At our recent Women in Safe Homes fund’s AGM, we were proud to be joined by Minke van Til, Managing Director of Ella’s – one of the fund’s housing partners - who spoke powerfully about the charity’s work supporting women who have survived trafficking and sexual exploitation.

Her message was clear: safe, stable housing is not just a roof over someone’s head - it is the foundation for recovery, freedom and the chance to rebuild a life.

Why Ella’s exists

Ella’s was founded in response to a gap in the system. When survivors of trafficking are identified in the UK, they are referred into the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), which provides short-term support. But for many women - particularly those who have experienced sexual exploitation - this limited period is simply not long enough.

Recovery from trauma takes time. Survivors need stability, specialist support and a place where they can feel safe for the long term.

Ella’s was created to meet that need.

The charity’s mission is to see people free from slavery and exploitation, and to ensure survivors have everything they need to recover and build lives that are safe and free.

Today, they receive far more referrals than they can accommodate, many from women whose initial support has ended and who would otherwise have nowhere to go.

A holistic, person-centred approach

Ella’s currently provides seven safe houses across London, three of which have been made possible through the Women in Safe Homes fund. These three two-bedroom homes have already supported 9 women and 2 children, offering families the safety and stability they need to begin recovery.

Alongside housing, they run outreach programmes supporting women and their families across local communities. Whether someone lives in an Ella’s safe house or is supported through outreach, they receive the same tailored, one-to-one support.

Every survivor’s journey is different. Support plans are built around individual needs and can include:

• Access to education and English language courses
• Help with immigration and legal processes
• Support to access benefits and healthcare
• Mental health and wellbeing support
• Life skills and confidence-building activities
• Group workshops delivered with partner organisations

This wraparound approach enables women not just to survive, but to begin to thrive.

The challenge of finding homes

As a small charity with around 25 staff, securing suitable long-term properties has been one of Ella’s biggest challenges. Competing in the private rental market, negotiating leases and managing property costs can divert precious resources away from frontline support.

As Minke shared at the AGM:

“To have the Women in Safe Homes fund as a partner in that has just been incredible and has really accelerated our growth.”

The fund has enabled Ella’s to expand more quickly and provide more high-quality homes - spaces that are welcoming, dignified and truly safe.

“Our homes are often the first safe place they’ve had, maybe ever… some of the women we work with have been in exploitation since childhood, so this is the first place they can call their own. It’s got to be really lovely and beautiful.”

Katy’s story

At the AGM, Minke shared Katy’s story – one of the women supported by Ella’s - a powerful reminder of why access to safe housing and support, matters.

After moving to the UK, Katy’s husband became controlling and violent. With a toddler and a newborn baby, she fled, terrified and with nowhere safe to go.

“I felt like there was no step forward, nothing that would save me.”

After contacting the police, Katy was referred to Ella’s and moved into one of the Women In Safe Homes fund’s family safe houses.

“I closed the door and I felt happy. I said, ‘Thank you, God.’”

Safe housing gave Katy and her children immediate protection and stability. With support from a dedicated key worker, she was able to address her immigration status, access benefits, rebuild daily living skills and begin to heal from trauma.

“Before, I was scared of everything. I wasn’t free inside. Now I’m being myself, bit by bit.”

Katy is now planning to start her own beauty business and create a secure future for her children.

“I used to feel weak. Now I know that I am strong.”

Before partnering with the Women in Safe Homes fund, Ella’s was only able to house single women. The fund has enabled them to provide homes for women with children - ensuring families like Katy’s can stay together and rebuild their lives safely.

Building safety, dignity and futures

Ella’s work shows what becomes possible when survivors have time, stability and the right support around them. Safe housing creates the foundation, but it is the specialist, trauma-informed care and the commitment of Ella’s team that enables women and their children to recover and rebuild their lives.

The need for this support remains significant. Ella’s continues to receive more referrals than they can accept, highlighting both the scale of exploitation and the shortage of appropriate, long-term accommodation for survivors.

Through the Women in Safe Homes fund, we are proud to stand alongside organisations like Ella’s whose expertise, compassion and determination are changing lives every day. Their work is a powerful reminder that a safe home is not just somewhere to stay - it is the starting point for freedom, healing and the chance to look to the future with hope.

Looking Forward
 

With the Women in Safe Homes Fund now fully deployed, 122 homes across the UK are providing safety and stability, the opportunity for recovery and the chance to rebuild lives, for hundreds of women and children. So far, 680 women and children have been housed and supported and, over its lifetime, the fund aims to house around 2,300 women and children.
 

Read the Women in Safe Homes fund's latest Social Impact Report for 2024/25, HERE.