About Us

Vesta - Specialist Family Support CIC was formerly known as the Polish Domestic Violence Helpline (PDVH). PDVH supported Polish victims of domestic violence since 2014. We set up the first UK-wide helpline specifically for Polish people who experienced domestic abuse. It was founded by Ewa Wilcock, who developed it initially as a project within a local charity, Cheshire Without Abuse. National interest in the helpline grew quickly, and in 2015 we registered as a charitable incorporated organisation and developed our services independently. Apart from the helpline, we offered telephone counselling and a domestic abuse recovery programme for Polish women, Gateway. In 2017, we were one of the shortlisted finalists for the prestigious Diversity Award in the gender category, which was a great recognition of our work for Polish victims of domestic violence.

There was a growing demand for our services, and we decided to change how we operate to continue providing invaluable support to Polish families. In September 2018, we registered Vesta - Specialist Family Support CIC, our new name and organisation. We extended our support offer to respond to the growing needs of our clients. We support families affected by domestic abuse through specialist courses for victims and perpetrators. We also focus on improving parenting skills and the general well-being of Polish families; we offer parenting courses and counselling.

We also offer courses to professionals that help them explore the issues affecting the lives of Polish people living in the UK so they can recognise them and respond confidently when supporting Polish clients in their professional roles.

Agencies commission us to deliver our specialist services to their Polish clients. We offer our services remotely across England and Wales.

Meet Our Directors

Ewa Wilcock

Ewa believes that Polish families should have equal access to specialist services.

Ewa is a Managing Director of Vesta. She led the delivery of various projects specifically for Polish families across England and Wales.

She was the founder of the first UK-wide Polish domestic violence helpline and a first Polish website with information about support available in the UK.

She supported Polish families in the UK for over ten years, promoted their rights, and raised awareness about domestic violence in Polish families living in the UK through conferences, blogs and expert advice at domestic homicide review panels and consultations.

Ewa is a sociologist by profession (MA), IDVA and a qualified interpreter (DPSI).

Magda Marcinkiewicz

Magda ensures that our organisation works in line with regulations and the needs of our clients.

Magda has lived in the UK for two decades. She successfully runs a small family business, thanks to which she has been closely tied to the Polish community in Cheshire.

Magda has experience in supporting victims of child abuse in Poland, which gave her a great insight into the complexities of issues experienced by Polish families.

For many years, she has been involved with schools attended by Polish children in her local town in Cheshire as well as being a trustee in numerous charitable organisations including Cheshire Without Abuse.

Agnieszka Litke

Agnieszka is our "financial brain", she keeps our finances in check and makes sure we comply with accounting standards.

Agnieszka is a qualified accountant. She runs a successful accountancy practice which provides a whole range of financial services to individuals and companies in three regional branches.

Her business acumen and keen interest in the welfare of Polish nationals help us to deliver our services.

She is also a treasurer in a number of charitable organisations and actively supports their community initiatives.

We are looking for new directors!
Click here to find out more

Our vision

“Polish families, where everyone can have a healthy relationship with each other, feel safe and thrive in a nurturing environment.”

Our values

Client focus

Compassion

Change

Representation

Integrity

Highlights from our work
as Polish Domestic Violence Helpline

In 2017 we were the National Diversity Awards finalists in the gender category

We adapted locally run domestic abuse recovery programme GATEWAY to Polish and delivered it to Polish women in Cheshire, Wrexham, Staffordshire and Merseyside

"I didn't know what I could do in my situation and I was afraid to contact anyone. I feel better now after speaking to you, because I know what help is available to me here"

Over a thousand of people contacted our helpline. We provided them with information and signposting but most of all, we gave them hope for a better life.

We offered telephone counselling to almost a hundred Polish victims of domestic violence. They were not able to receive this support anywhere else.

We hosted a national conference in 2018 which drew together practitioners supporting Polish victims of domestic violence to advance understanding around the complexities of domestic abuse within the Polish community and different ways of responding to their needs.

Conference about domestic abuse in Polish families

Getting and paying for housing guide - front page

We worked with a national expert Sue Lukes to produce a guide for professionals working with Polish families affected by domestic abuse. It gives them knowledge and understanding of complex areas of housing entitlement of Polish and other European Economic Area (EEA) nationals in the context of domestic violence.

Sue Lukes at the conference about domestic abuse in Polish families

We participated in many events and conferences organised by our partners - Poles in Need in London and Europia in Manchester.

We took part in a national campaign against domestic violence in Polish families living in the UK.

The aim of the campaign was to raise awareness of different types of abuse and to encourage Polish people to report it and seek help.

About Us

Meet Our Directors

Highlights from our work as Polish Domestic Violence Helpline

Highlights from our work
as Polish Domestic Violence Helpline