NDADA’s work was born in 1975 out of the wave of change heralded by Erin Pizzey which was taking place across the country with regard to the Refuge movement. With the support of a few dedicated people including Hilary Draper, Cllr. Faye Webber and the District Council, the first refuge opened in a small terraced house with very few facilities

Until 2012 the organisation was called North Devon Women’s Aid but, with more family work being undertaken and the inclusion of a service for male victims, in May 2012 we changed the name to North Devon Against Domestic Abuse (NDADA).

Real growth has happened since then, but in the climate of competitive tendering the funding for our outreach services has been removed in favour of an out-of-county provider. The new provider does not include refuge as part of their service delivery so NDADA has committed to funding this vital service independently and is the only one operating in the Devon County Council area.

NDADA’s work

• Provide temporary refuge to women and children who have suffered domestic abuse and offer support and after-care to any woman who has left our refuge
• Encourage service users to determine their own futures and help them achieve this, whether this involves returning home or starting a new life elsewhere
• Recognise and care for the emotional and educational needs of children involved
• Offer support, advice and help to any service user who requests it
• Educate and inform the public, media, police, courts, social services and other partners and organisations with respect to domestic abuse
• Support the family in a more holistic approach to help keep families safe and relationships healthy

Find out more about our refuge here.