Warrington North MP Charlotte Nichols joined Victim Support for a special event in Parliament.

The event celebrated the organisation’s 50th anniversary and paid tribute to the staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to deliver vital support to victims of crime, including in Warrington North.

Victim Support is an independent charity, dedicated to helping people affected by crime and traumatic incidents in England and Wales.

Founded in Bristol in 1974 by a group of volunteers, Victim Support – known then as the Bristol Victim Support Scheme – was the country’s first charity for victims of crime.

Today, the organisation helps around 140,000 people every year, offering support across a vast range of crime types including domestic abuse, sexual violence, fraud and hate crime, as well as delivering support to anyone bereaved by murder or manslaughter, through its flagship National Homicide Service.

Victim Support’s services are free and confidential – support is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, regardless of whether people have reported the crime to the police or when it occurred.

Ms Nichols spoke with frontline staff, including those who deliver vital support to child and adult victims of crimes such as domestic abuse, sexual violence, fraud, and homicide, as well as the charity’s 24/7 Supportline.

She said: “Victim Support do any incredibly important job across the country not least in Warrington.

“Victims are far too often neglected both in the immediate aftermath of a crime in the long term after it, and far too many carry trauma for many years or the rest of their lives.

“We should pay far more attention to helping victims recover from their damage, and I’d like to commend Victim Support for the work that they do.

“I always try to stand up and be a voice for victims in Warrington North and I hope that everyone is aware of the help out there when they need it most.”