Women's centre in Cornwall uses rage room as a form of therapy
Ms Hoyle said rage-room users experienced a range of emotions during and after the session. "It's different for everyone, some people come out really empowered, some people come out quite upset," the mum-of-two said."I have mums and dads who bring their children because it really helps at home, stops them trashing their bedrooms and helps regulate their emotions."
She believes the rage room, in Par, Cornwall, is a needed therapy for everyone. "A massive part of healing is feeling angry about what we have experienced," said Ms Hoyle."Creating this space has really helped let people let out what they are feeling and process their emotions."We have a counselling room as well so if they are feeling quite emotional and it has triggered something, there is a safe space just to sit and process or just chill out before they leave."
Ms Hoyle said she opened Act Your Rage two years ago after working for the project. As part of the eight-week therapy, the group writes their feelings on a plate and then smashes it in the centre's car park - which she says inspired her to open the rage room.She said: "I think it is really important that not just young people but everybody has a safe space to express their anger. "I think we all carry different bags around with us and we live in a society that tells us that anger is bad which, if it's not expressed in a safe place, it can be."
Eighteen-year-old Ms Cowling said although the rage room felt good in the moment, she often felt sad afterwards.She said after a session she sometimes felt "defeated" but the following day she felt fresher because she had let go of some of that built-up anger.Ms Cowling said: "I don't like expressing anger so I keep it inside and then sometimes it can build up and explode, so coming to the rage room is a great way to get rid of anger in a healthy way."
Ms Cowling said she wrote "self-blame", "shame", and "self-doubt" on a plate before smashing it, because they were the feelings she wanted to "let go of".She said her favourite weapon to smash up the items was the sledgehammer.
The Women's Centre in Cornwall, run by women for women, said it provided specialist support to women and girls living with the impact of sexual and domestic abuse and sexual violence.It said the Yew project offers specialist support to young women who have experienced sexual violence, harassment or abuse.As part of group sessions, it said the young people looked at the ways in which violence and abuse had affected their lives including trauma, shame and anger.
Yew project lead Eve Davenport said there were not many places in life where people could "express their anger in such a raw way".She said: "This is a really safe, contained way to express that anger."Through our group work, we try to create a space where they are allowed to be angry, allowed to be angry about what's happened to them."It is really important they have a space to tap into that in a safe way."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
This is how we do it: ‘We broke up and started having the most amazing sex'
Having a break has been great for our sex life About four years into our relationship, Hester and I got to a point where we weren't being open with each other. She had reservations about the relationship and our future together, and I could sense her uncertainty, which had a knock-on effect on me. She was distant and I felt insecure. We would lie in bed, not having sex, and I'd roll over feeling unwanted. We decided to break up, but this decision actually freed us. While we were apart, we'd have sex when we met up about once a month, but we also slept with other people. Hester saw me having sexual autonomy as attractive. I found my mojo and brought that back into our relationship. I wasn't jealous because I knew I had the power, so Hester sleeping with others didn't feel threatening. I felt secure in her desire in a way that I hadn't previously. Two years ago, we got back together. We don't live together, and our sex life is quite erratic. Before, I saw sex as a barometer of how good our relationship was, but Hester wanting to be with me after time apart means I feel more secure. I learned from my parents to offer comfort with physical affection – a pat on the back, rather than discussing emotions. But Hester has taught me to be still and just listen. I try to spend more time in difficult, uncomfortable places. I now feel closest to Hester after an argument. We both expressed uncertainty about whether getting back together was the right thing, about whether we'll stay together for ever, which was freeing and took the pressure off. When I wasn't articulating those thoughts, I felt trapped. I was worried I might lose some of the power and feel unwanted again, but I'm now able to communicate those doubts. I was a late bloomer; I didn't have much sex as a teenager, and part of me feels as if I haven't got it out of my system. We talk about opening up our relationship, which is a turn-on and often leads to us having sex. The more we talk about it, the stronger and more secure our relationship feels. If you're keen to talk to us about your sex lives you can get in touch by filling in the form below. It is very important that both sexual partners are happy to participate. Fred sleeping with other people sparked something in me. It made me desire him more A few months into our break, Fred told me he was seeing someone else, which I found hot until he said he was into her. I felt possessive, like Fred was mine, and sobbed into his lap in a restaurant while the table next to us celebrated a birthday. He said we had to stop having sex when we saw each other, but we still went home together that night. There was a primitive sense of triumph, and the sex was amazing, probably because there was a feeling that we shouldn't be doing it. Fred sleeping with other people sparked something in me. Him having sexual agency and being desired made me desire him more. Jealousy drives me, and I don't necessarily like that about myself. I feel as if I'm fulfilling negative stereotypes of the jealous woman. The risk is exciting, but I feel secure knowing he'd choose me. The break was great for us because it gave us both the space to be on our own and start again. We're more honest with each other now and have frank discussions, like about opening up our relationship. Before the break, instead of talking about his feelings, Fred just tried to have sex. But I have fluctuating hormones, and sometimes I'm just not in the mood; it has nothing to do with how close I feel to Fred. Now Fred's in a really good place. I'm enjoying watching him flourish and am proud of his bravery for quitting a comfortable job to pursue something more risky. His willingness to embark on something different makes me feel more attracted to him. I'm at the age where friends are settling down, getting married and having children. It can feel prescribed and pressurising, especially when Fred and I don't even live together yet. I can overthink things, but talking openly about our fears has brought us closer. Whatever happens, we want to set our own parameters.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Inside the battle to save a once award-winning building which is now crumbling from neglect
When 73-year-old pensioner Pat Findley moved into Lillington and Longmoore Gardens before the turn of the millennium, she was ecstatic. The 1970s Grade-II listed estate in Pimlico, with around 1,000 homes, was an award-winning complex boasting 'beautiful' brutalist architecture and a quaint garden room at its centre. The council was attentive; the community was close-knit. But fast forward three decades, and Ms Findley says she feels like she's 'at war'. In the past year, roofs have collapsed, flats have flooded, residents have been hospitalised by scalding or 'contaminated' water, and sewage pipes have burst, causing the smell of faeces to permeate through the estate. Ms Findley says there is a new issue 'every three months'. Her own flat is infested with woodlice. Families have been evacuated, and residents have been left sleep-deprived and struggling to work after failed attempts to fix leaks and persistent mould. A recent Freedom of Information request found that the estate needed 2,086 plumbing repairs between January 2020 and March 2025. The estate has since been nicknamed 'leaky Lillington'. Leaseholders, nevertheless, have seen their maintenance bills skyrocket, as they foot half the costs of the council's decisions. But Westminster Council, she says, which owns and manages the estate, is stubborn in the face of the residents' complaints. One leaseholder, who asked to be anonymous out of fear for reprisal from the council, put it plainly: 'The council see us as the enemy.' The council has dismissed these allegations, saying they have a 'thorough complaints process', adding that they 'have apologised for any stress caused'. When asked about the specific issue of leaking, they claimed it was due to 'an ageing communal hot water and heating system that needs to be replaced', adding that they were 'working towards finding a more efficient, reliable and sustainable option'. Their acceptance of problems notwithstanding, the council received top marks when the housing regulator inspected the estate in February this year. This prompted at least 55 residents to co-sign a letter disputing the result to Labour deputy prime minister Angela Rayner. They accused the council and the regulator of 'marking their own homework'. A response from Ms Rayner's team, three months later, directed the residents to make a complaint to Westminster Council. Now, Ms Findley says she wishes she had 'never moved into that plot in the first place'. 'They don't give a toss and we're treated like dirt,' she says. 'I don't need the stress anymore. It's grinding me down.' The only relief is the community of residents that have rallied around one another. In the time that Ms Findley has lived in Lillington, social housing across the UK has fallen into disrepair following chronic underinvestment and neglect, as the central government has shifted the burden of responsibility for these homes onto less well-funded local councils. When The Independent visited the estate and spoke to residents from houses across the complex, one theme was common: Lillington and Longmoore Gardens are dangerous and a disaster is waiting to happen. London Fire Brigade last year raised concerns with Westminster Council about safety issues in the estate. Many of the residents asked to be quoted anonymously because they feared repercussions from the council, even eviction. Ernest Stafford, from the Residents' Association, urged the council to reassure residents that they are allowed to voice concerns about the estate without fear of being evicted but the council reportedly declined to intervene, prompting accusations from the residents that the council was 'quite happy to intimidate' people into silence. One resident, a mother of three, says she is 'extremely concerned' by the council's lackadaisical approach to dangerous situations. She has spent the past year battling a repeatedly collapsing and leaking ceiling in her flat. 'My life can't get any worse than it is sadly,' she says. 'I've been through it all.' She describes an incident in January in which the block's fuse box was left on fire after an electrician contracted by the council declined to properly investigate why the lights in several flats were flickering. The blazing fuse box was discovered by an employee of the UK power network after the resident called them for help. 'I dread to think what might have happened if they hadn't come when they did,' she says, adding that her block is full of vulnerable and elderly people. 'It posed a real and serious danger to the safety of everyone in the building.' Another resident in a different house in the estate says she 'suffered long periods of sleep deprivation and stress' after the roof on her building began badly leaking, partially flooding her flat. A poor repair meant the leaking persisted for years. A previous leak in her flat took months for the council to fix. 'I have never felt the council take into account the impact of their poor repairs processes on residents' day-to-day life and wellbeing,' she says. 'There was generally little sense of urgency or understanding of my issues, it was just another job number to them.' Underscoring what the residents say is apathy from the council is the poor management of costs and a lack of accountability and transparency. The role of head of repairs for Westminster Council has changed four times in the last two years, stifling attempts to remedy the issues with repairs. An advert was put out for the role of head of repairs last year, listing the salary as up to £120,000, further upsetting the residents. A leaseholder in another building provided documents that showed her maintenance costs had doubled to nearly £7,000 in just a few years. Included in those costs was a bill to be paid by all the leaseholders of that block for £8,300, to cover the insurance and maintenance of the lifts. She said she had not seen a single lift operator tending to the elevators since she moved in. 'If the contractor says they have to do something, the council just says yes,' she says. 'There is no traceability of any kind.' Ed Pitt Ford, the Conservative councillor for Pimlico North, says the current Labour council in place since 2022 is 'wasting a huge amount of money' without oversight. 'It feels like the contractors are operating unsupervised, the contracts are not being managed and hence a huge amount of money is being wasted,' he says.
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
King embroiled in row over Highgrove gardens
The King is embroiled in a row at Highgrove amid claims gardeners complained about the monarch's demands and low pay. Gardeners at the King's Gloucestershire residence have reportedly quit while managers were told to offer mental health support and counselling to staff following an investigation into a complaint by one of the workers. The Sunday Times reported that two staff walked out earlier this year and that most of the full time gardeners who worked at Highgrove in 2022 have now left. The King has spent 45 years transforming the gardens at Highgrove, near Tetbury, and last weekend hosted a 'Harmony Summit' at the house to celebrate the connection between nature and humanity. He still regularly spends time at the nine-bedroom private residence where he tends to the exotic flowers and plants in the gardens, which are known as some of the most spectacular in the country. Before his accession to the throne in 2022, Charles transferred the land surrounding his personal residence to the Prince's Foundation, which became the King's Foundation. This preserved his influence over the property when he became King as it was due to be inherited by Prince William. According to an investigation by The Sunday Times, since March 2022, 11 of 12 full-time gardening staff have left, including two heads and a deputy head. The newspaper said that at the start of this year two staff walked out and that until recently the gardens were still advertising vacancies. One probationary gardener is said to have left after Charles complained 'Don't put that man in front of me again' when he made a factual error about a flower. Sources at the King's Foundation say the gardener failed to meet expectations and was not up to the job. The monarch's involvement with the gardens is said to include specific and emotional requests ranging from the size of peaches to the shade of roses. When in residence at Highgrove he makes daily walkabouts and when he is away he reportedly pens memos written in thick red ink. Formal complaint In 2023, a gardener launched a formal grievance against management claiming the team was overwhelmed, under-resourced and struggling to fulfil the King's requests. The complaint alleged that staff had been injured trying to keep up and morale was low. 'There is little management of HMTK [His Majesty the King's] expectations, and I know I would not be allowed to say we are understaffed,' he reportedly said. As a result of the complaint, WorkNest, a HR consultancy, was brought in to review the evidence of the management and conduct of the gardens' executive director. In late 2023 it upheld claims about staff shortages, inadequate management practices and low pay contributing to poor recruitment and retention. Many gardeners were paid minimum wage and complained that remuneration was well below industry standards. However, it did not uphold personal complaints about the director, who denied his conduct amounted to bullying or harassment. It is also understood that staff turnover is less than half the national average. Only one grievance was reported in the year 2024 to 2025 and staff pay is reviewed on an annual basis. On average, staff pay rises each year since 2022 have totalled, cumulatively, between 15 to 19 per cent. A spokesman for The King's Foundation said: 'At The King's Foundation, we take staff welfare extremely seriously and strive to be an exemplary employer. We are proud to regularly report very high satisfaction rates in our annual staff survey. 'Our staff turnover is well below the national average, as is the number of formal grievances raised. For the gardening team at Highgrove specifically, we regularly review guidance from the Professional Gardeners Guild for pay benchmarking. 'Highgrove has also seen many positive developments since The King's Foundation became the charitable custodian of the gardens. Since 2022, the operating profit has more than doubled, a new education facility teaching traditional heritage skills to hundreds of students has been established, and visitor numbers continue to reach over 40,000 annually.' Sources close to both the King and the Foundation suggested it was 'perfectly reasonable' that the monarch, as the visionary behind Highgrove Gardens, and one who is known for his passion for horticulture, would make suggestions in relation to their management and presentation. The charity's trustees are said to welcome his input, which ensures the integrity of the gardens is maintained, and visitors appreciate his personal involvement.
