV, a fireproof letter box and enhanced locking features on windows and doors.
Geordie Greig, editor-in-chief of The Independent, said: “This is a monumental achievement, and I’m immensely proud of the role our readers and supporters have played in building this house Brick by Brick.
“Together with Refuge and Persimmon Homes, we have delivered a state-of-the-art property which will provide sanctuary for countless vulnerable women and children.
“There’s more to come, with the construction of the second home well underway, and we will continue to use every means at our disposal to increase awareness of this national crisis and create lasting change.”
The home has two double-sized bedrooms, a downstairs bathroom and built-in cupboard storage space. It also has a private drive with off-road parking and solar panels on the roof, making it 30 per cent more energy efficient than older properties.
It will now be finished off by Refuge’s team of female decorators to create a trauma-informed home, complete with furniture and furnishings.
The House(s) The Independent Built: In numbers
Length of the campaign: 100 days
Money raised during the campaign: £576,984
Number of donations during appeal: 2,282
Amount of bricks for two houses: 10,946
Number of roof tiles for two homes: 1,500
The number of builders who constructed the houses: Up to 50 builders working on the site each day
Size of two houses: gross floor area of 1357.12 square feet
The home is the first of two identical safe houses being funded by the Brick by Brick campaign, which was launched in September 2024 in response to the nationwide domestic abuse crisis.
Thousands of women across the UK face danger in their own homes, but a woman is turned away from a refuge every two hours due to a lack of space or capacity.
The Independent has heard testimony from a wide range of survivors, including women who were beaten, lost their jobs, friends and children, while others were simply too terrified to leave.
BBC broadcaster Victoria Derbyshire recalled how her father threw scalding soup over her as she stood in her school uniform and beat her mother so badly on one occasion that she suffered a broken rib.
When the initial target of £300,000 was reached after just a month of fundraising, The Independent decided to build a second house with over £576,000 raised in total by our generous readers.
Gemma Sherrington, CEO of Refuge, said: “Today marks an important milestone in our partnership with The Independent, with the completion of the first of two safe houses built with funds raised through our Brick by Brick campaign. This house will offer a safe, supportive space for survivors of domestic abuse, giving them the opportunity to rebuild their lives free from fear.
“We are incredibly grateful to all those who donated, raised awareness, and supported Brick by Brick. This achievement is not just about the physical building, but the new beginning it represents for women and children who desperately need it.
“While today is a cause for celebration, the reality is that domestic abuse continues to devastate lives. This is just the first step, and we will continue working tirelessly to ensure that more survivors have access to safe spaces and expert support to overcome the impact of abuse.”
The property will look exactly the same as those surrounding it, to ensure that victims do not feel isolated. Survivors – including those with older children – will be free to bring pets with them, something that many refuges are not able to accommodate.
As the house will see many survivors pass through it, Refuge will carry out maintenance and a deep clean between each family.
During a family’s stay, Refuge staff will provide emotional support and legal advice, and will support women with safety planning, budgeting, finding a safe new home, dealing with debt and applying for welfare benefits, accessing health services, and finding nurseries and schools.
Anthony Vigor, chair of the trustees for the Persimmon Charitable Foundation, said: “We are delighted to be handing over the keys to the first Refuge home built by Persimmon. It has been a real privilege to be involved with this project and the life-changing benefits it will deliver.
“Everyone has a right to feel safe and we are pleased that this home will shortly become a much-needed sanctuary for a family surviving domestic abuse.”
The national domestic abuse helpline offers support for women on 0808 2000 247, or you can visit the Refuge website. There is a dedicated men’s advice line on 0808 8010 327
