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A year in numbers - how we helped hundreds of women and young people in 2025
- ciaran583
- Feb 2
- 8 min read
Recently, we wrote an end-of-year report for one of the funding bodies which supports our work.
We took great care to prepare a document filled with facts and figures, as well as real-life stories of our work with the most marginalised women and young people in our community.
This report, covering the 12 months from November 2024 to October 2025, illustrates how many lives we touch in the course of a year.
Therefore, we thought it would be a good idea to share its highlights with the wider public.
So, beginning with our support for the most vulnerable women and girls we see, this is what we did:
We supported 131 young women (up to the age of 25) and 436 women aged 25-plus who are living with the trauma of sexual exploitation and/or abuse.
39 young women received counselling support, while 112 of the most pressing cases received crisis support
136 adult women received counselling support and 436 received crisis support
Our Crisis Support Team delivered 42,305 hours of support to women in crisis.
Also, we told the our friends at the National Lottery about the importance of our placement scheme for social work students from universities across the Midlands.
This year we hosted 43 students from De Montfort University, University of Derby. University of Nottingham, Nottingham Trent and Coventry University.
READ MORE: 'I will never forget my time here' - Saying goodbye to our wonderful social work students
Nottingham Trent student Pranav said: "I love working at the New Futures Project.
"It offers a unique opportunity to support some of the most vulnerable women in the community, many of whom have experienced complex trauma, exploitation, homelessness, or displacement.
"I appreciate the diversity of the work, from supporting women with housing issues and navigating complex systems, to providing emotional support, advocating for their rights, and helping them access services they may not otherwise be able to reach.
"Being part of a team that is passionate, knowledgeable, and genuinely invested in people’s wellbeing inspires me and pushes me to become a more thoughtful and effective practitioner.
"Above all, what I love most about working at New Futures Project is seeing the impact that small acts of support can have on someone’s sense of hope and safety.
"Being part of a service that champions women’s rights, challenges injustice, and offers a genuine lifeline to those who feel alone has confirmed my passion for social work.
" This project has not only strengthened my practice but has also inspired me to continue working with vulnerable and marginalised communities throughout my future career."
READ MORE: 'Donations like this can save lives' - thank you to our friends at leading law firm Howes Percival
Similarly, Over the past year we have provided counselling placements to students from universities and colleges across the country.
As a result, 68 student counsellors worked with us to deliver 4,217 hours of-face-to face or online counselling to people going through a range of difficulties.
All of the 39 young people and 136 adult women who received counselling from the project reported improvement in their mental health and self-esteem.
Liza, who spent time with us during her course, said: "Many people come to our services not only for our basic support, but also because this warm place helps them feel safe and cared for.
"The service provides hot drinks, food, clothing, sanitary items, and many other essentials for people who may be struggling.
"This practical help makes a big difference, especially to those who arrive feeling vulnerable, frightened, or unsure where to turn.
"The warm welcome and immediate support help them feel respected and valued from the moment they walk through the door.
"I have worked for New Futures for a while now as a Level 4 trainee counsellor, and I deal with clients who come to us after experiencing sexual abuse in the past.
"I deal with intense feelings of fear, shame, guilt and anxiety - the struggle with sleep, trust and everyday tasks.
READ MORE: 'It's like coming to mum's house' - why counselling client Lucy loves the New Futures Project
"These emotional challenges affected their relationships and confidence, leaving them feeling overwhelmed and alone.
"They want to feel safe again, understand their emotions and start rebuilding their life, but find it difficult to talk about the trauma they experienced at first."
Clients can contact us themselves to ask about our services, however others are referred to us by other organisations.
So, over the year we received referrals from, among others, women's welfare groups such as Women's Aid, local councils, the NHS, the police, social services, and colleges and universities.
Frances Danaher, of the Changing Futures programme at Leicester City Council, said: "New Futures is a lifeline for many of the women that I support.
"Even when the women are not accessing any other services for support, they still rely on New Futures for a hot drink and a toastie, a warm shower and some clean clothes.
"Although they may seem like simple things, they keep people coming back to the Project and allow services to check the wellbeing of these women and engage them with support, when they are living in very risky situations and just surviving day-to-day.
"The staff who have been working with the women for a number of years are some of the few people that the women can trust, and they play a vital role in multi-agency safeguarding and support of the women."
Natalie Hunter, a support worker at drug and alcohol support service Turning Point, said: "With the invaluable support of New Futures, we’re able to create a safe and welcoming space for women in need
"This partnership allows us to offer personalised support, addressing the complex needs of each woman, building trust.
"We hold a clinic every two weeks with a prescriber, which helps keep the women on their methadone script.
"This collaboration ensures that each person feels valued and supported on their journey."
To be sure we can support as many people as we can, our counselling is available face-to-face or online.
This means clients who live locally can visit us at our home in London Road - just across the road from Leicester railway station - while those who cannot make it into the city can log-in from home.
Crucially, we are determined to make sure our counselling fees suit just about every budget.
If you are uncertain about the cost, please speak to us and we will explain how we structure things.
You can self-refer to our service by completing this form on our website.
Next, you will be invited to attend an online assessment session online with one of our assessors.
This session, which costs £20 and will take around 45 minutes, helps us identify what we need to do to help you and which of our counsellors would be most suitable for you.
The income we receive from our counselling helps us fund our broader work with some of the most vulnerable and exploited women and girls in our community.
This includes those who are living with the traumatic consequences of sexual assault and exploitation or domestic violence.
Therefore, although the cost of therapy sessions starts at £20, we do ask people to pay above that if they can.
Counselling client Gracie, 24, told us: "The people I went to see would end up telling me they wouldn’t be able to help me, saying ‘sorry, you’re too messed up for us’ or ‘we just don’t have the facilities to deal with your level of trauma’.
"I remember thinking that coming to the New Futures Project was my Hail Mary, my very last chance.
"My life is so different now. I can talk to people, whereas before I could hardly lift my head and look people in the eye due to my crippling social anxiety.
"Now I can have conversations, even with people I don’t know. I was never like that before.
"I remember laughing for what seemed like the first time in years and thinking that it sounded so weird.
"The people at the New Futures Project made me feel welcome straight away. They always understood if I didn’t really feel like talking to anyone or joining in.
"It’s the genuine kindness and caring attitude of the people at New Futures."
READ MORE: Meet our new friend Niamh - she just dropped by with a stack of clothes for the women we support
We have strived over the years to raise our profile in Leicester and the wider county and we are fortunate to enjoy the support of our community, evidenced by the steady flow of donations we receive throughout the year.
Myonex is one of our best friends in the world of business. We first met them in 2024 when we contacted 180 of the biggest firms in the city and county seeking their support.
Myonex, in Birstall, filled 20 big boxes with everyday essentials for some of the most socially excluded women we know of, including those who are homeless or vulnerably housed.
Charley Benns, a member of the the firm's UK HR team, said previously: “When looking to partner with a charity for a social and engagement event for our employees at Myonex, it was important to us to choose a local charity whose values align with our own.
“The New Futures Project reached out to us just at the right time and brought this incredible charity to our attention.”
Members of staff at a leading law firm have twice donated a stack of clothing, toiletries and other everyday essentials, including food.
Justine Flack, a partner at Howes Percival said: "Our aim is to be as impactful as we can in the communities in which we work.
"Our staff have been incredibly generous, and they’ve been fantastic at organising these donations.
"We are all proud to support the New Futures Project and to help make a difference for women who need it most.”
Apart from clothing, here's a rough guide to the kind of donations we need regularly:
Deodorant (roll-on)
Shower gel
Dry shampoo
Shampoo
Conditioner
Antibacterial hand gel
Water wipes
Feminine wipes
Tampons
Sanitary towels
Toothpaste
Toothbrush
Body cream
Breakfast bars
If you would like to drop off a donation, call us on 0116 2510803 to arrange a day and time. We are open Monday to Thursday.
We are in London Road, just a short distance up the road from Leicester railway station and parking is available nearby.
We may be able to collect too. Again, please call us for a chat.
The New Futures Project offers a comprehensive welfare and counselling service for women and young people dealing with sexual abuse or exploitation, domestic violence, trafficking, poverty and debt, substance use or mental ill-health.
Call us on 0116 251 0803 or send us a message at: info@new-futures.org.uk
You can find us at 71 London Road, Leicester, LE2 0PE.
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