Lucy’s Update

Welcome to our Spring 2025 edition.

Firstly, we hope you have been able to enjoy some of the beautiful spring sunshine which is always much needed after the dark mornings and cold nights of winter.

Our first quarter of 2025 has been a whirlwind of activity and progress, providing wonderful opportunities to meet some amazing people along the way.

As a team we have been out on the road visiting all 14 of our Essex Job Centres who have each achieved two thirds of staff completing the J9 Domestic Abuse Awareness Session meaning they are all now accredited J9 Safe Spaces, which is amazing! Our visits have provided us with some useful insight into each of the areas and we hope that due to the central locations of many Job Centres across the county of Essex, this will provide many of you with somewhere you can signpost someone who maybe struggling with the relationship of a loved one.

Whilst on our road trips we use this time to debate and discuss many different aspects of Domestic Abuse including TV Dramas and how Domestic Abuse is reported in the news. It has led me to reflect on the Domestic Abuse Act, 2021 and what our statutory definition sets out to do:

The Act creates, for the first time, a cross-government statutory definition of domestic abuse, to ensure that domestic abuse is properly understood, considered unacceptable and actively challenged across statutory agencies and in public attitudes.

This is what drives us at Alpha Vesta to engage, educate and empower all corners of the community to have a ‘proper understanding’ of what Domestic Abuse is.  If people do not understand it, how can they recognise and respond to it?  If we keep referring to it as Domestic Violence or only believing it is between intimate partners then we will continue to face barriers in reaching people before crisis sets in.

It is through our work in raising awareness and building understanding that we ensure all victims and all types of domestic abuse are understood.

Best regards

Lucy

Best regards

Lucy Whittaker

Founding Director and Lead Trainer of Alpha Vesta CIC

Fully funded!

Public Training

As a Community Interest Company, we recognise the importance of removing cost as a barrier to learning more about this social and economic issue. As such, we continue to offer our fully funded public sessions via our Eventbrite page.

13 May: Core 1 – Understanding Domestic Abuse & its Impact 2hr CPD
15 May: Core 2 – The Complexity of Domestic Abuse 2hr CPD
21 May: Core 4 – The Impact of Domestic Abuse on Children & Young People 2hr CPD
22 May: Core 3 – Impact of Domestic Abuse on the Workplace & Employment 2hr CPD

J9 Initiative Update

Our J9 model for raising awareness and creating accredited J9 Safe Spaces is growing from strength to strength.  

If you would like support to create your J9 Essex Safe Space, please do reach out to us to discuss this further via our email

Here are just some of the amazing businesses and organisations that have become J9 Safe Spaces in Essex so far this year, alongside the hundreds of individuals that have attended the funded public sessions, helping to build our awareness and understanding of Domestic Abuse across our county.

New!

Commissioned Services 1 April 2025

From 1 April 2025, COMPASS will also become a point of contact for people who have engaged in abusive behaviour in their relationships and are seeking support.

Training & Consultancy Services

Our offering at Alpha Vesta consists of a suite of training suitable for all members of the public and all levels of staff. Using our expertise and experience, all training can be tailored to create bespoke packages based on the specific needs, structure and size of your business or organisation.

We work across;

• Statutory Agencies
• Public Sector Services
• Local Authorities
• Private Employers
• Charities
• Community Organisations
• Community Groups

In addition to our training offering, we provide Consultancy Services to assist businesses and organisations across public, private and voluntary sector employers, in developing robust Domestic Abuse policies, procedures and guidance. Our flexible approach allows us to thoroughly assess individual needs, create customised packages and provide ongoing support.

Should you wish to arrange a free consultation to discuss this further, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Support Services

Please click on the below button to access a full list of both regional and national support services. You can also click on the logos below to be taken to one of the following services:

If you feel there is an imminent threat to life, you are at risk of significant harm at this very moment or you are experiencing an immediate crisis – please always call for the Police or Ambulance service on 999

Long-term Impact Feedback Survey

It is important for us to continue to develop robust training which is meaningful to people from a variety of different sectors and communities. We are very grateful to all of you that take the time to complete the short questionnaire that is shared after each of our sessions.

However, it is also important to us to understand the long lasting impact of our training and how this learning is being used within the workplace and community. Therefore, for those that have completed the training within the last 6 months please can we ask you to complete this short survey link: https://alphavesta.com/feedback-survey/

What Can I Do?