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Thank You Curry for Charity: The Taste of Giving

In July, we were delighted to hear from Fiza and Kamran, the kind souls behind Curry For Charity. For many years, they have been supporting local and national causes, using their love language of food to do good and raise money for essential services.

Within a month, the fantastic team put together the fundraising event in support of RSVP: a heart-warming evening of delicious curries and community spirit. The taste of giving can fill every soul!

A big thank you to all who joined us for a wonderful dinner and helped us raise funds during such a difficult funding period in RSVP. To know more about our funding situation, check out our Recovery Appeal.

Every pound shows that survivors have a safe space, with RSVP.

Update: The RSVP Recovery Appeal Going Strong

Everyone from RSVP, and the survivors we stand alongside with, are deeply grateful for your continued support. Whether you’ve been with us for years or have only recently joined our community, thank you for choosing to stand with survivors of sexual violence. 

Your solidarity strengthens our work and reminds survivors that they are not alone.

Two Months of Impact

In June, we launched our RSVP Recovery Appeal to recover from our funding crisis. We aimed to raise £5,000 by August to rebuild our vital services, and we’ve been overwhelmed by the response so far.

Thanks to your kindness and support, we’ve now reached 70% of our target. This is a fantastic milestone and a testament to the strength of the community standing alongside us, for survivors.

A big thank you! We truly couldn’t do this without you.

Extending The Appeal

Due to your generous support, we are now extending our appeal for one more month. We are very close to our goal, so let’s reach the finish line together.

If you’ve already donated, thank you. If you’ve been considering making a gift, now is the perfect time. We look forward to turn this 70% into 100%. Together, we can make our recovery a reality.

Some of our dearest supporters have taken by their own ways to fundraise in support of our Recovery Appeal. For instance, check out the 100 Miles Dog Walking Challenge by Jo here.

If you also have something in mind to support RSVP, we’d love to work with you! Write to us at info@rsvporg.co.uk today.

A Survivor Running for Survivors

An inspiring survivor, Courtney, who once found support from our services, has recently run the Royal Sutton Fun Run in May 2026. Her run was fuelled by her strength through trauma and we are utterly proud of everything she has achieved.

This is Courtney’s experience in her words:

I recently took part in the Sutton Fun Run, an 8.5-mile run, alongside colleagues from work and completed it in 2 hours and 52 minutes. While I walked the route rather than ran it, crossing the finish line was a huge achievement for me and something I am very proud of as I have never done anything like that before.

The atmosphere throughout the day was incredible. There were supporters cheering everyone on along the route, and having a few family members there to encourage me made such a difference. It was a warm day, and I made the most of every opportunity to cool down. Every time I saw someone with a hosepipe or a bucket of water, I was asking them to soak me!

I chose to support RSVP because their service had a significant impact on my life. I received counselling through RSVP for several years during a particularly difficult period, and the support I received helped me through some of my toughest times. I will always be grateful for the kindness, understanding and guidance I was given, especially by my counsellor, Mike.

Being able to give something back to a charity that helped me so much, as well as help so many others, felt incredibly meaningful. Through the challenge, I was able to raise £405, and knowing that this money could help other people access the support they need made every mile worthwhile.

Launching: The Recovery Appeal

Help RSVP Recover and Rebuild Support for Survivors

Survivors are turning to our charity in record numbers, at the very moment we’re facing one of the most challenging and destabilising periods in our history. To continue to be there for every person who needs us, we urgently need your support.

In the last year alone, over 1,500 adults needed counselling, the highest we’ve ever seen. As a result from April, we sadly paused to new referrals to this service.

Like many charities, RSVP has been hit by a deepening funding crisis and rising costs. Without extra, urgent funding, more people may face even longer waits for the specialist care they deserve.

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The RSVP Recovery Appeal

Our Recovery Appeal is about rebuilding together. With your support, we’re aiming to raise £5,000 by August, so survivors in our community can continue to find safety, hope and healing, with our support.

Every pound raised will rebuild the core services that survivors rely on, across Birmingham and Solihull.

So, can we count on your help to turn this setback into strength, for the people who need us most?

About RSVP

How Your Donation Helps

Our demand has increased, but our funding hasn’t. Your support will make an immediate and meaningful difference to people in crisis.

Here’s what your donations can achieve:

• £10- Helps rebuild our therapeutic resources for children
• £25- Helps restore helpline sessions to provide emotional support
• £50- Helps restore our counselling & advocacy support for child and adult survivors
• £100- Helps rebuild essential support, at a time when more survivors needs us than ever before.

Every pound you give helps change a life.

Changing the Tide Together

Thanks to supporters like you, we’ve been able to continue our services. However, with rising demand and increasing costs, we need your help.

The Recovery Appeal is one of the ways we can ensure RSVP continues its mission to believe and stand with survivors. Over the next few months, we will keep you updated about our appeal and the progress we’re making together.

You can also stay connected via our WhatsApp channel for real-time updates, inspiring survivor stories and other news across RSVP.

Support RSVP in the My Favourite Voucher Codes Charity Poll- February 2026

This February, we are proud to share that RSVP is taking part in the My Favourite Voucher Codes Charity Poll 2026. It’s a fantastic opportunity for our community to support our work in a simple, free and powerful way — by voting for us.

Every month, 4 charities are chosen to take part in the My Favourite Voucher Codes charity poll. At the end of the month, the charity with the most public votes will receive 20% of My Favourite Voucher Codes’ profits for the month, and that donation could make a real, lasting difference to the people we support every day.

In this article, we want to explain what the poll is, why it matters, how you can vote for RSVP, and how your support can help us continue our vital work.

About RSVP

The Rape and Sexual Violence Project (RSVP) is a charity dedicated to supporting people affected by sexual violence, abuse and exploitation across Birmingham and Solihull. Every day, we work alongside survivors, families, and communities to provide safety, understanding, and practical help when it is needed most.

Our services are built on compassion, dignity, and empowerment. Whether someone is taking their first step towards seeking support or continuing their journey of recovery, RSVP is here to listen, believe, and help.

Funding is essential for us to continue and grow these services. Donations allow us to reach more people, offer specialist support, train staff and volunteers, and ensure that no one has to face abuse or trauma alone. That is why this charity poll means so much to us.

What is the My Favourite Voucher Codes Charity Poll?

My Favourite Voucher Codes (MFVC) is a popular UK platform helping people save money on everyday shopping through discounts and voucher codes. Alongside their savings service, they run a monthly charity poll to give back.

Each month, MFVC and their supporters put forward 4 charities to be nominated for the poll. The public can vote for the charity they would like to support throughout the month, and the charity with the most votes receives 20% of My Favourite Voucher Codes’ profits for that month.

For February 2026, RSVP is honoured to be one of the nominated charities.

Important details about the poll:

● It is completely free to vote.

● You do not need to sign up or enter any personal details.

● You can vote in just a few seconds.

● The poll runs from 1st February to 28th February 2026.

● Every single vote counts.

This means that even the smallest action — one click — can help turn into real financial support for our charity.

How to Vote for RSVP – Step by Step

Voting is quick, easy, and free. Here’s exactly how to do it:

1. Visit the My Favourite Voucher Codes charity poll page.

2. Find RSVP in the list of nominated charities.

3. Click on the vote button next to RSVP.

4. That’s it — your vote is counted instantly.

No email address, no account, no forms — just one simple click to support us.

How This Donation Can Benefit Our Charity

The donation from My Favourite Voucher Codes would go directly towards strengthening our services. It would help us respond to growing demand, maintain high standards of care, and continue building a future where survivors feel heard, supported, and empowered.

Every pound raised through this poll has the potential to change lives — and your vote helps make that possible.

Please Vote and Share

We cannot win this poll without the support of our community. If you believe in our mission, we ask you to:

● Vote for RSVP in the My Favourite Voucher Codes charity poll.

● Share the poll with friends, family, and colleagues.

● Encourage others to take just a few seconds to support us.

One vote may feel small, but together, our voices can create real impact.

From all of us at RSVP, thank you for standing with us, believing in our work, and helping us continue to support those who need it most. Your support truly makes a difference.

Update: We Have Won!

Thank you to the amazing supporters who voted for us on the MFVC Charity polls. Now your hard work has paid off!

We received the lovely news that we have been the winners of the poll, awarding us £169.72! These funds will help strengthen our core services and respond to survivors across the West Midlands.

⚠️Office Closure- January 2026

The weather is taking a severe turn, and now there is an amber weather warning across the region. Storm Goretti might make travelling quite difficult due to snowfall predictions, and that’s why RSVP has made the decision to temporarily close our office till normal weather returns.

Here are the dates to keep in mind:

a. Office closed from Thurs 8th Jan, 2pm onwards, after which our team will work from home.

b. Office closed all day on Friday, 9th Jan, with our team working from home. This is a precaution, since the amber warning extends to Friday morning and could impact safe travel.

c. Office open on Saturday as usual, unless the current predicted weather changes. We will send further updates if anything changes.

We are in the processing of contacting clients, due to be seen in person (at our main premises, outreach, schools etc. and from 2pm today or tomorrow) to inform them to stay safe, not to travel & to be offered an alternative phone session instead. For younger children we will offer carers/parents a check in instead.

Please look out for a message on your email or phone to update you. Already booked phone appointments will generally continue as planned.

Although this is a change to how we support clients, we want to ensure that survivors, our team and colleagues can avoid travel during an amber warning, and stay safe. This is our priority.

For any questions or assistance, please get in touch with us via email: info@rsvporg.co.uk

Our Take On UK’s Violence Against Women and Girls (2025- 2030)

At RSVP, we welcome the Government’s recently published Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy. We are relieved it has finally been released, following several postponements, making it long overdue. We are relieved, because actions to reduce and respond to VAWG are needed now more than ever.

Key Concerns about the VAWG Strategy

• Education alone cannot counter the scale of pornography harms:
  Expecting parents, carers and teachers to offset the influence of multi‑million‑pound porn platforms, designed to push violent, misogynistic content to children, is unrealistic. We need stronger action on the platforms themselves and a society that stops profiting from the sexualisation of women and girls. Young people also need ongoing, specialist‑led reflective spaces to explore and unpick what they’ve seen. Evidence‑based programmes, like Time to Talk delivered by Safer Together and other by the specialist sector, must be prioritised.
• Teachers are not specialists, and cannot be expected to carry this work alone:
  Improvements to Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RHSE) are welcome. However, disclosures, trauma and creating safety for young people to have complex conversations requires specialist skills and survivor‑informed practice. Properly funded specialist services must work alongside schools, supporting already overstretched teachers, who are not fully trained to respond to abuse and misogyny.
• NHS referral expansion without resourcing specialist services will lead to increased distress for survivors:
  Health already refers around a third of survivors into specialist organisations like RSVP. We are concerned that rolling out “Steps to Safety” nationally will increase referrals to our sector even further, with no additional resource provided to meet this rising demand. Without investment, survivors will simply face longer waits and experience greater distress.
• Commitment to provide “holistic, tailored support” can only happen with long‑term funding:
  The Strategy sets out a vision for a coordinated, responsive system over the next decade. Without secure, ring‑fenced funding though, these commitments will remain aspirational, and fail to become reality. Survivors need support now, they cannot wait years for a system that works.
• Children under 16 are missing from the Strategy’s headline measure of VAWG:
  The goal to halve VAWG relies on data that excludes children under 16, despite high numbers being subjected to sexual abuse in childhood. This omission risks masking the true scale of abuse, and leaves a significant group of children invisible in national targets.
• Child sexual abuse (CSA) survivors are still waiting for the promised “standalone response”:
  The Strategy acknowledges that CSA requires its own specialist approach, yet provides no timeline. After years of delays in implementing the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.

Our Final Thoughts:

Investment in the specialist sexual abuse sector is long overdue and essential. For decades, services like ours have been asked to do a lot with very little. Now, more than ever, we are being stretched beyond capacity. During Covid, additional funding recognised our work as vital and an emergency service. Now, we need the same level of prioritisation again if we are to avoid letting survivors down.
Proper funding means we can respond well, reduce distressing delays and ensure every survivor gets the support they need, when they need it, in order to rebuild their lives with hope and confidence after sexual abuse.

🎉New Grant Secured: Thanks to the Austin And Hope Pilkington Trust

RSVP would like to express our sincere thanks to the Austin and Hope Pilkington Trust for awarding us a grant of £5,000. This funding will contribute directly to maintaining one month of our specialist support service for refugee and asylum-seeking women who are survivors of sexual violence, abuse, trafficking or exploitation.

The Trust’s investment ensures continuity of counselling, advocacy and safe women-only groups at a crucial time, where refugee and asylum-seekers in the UK are faced with a lack of safety and legal rights. They endure profound hardships and uncertainties, including insecure housing, limited access to healthcare, and prolonged legal processes. For those who are rape survivors, these challenges are compounded by trauma, stigma, and barriers to specialist support, leaving them vulnerable to isolation and retraumatization.

Our teams are still working to secure longer-term funding for our specialist service for refugee and asylum-seeker survivors, but this grant is still a win! We are extremely grateful to the Austin Hope Pilkington Trust for your support and for your commitment to improving the lives of RSVP survivors.

Office Closed on Nov 6, 2025

Since the wellbeing of both the children and adults we support, and our team are at the centre of all we do, our Birmingham City Centre premises will be closed all day on Thursday 6^th November.

This due to there being a risk of unrest, trouble and protests in the city centre, before the evening’s football match. This is a very cautious approach, but clearly centres everyone’s wellbeing, for the whole day and evening.

Counselling and ISVA support will still continue, with city centre appointments changing to on the phone or online. Our schools and our outreach counselling locations will go ahead as normal and are unaffected.

Thank you for your patience and sorry for any inconvenience causes.

Black History Month: Understanding Race, Culture and Sex

This delightful news comes from RSVP’s Race and Equality ISVA, Angela Foster-Mason. In celebration of this year’s Black History Month, Angela was invited to be a part of a grand event organised by a trailblazing black organisation, Melanin Moods 🎤🍹. She was accompanied by Jade Henry (CYP ISVA). Both were supported by Maria Serrudo (CYP ISVA). 

Tapping into her expertise, Angela was invited to speak as part of the ‘Spotlight’ section of the evening. She opened the conversation about embodied trauma and what it can look like for minoritised survivors of sexual violence. This brought to attention the difficulties and barriers that are faced institutionally, but also internally from within the community. She also highlighted how language is important, and how we need to get to grips with the language associated with not only sexual violence, but our own body parts as well. 

RSVP and our incredible ISVAs are proud to amplify the voices of our black and brown communities. We stand in pride and power, continuing to be an ally for black survivors of rape and sexual abuse.

You can find out more about Melanin Moods here.