I fled from an abusive relationship - it took a while to pluck up the courage to leave that person

Woman B

Statistics show that one in three women visiting their GP have suffered domestic violence.

One woman re-housed by the scheme said she would have spent another 10 years going backward and forward to a "violent, vicious man", if the charity had not existed.

With the extra cash, the group can now afford two new members of staff to promote the service in north east Wales.

The charity supported more than 400 people suffering from domestic violence last year - women like these who did no want to be named.

The Rhyl charity saw 34 families in 2001

Woman A said it took a lot for her to seek help.

"I came here because I was fleeing domestic violence. I've got two children, I tried every avenue possible and thought refuge was the only way forward.

"You can come, bring your kids with you and you can have that thinking space that you need when you're trying to settle.

"Most of all you're safe," she added.

A lot of women will go to a doctor and be to frightened to tell him and he won't pick up on it

Lynne Thackeray, Women's Aid

Woman B has been in a refuge centre in Rhyl for a few months.

"I fled from a domestic and mental abuse relationship which I'd been in for a while and it took a while to pluck up the courage to leave that person.

"When I arrived here I got a lot of support where I could talk, the ladies are very supportive - you are safe and there is always someone there."

The group's finance funding worker, Lynne Thackeray, said the £192,000 grant from the Community Fund in Wales will have great benefits.

"It's not just for an outreach worker it's also for a community development worker who can just go out there and raise awareness because a lot of people are unaware of womens aid," she said.

Domestic Violence

Ms Thackeray wants greater awareness within the community: "A lot of women will go to a doctor and be too frightened to tell him and he won't pick up on it.

"They'll say they banged their head on a cupboard or fell down the stairs.

"A lot of women go back to abusive relationships and statistics say it takes about seven times before they make the final break," she said.

"They know that we'll always be there for them whether they go back or not."