Skip to main contentEnter
Join 8,080+ people who care about this town
Ipswich.co.uk logoSupport our work
News

Award-winning film brings Suffolk domestic abuse stories to national stage

Suffolk Building Society's film, created with Lighthouse Women's Aid, won the Silver award in the 'Corporate Cause' category at the Smiley Charity Film Awards on 21 March.

Why it matters: The film shines a light on the vital work of Lighthouse Women's Aid, a Suffolk-based charity dedicated to supporting domestic abuse survivors across the region.

The bigger picture: The film was produced as part of Suffolk Building Society's Safe Homes for Suffolk Campaign, which supports people facing homelessness, social isolation, and domestic abuse in Suffolk.

Supporting Lighthouse Women's Aid - Safe Homes for Suffolk Campaign

Stiff competition: The film competed against submissions from major organisations, including:

  • John Lewis Partnership

  • Purina pet foods

  • Canon

  • Payroll Giving Month

  • Cambridge University Press

What they're saying: "We are absolutely thrilled to have received the Silver award for this film," said Richard Norrington, CEO at Suffolk Building Society. "It was an honour to work alongside Lighthouse as part of our Safe Homes for Suffolk Campaign. Their tireless efforts in supporting domestic abuse survivors make a real difference to women and children in the region."

Sally Winston, Chief Executive of Lighthouse, said: "We're over the moon to have received this recognition. The film has been invaluable in our courses and educational sessions for clients, and it's also been a key tool for fundraising."

The details: The film was produced by SubMotion Productions, which specialises in telling emotive stories for charities and businesses across the region.

Rachel Prendergast, Producer at SubMotion Productions, said: "Telling difficult stories is what we love to do. We've had the privilege of working with many remarkable charities and corporates across Norfolk and Suffolk, and having the opportunity to give domestic abuse survivors a voice is a responsibility we took very seriously."

Luke Littleboy, Deb Johnson, Sally Winston and Rachel Prendergast at the awards
Luke Littleboy, Deb Johnson, Sally Winston and Rachel Prendergast(Suffolk Building Society)

What's next: Suffolk Building Society will be promoting the film on social media to help educate the public and inspire action.

The bottom line: The film, which includes real survivor testimonies, aims to raise awareness and drive meaningful conversations about domestic abuse, an issue that often goes unspoken.

For more information about Lighthouse and its ongoing work supporting domestic abuse survivors, visit www.lighthousewa.org.uk/

You can read it for free thanks to the generous support of Insight Energy and RSZ Accountancy

Despite a lack of promotion, the big reveal drew a good crowd of passersby

We're regenerating Ipswich – but we can't do it without you!

People tell us every day that our work matters – that it's making Ipswich better; that it's needed. But our work costs money, and unlike the Ipswich Star, we're not funded by national advertisers or owned by corporate US overlords. For just £4.75 a month, you can help fund our mission to restore pride of place and accelerate the much-needed regeneration of the town we call home.
Become a member →

In other news...

News

From heroin to ketamine: How Suffolk's drug use is changing

Drug consumption habits in Suffolk are shifting, with people moving away from opiates such as heroin and towards cocaine, ketamine and crack – and a new report warns the county is also facing a growing threat from synthetic opioids 500 times stronger than heroin.
byand
Continue reading →
News

Suffolk councillor backs National Year of Reading

A Suffolk County Council cabinet member has pledged her support for the National Year of Reading and visited a local library on World Book Day to join a session for babies and toddlers.
by
Continue reading →
News

Ipswich man charged with murder after woman found dead

An Ipswich man has been charged with murder following the death of a 28-year-old woman whose body was found at a Russet Road address in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
by
Continue reading →
News

Anglia Retail Park to get 24 new EV chargers

Anglia Retail Park is set to nearly triple its electric vehicle charging capacity, with 24 new chargers to be installed alongside the Lidl store.
by
Continue reading →
Load more content
Our journalism is free thanks to
Our journalism is free thanks to
Want our best content delivered to your inbox every Friday?

Have you subscribed to our free weekly newsletter?

If you haven’t, you really should. You’ll get our best content delivered to your inbox every Friday afternoon, just in time for the weekend. You can unsubscribe at any time, although 99.7% of people don’t.

  • Lee Walker
  • Joe Bailey of Brighten the Corners
  • Mark Hubert
8,080+ people are already loving it