Latest news with #GeordieGreig
The Independent
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Second safe haven built by The Independent for women fleeing domestic abuse now complete
The second safe haven built by The Independent ' s Brick by Brick campaign for women fleeing domestic abuse has been completed, providing a 'lifeline' for families in need. The purpose-built safe house is now ready for its first family to move in, weeks after the keys for the first home were handed over. The new houses, built by Persimmon Homes, were funded by The Independent 's hugely successful campaign, launched in partnership with leading domestic abuse charity Refuge last September. When the initial target of £300,000 was reached after just a month of fundraising, The Independent decided to build a second house as more than £585,000 was raised by our generous readers. The campaign was backed by politicians, royalty and celebrities, including the Queen, Sir Keir Starmer, Dame Helen Mirren, Dame Joanna Lumley, Olivia Colman, Victoria Derbyshire, Andi Oliver, David Morrissey and Sir Patrick Stewart. The Independent 's editor-in-chief, Geordie Greig, said: 'It is brilliant news that The Independent's Brick by Brick campaign now has a second house funded and built for women desperately in need of sanctuary. 'I feel enormous gratitude to our donors and our charity partner, Refuge. 'This house is a lifeline for abused women. To build a permanent sanctuary makes all of us at The Independent feel great pride and joy that this safe house is available forever, offering rescue and respite to women whose lives are at risk.' The identical homes are built in a secret location to protect survivors and look exactly the same as those surrounding them, to ensure their occupants don't feel isolated. They are both finished with a living room, open-plan kitchen, dining room, a garden and two double-sized bedrooms with built-in cupboard storage space. After the 10,946 bricks were laid, an all-female team of decorators added the finishing touches to the properties with bright colours to make the house a true home for those seeking refuge. Crucially, the semi-detached homes also include a number of safety features, including CCTV, a fireproof letter box and enhanced locking mechanisms on windows and doors. The Brick by Brick campaign was launched in September 2024 in response to the nationwide domestic abuse crisis. Thousands of women across the UK face danger in their own homes, but a woman is turned away from a refuge every two hours due to a lack of space. The Independent heard testimony from a range of survivors, including women who were beaten and had lost children, friends and jobs. The project would not have been possible without the generous donations from readers and other backers including the The Julia Rausing Trust and Nationwide. Prominent figures publicly supported the campaign, including the Queen, who also made a donation and described such safe spaces as 'vital in providing a lifeline to those at their lowest ebb'. Praising the campaign on the completion of the second home, the prime minister said: "Congratulations to the Independent for its work on this wonderful project. 'When I first backed Brick by Brick, I said I wanted the campaign to go on and get bigger and bigger – and now it is. 'No one should be forced to choose between staying in danger or facing the streets. A second Brick by Brick safe home means more women and children can escape abuse and rebuild their lives with dignity and security. 'My government has a commitment to halve violence against women and girls and we will need to pull every lever across society to make this happen, which is why I am so proud of campaigns like this that show what we can achieve when we stand together." Actor Olivia Colman, a Refuge ambassador who supported the campaign, said: "Together, we supported Refuge and The Independent's Brick by Brick appeal, as every woman and child deserves to live safely, free from the horrors of domestic abuse. We haven't just built two houses, we have created homes that will save lives. Thank you." She was joined by fellow Refuge ambassador, Sir Patrick Stewart, who said the campaign sent a 'powerful message' that we as a society 'will not tolerate domestic abuse'. 'We must continue to join forces to support the millions of women and children who are subjected to domestic abuse every day,' he said. Survivors, including those with older children, will be free to bring pets with them, something that many refuges are unable to accommodate. Refuge staff will provide emotional support and legal advice to the families, and will help women with safety preparations, budgeting, debt planning, benefits applications and finding nurseries and schools. Gemma Sherrington, CEO of Refuge said: 'With the first of these houses already occupied, this week we welcomed a survivor to the second – a powerful reminder of the life-changing impact the Brick by Brick campaign has had. 'These two houses – which offer safety and freedom to women who would otherwise not be able to access traditional refuges – are already saving lives. 'As a result of the incredible support shown for this campaign, countless women and their children will now have somewhere safe to call home, where they can begin to rebuild their lives free from fear.' Anthony Vigor, chair of the trustees for the Persimmon Charitable Foundation, said: 'We are delighted to be handing over the keys to the first Refuge home built by Persimmon. It has been a real privilege to be involved with this project and the life-changing benefits it will deliver. Everyone has a right to feel safe, and we are pleased that this home will shortly become a much-needed sanctuary for a family surviving domestic abuse.' It's not too late to support Refuge and to help more survivors find their freedom. Donations will be spent on Refuge's lifesaving work housing survivors of domestic abuse.
The Independent
11-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Time to build a better future
The Independent is proud to be able to thank its generous readers and partner organisations for the completion of a new bespoke safe haven for women and their families fleeing domestic abuse. Our Brick by Brick campaign, launched last September in partnership with the charity Refuge, asked for a £15 contribution per nominal brick for the buildings – and there was an immediate and enthusiastic response to the appeal. Construction of the first purpose-built house has now been completed, with a second to follow soon. As soon as Refuge's all-female team of decorators have finished up, the first residents will be welcomed into their secure and safe new home. Of necessity, the location of the properties remains confidential, which will lend additional comfort to those who have been subjected to horrific mental and physical torture. In particular, Refuge, the Persimmon housebuilding company and its charitable trust have devoted enormous effort and care to the design of these new homes – with flexibility in the accommodation for children and appropriate security measures. Especially thoughtfully, pets are also allowed. These will be places of kindness as well as safety. In the words of The Independent 's editor-in-chief, Geordie Greig: 'This is a monumental achievement, and I'm immensely proud of the role our readers and supporters have played in building this house – Brick by Brick.' Many politicians, royalty and celebrities have put their status to good use by lending their names to our Brick by Brick campaign, including The Queen, Sir Keir Starmer, Dame Helen Mirren, Dame Joanna Lumley, Olivia Colman, Victoria Derbyshire, Andi Oliver, David Morrissey and Sir Patrick Stewart. Despite the near ubiquity of domestic abuse, which takes many forms, it rarely dominates the news headlines – another reason why The Independent has backed this effort. It is so much more than an exercise in 'raising awareness' – a phrase that is often used but rarely matches up to the challenge of the problem. As so much domestic violence goes on behind closed doors, police and social services never get to hear of it – but the best estimates of the incidence of this type of violence and its effects are sobering. Last month, it was revealed that between April 2023 and March 2024, 98 victims of domestic abuse took their own lives – on top of the 80 who were killed by a current or former partner, and the 39 killed by a family member. Coupled with the 354 suspected deaths by suicide following domestic abuse since 2020, that brings the total number of domestic abuse-related deaths this decade to 1,012, according to the government-funded Domestic Homicide Project. There will be many hundreds of thousands more similar cases that have gone unrecorded, if not millions. One reason for these types of crimes – which are often described as an 'epidemic', and one with a long and often hidden history – is that it is just so difficult for women and children to get away from an abusive man quickly and safely. Without a refuge, they can become trapped in barbaric, controlling relationships. Shelters such as those provided by Brick by Brick will go a long way to remedying that. From a safe home, damaged people can begin to repair themselves, and their lives. They can also more readily seek what help they can from the authorities, as well as legal advice that will secure them justice. Such things are also crucial in rebuilding lives. More needs to be done, which is undoubtedly more difficult at a time when there is less money around. The social services departments of local authorities have suffered successive waves of austerity, as have police forces. Yet they are there to save lives and prevent injury, and there can be few better uses for taxpayers' money. More purpose-built refuges would also be a fine investment, saving on temporary accommodation and trying to fix problems when it is far too late to stop the harm. The children, after all, carry the physical and mental scars for the rest of their lives. In its election manifesto, the Labour Party tried to build on the pioneering work in this field done by generations of campaigners and some politicians who cared enough to make a difference, notably Theresa May, whose government passed laws on disclosure and 'controlling coercive behaviour'. Mercifully, even in these polarised times, this is not a partisan matter. Labour, in its turn, promised to 'introduce domestic abuse experts in 999 control rooms so that victims can talk directly to a specialist, and ensure there is a legal advocate in every police force area to advise victims from the moment of report to trial'. The party also promised to halve abuse against women and girls (much of it in the home) within a decade. Disconcertingly, the home secretary Yvette Cooper last November had to concede that she didn't know how to measure 'overall violence' against women and girls, nor 'how you look at domestic abuse'. Of course, if any government sets a target (even one that may exceed its own lifespan), it needs to be able to quantify its success, but that should be no excuse for not getting on with the job and maintaining that momentum. The creation of more safe refuges could be transformative in this effort, and it is something that should take its place in the ambitious housebuilding programme being overseen by the deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner. There are women at the top of government who understand the problem of domestic abuse, are committed to improving the situation of women and girls and have the power and responsibility to do something about it. They should build a better future, brick by brick.
The Independent
11-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
The house the Independent built: First safe haven for women fleeing domestic abuse is finished
The keys to the first of two safe havens built by The Independent's Brick by Brick campaign for women fleeing domestic abuse have been handed over. Construction of the first purpose-built safe house was completed this week, after the hugely successful campaign launched in partnership with leading domestic abuse charity Refuge was backed by readers, politicians, royalty and celebrities. Stories of the reality of domestic abuse, including brave survivors such as Esther who spent a week held hostage in her own flat, kickstarted a national conversation about the prevalence of domestic abuse in the UK. The new house, which is built in a secret location to protect survivors, is a semi-detached home with a living room, open plan kitchen and dining room and allows pets. The home also features a private garden for survivors to enjoy secure outdoor space and includes a number of safety features, including CCTV, a fireproof letter box and enhanced locking features on windows and doors. Geordie Greig, editor-in-chief of The Independent, said: 'This is a monumental achievement, and I'm immensely proud of the role our readers and supporters have played in building this house Brick by Brick. 'Together with Refuge and Persimmon Homes, we have delivered a state-of-the-art property which will provide sanctuary for countless vulnerable women and children. 'There's more to come with the construction of the second home well underway, and we will continue to use every means at our disposal to increase awareness of this national crisis and create lasting change.' The home, which has been built by Persimmon Homes, has two double-sized bedrooms, a downstairs bathroom and built-in cupboard storage space. It also has a private drive with off-road parking and solar panels on the roof, making it 30 per cent more energy efficient than older properties. It will now be finished off by Refuge's team of female decorators to create a trauma-informed home, complete with furniture and furnishings. The home is the first of two identical safe houses being funded by the Brick by Brick campaign, which was launched in September 2024 in response to the nationwide domestic abuse crisis. Thousands of women across the UK face danger in their own homes, but one woman is turned away every two hours from a refuge because of a lack of space or capacity. The Independent has heard testimony from a wide range of survivors, including women who were beaten, lost their jobs, friends and children while others were simply too terrified to leave. BBC broadcaster Victoria Derbyshire recalled how her father threw scalding soup over her as she stood in her school uniform and beat her mother so badly on one occasion she broke a rib. When the initial target of £300,000 was reached after just a month of fundraising, The Independent decided to build a second house with over £576,000 raised in total by our generous readers. Gemma Sherrington, CEO of Refuge, said: 'Today marks an important milestone in our partnership with The Independent, with the completion of the first of two safe houses built with funds raised through our Brick by Brick campaign. This house will offer a safe, supportive space for survivors of domestic abuse, giving them the opportunity to rebuild their lives free from fear. "We are incredibly grateful to all those who donated, raised awareness, and supported Brick by Brick. This achievement is not just about the physical building, but the new beginning it represents for women and children who desperately need it. "While today is a cause for celebration, the reality is that domestic abuse continues to devastate lives. This is just the first step, and we will continue working tirelessly to ensure that more survivors have access to safe spaces and expert support to overcome the impact of abuse.' The property will look exactly the same as those surrounding it, to ensure that victims do not feel isolated. Survivors - including those with older children - will be free to bring pets with them, something that many refuges are not able to accommodate. As the house will see many survivors pass through it, Refuge will carry out maintenance and a deep clean between each family. During a family's stay, Refuge staff will provide emotional support and legal advice, and will support women with safety planning, budgeting, finding a safe new home, dealing with debt and applying for welfare benefits, accessing health services, and finding nurseries and schools. Anthony Vigor, chair of the trustees for the Persimmon Charitable Foundation, said: ' We are delighted to be handing over the keys to the first Refuge home built by Persimmon. It has been a real privilege to be involved with this project and the life changing benefits it will deliver. 'Everyone has a right to feel safe and we are pleased that this home will shortly become a much-needed sanctuary for a family surviving domestic abuse.'
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Independent launches AI-created news briefings for ‘busy' readers
The Independent is launching a new fast news service that will harness artificial intelligence (AI) to create summarised versions of articles for people on the move. The platform, called Bulletin, publishes bullet point briefings designed for 'seriously busy' audiences. It will utilise Google Gemini, the search engine's AI chatbot, to produce content which will be reviewed and checked by journalists before being published. The Independent said it was creating a series of new editorial jobs to oversee the service, which will be launched as a separate platform from March 31. Editor-in-chief Geordie Greig said the newspaper was 'helping to pioneer what is a fact of life in 21st century information, the use of AI in journalism'. Bulletin will allow it to 'cut to the chase' with news briefings that 'supplement' full-length content. Readers will have the option to click through to in-depth news, podcasts, newsletters and documentaries, according to the publisher. Christian Broughton, the Independent's chief executive, said its journalists 'wanted to ensure they are always in control of the process' while still meeting its audience's 'desire for trusted, essential briefings'. 'That need has become more acute, whether from long working hours, busy family life, or all kinds of other reasons,' he said. But he stressed that its 'human team' will still be best placed to produce in-depth news and features. Other major news outlets have started using AI to produce content in recent years. Newsquest, which is behind dozens of regional newspapers including The Herald in Scotland, now employs AI-assisted reporters who use the technology to help write news articles. Last year, the Financial Times launched its first generative AI tool for subscribers, allowing users to ask questions and receive a response using content published by the newspaper over the past two decades. Meanwhile, AI has not always come without its issues. In January, Apple announced it had paused the use of its Apple Intelligence AI tools to create news summaries after a number of incidents where it created inaccurate headlines.
The Independent
05-02-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Gen Z crave authentic and trustworthy stories, says The Independent's Geordie Greig
Young people are hungry for stories from sources they can trust, according to The Independent 's Editor-in-Chief Geordie Greig. The Independent has an audience of around 25 million users, 45% of whom are either Gen Z or Millennials, Greig told BBC's The Media Show today (5 February). 'There is also still a hunger for authenticity,' said Grieg. 'It's trust and truth they want.' The Editor-in-Chief was speaking to the BBC after The Independent became Britain 's biggest digital news brand in November 2024. The Independent's monthly audience (19.6m) overtook The Guardian (19.4m) and remained ahead of Mail Online (18.2m) and The Sun (18.8m), according to Ipsos Iris figures.
