Advance Charity

What Advance Charity does

Advance Charity (legally 'Advance Advocacy and Non Violence Community Education', UK charity number 1086873) is a women's organisation founded in 1998 by Bear Montique OBE and Beryl Foster OBE in Hammersmith & Fulham, London. It delivers trauma and gender-informed, community-based support for women and girls affected by domestic abuse and those in contact with the criminal justice system. The organisation operates three core service pillars: Domestic Abuse Services (encompassing IDVA crisis support, Whole Housing, Whole Justice and Whole Health approaches, plus the Angelou Partnership); Criminal Justice Services (the Minerva Service, comprising London Minerva Wraparound, Minerva Community Service across six regions, and the Women's Diversion Service); and Young Women & Girls Services (Maia & Lift, the Young Londoners Victim Service, and the Bloom Hub). Service delivery is built around a network of 11 Women's Centres across Kent, Hampshire, Essex, Berkshire, Hertfordshire and London, alongside co-location in statutory settings (police stations, hospitals, GP surgeries, Specialist Domestic Abuse Courts, probation services, and schools) and dedicated phonelines such as the Maia Support Line.

Underlying capabilities are codified service frameworks — the IDVA model (developed by Advance in 2005), the Whole VAWG Approach, the Whole Justice Approach, the Minerva Wraparound, and the Coordinated Community Response — refined over 25+ years and underpinned by published research including 'Her Story, Her Justice' and 'No Relief'. The technology layer is modest: there is no proprietary platform, no mobile app, and no disclosed AI/data infrastructure; delivery is human-led casework supported by standard digital channels (website, social, Mailchimp newsletters, JustGiving donations) and operational integrations into statutory agencies.

Revenue is generated entirely through charitable activities, with no commercial pricing. Funding streams comprise commissioned services from government bodies and local authorities (including MOPAC, the Metropolitan Police, CPS, the National Probation Service, the Mayor of London's Violence Reduction Unit, and multiple London borough councils), grants from charitable foundations, individual donations via JustGiving, corporate partnerships, and philanthropy (including planned giving, legacies, and memorial donations). All services are delivered free at the point of use to beneficiaries, who are accessed via professional referral, statutory agency referral, partnership networks, and self-referral across Greater London, South East England, and the East of England.

Name

Advance Charity

Legal name

Advance Advocacy and Non Violence Community Education

Website

https://advancecharity.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Advance Charity is a UK-registered charity founded in 1998 delivering trauma and gender-informed community-based services for women and girls affected by domestic abuse and the criminal justice system across London and South East England, operating 11 Women's Centres and statutory co-locations, funded primarily through government commissions and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Domestic Abuse and VAWG Support Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (62411), Community Housing Services (62422), Social Assistance (624)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services (BPAGAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Protection, Child Protection & Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Response (BPAGAAAG), Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Legal Aid) (BPADADAH), Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD), Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM), Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC), Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO)

Keywords

• Domestic abuse services
• Criminal justice support
• Women's support services
• Trauma-informed care
• VAWG services

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Grants and Commissioned Services: Advance receives funding from government bodies, local authorities, and commissioning arrangements to deliver domestic abuse and criminal justice services. This includes funding from MOPAC (Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime), local authority contracts, and charitable foundations for specific programmes.
2. Donations and Fundraising: The charity accepts donations through JustGiving platform and other fundraising activities. Individual donors, corporate partners, and philanthropists contribute to support the organisation's life-saving and life-changing work.
3. Philanthropy and Legacy Giving: The organisation receives support through planned giving, legacies, and memorial donations as part of their philanthropy programme.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Advance Charity delivers trauma and gender-informed community-based support for women and girls affected by domestic abuse and those in contact with the criminal justice system. The charity operates 11 Women's Centres across England and co-locates specialist IDVAs and advocates in police stations, courts, hospitals, schools and probation services. Services are organised under three pillars — Domestic Abuse Services, Criminal Justice Services (Minerva), and Young Women & Girls Services — and are provided free of charge to beneficiaries.

Product overview

Advance Charity is a women's organisation delivering systems change and trauma and gender-informed community-based support for women and girls affected by domestic abuse and those in contact with the criminal justice system. The organisation operates a multi-service model consisting of three core service pillars: Domestic Abuse Services (including IDVA services, Whole Housing, Whole Justice, and Whole Health approaches, plus the Angelou Partnership); Criminal Justice Services (the Minerva Service spanning London Minerva Wraparound, Minerva Community Service across 6 regions, and Women's Diversion Service); and Young Women & Girls Services (Maia & Lift programme with Peer Mentor and Support Line components, Bloom Hub, and Young Londoners Victim Service). These services are delivered through a network of 11 Women's Centres across Kent, Hampshire, Essex, Berkshire, Hertfordshire, and London, providing safe spaces for advocacy, therapeutic support, and practical assistance. The Minerva Service follows a five-principle approach combining consistent support, practical help, advocacy, and peer support to empower women and prevent reoffending.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Angelou Partnership: VAWG support services led and coordinated by Advance, made up of 10 voluntary organisations offering specialist support including services tailored to Black and minoritised women and LGBT+ communities, serving women in Westminster, Hammersmith & Fulham and Kensington & Chelsea.
• Minerva Service
• Maia & Lift
• Bloom Hub

Products and services

• Independent Domestic Abuse Advocate (IDVA) Services Crisis support and safety planning for women and girls experiencing domestic abuse through expert IDVA teams who manage safety risks and create tailored support plans to protect women from further harm.
• Minerva Service A women-only centre offering holistic, consistent and trauma-informed support for women in contact with the criminal justice system, meeting their individual needs over a long period to empower them to break the cycle of re-offending and prevent family breakdown.
• London Minerva Wraparound Service Enhanced support service for women and girls aged 15+ with multiple and complex needs who are or have been in contact with the criminal justice system, delivered through keyworker support, group-work, mentoring, and specialist support across London.
• Minerva Community Service Dedicated support service for women working with National Probation Service and statutory services to provide help with emotional wellbeing, housing, domestic abuse, education, training and employment across Hampshire, Kent, Thames Valley, Essex, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire.
• Women's Diversion Service Service that diverts women away from the criminal justice system at the earliest opportunity through a Conditional Caution alternative to prosecution, providing targeted support and advocacy to address practical and emotional needs.
• Maia & Lift Pioneering programme supporting young women and girls aged 9-25 who have experienced or are at risk of domestic abuse, providing one-to-one support, mentoring, and group work to build trust, self-identity, and confidence.
• Bloom Hub Co-designed safe space for young women and girls aged 12-25, functioning as a one-stop-shop where they can access therapeutic services, practical and emotional support through groupwork and one-to-one sessions.
• Young Londoners Victim Service Specialist support for children and young people aged 13-18 who are victims and witnesses of crime across London, providing one-to-one emotional and practical support including safety planning and access to Women's Centres.
• Women's Centres Safe, private spaces in Kent, Hampshire, Essex, Berkshire, Hertfordshire and London where women and girls can access emotional and physical support, meet with keyworkers, and participate in activities, workshops and courses.
• Whole Housing Approach Housing support service for domestic abuse survivors referred to Advance, working with Local Authority Housing teams to provide emergency accommodation, long-term support, and security improvements to help survivors remain safely in their homes.
• Whole Justice Approach Criminal justice support delivered through the Impact Project, working alongside police, CPS, courts, and prison services to improve prosecutions of domestic abuse through specialist criminal justice IDVAs and Specialist Domestic Abuse Courts.
• Whole Health Approach Support services within health settings providing practical, holistic support to women experiencing abuse, including the IRIS programme for GP practices training health professionals to identify and refer domestic abuse cases.
• East Sussex Domestic Abuse Service Free, confidential non-judgemental support service for anyone over 16 experiencing domestic abuse across East Sussex, providing ongoing support and advocacy to help feel safer.
• Children & Young People Domestic Abuse Service (CYP) Support service for children and young people aged 5-18 across Brent affected by domestic abuse, offering trauma-informed sessions, group programmes for ages 7-14, and one-to-one support for older young people.
• Angelou Partnership VAWG support services led and coordinated by Advance, made up of 10 voluntary organisations offering different specialist support tailored to Black and minoritised women and LGBT+ communities across Westminster, Hammersmith & Fulham and Kensington & Chelsea.
• Maia Support Line Dedicated phoneline offering support and advice for young women and girls aged 13-25, parents, and professionals, providing a safe confidential space to talk, ask questions, and get help.
• SelfWISE Programme Programme specifically created for neurodivergent women in custody, aiming to practise problem-solving skills, increase self-esteem, and improve prospects upon release.
• Young Futures Framework Framework for Young Women and Girls focusing on community-based support for young women and girls affected by gender-based harm.

Quantifiable outcome

• Women reported feeling safer after receiving domestic abuse services
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• MOPAC (Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partnership with MOPAC and Metropolitan Police to launch the Women's Diversion Service in 2019, providing holistic support with out of court disposal to divert women away from prosecution.
• Standing Together Against Domestic AbusecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Sister organisation founded alongside Advance by Beryl Foster OBE, focused on delivering innovation in strategic and operational response of agencies working with survivors. Together they developed the Coordinated Community Response (CCR) and the Whole Justice Approach through the Impact Programme.
• The Angelou PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership of 10 voluntary organisations led and coordinated by Advance, delivering VAWG support services. Each partner offers specialist support tailored to different communities including Black and minoritised women and LGBT+ communities. The partnership helps professionals identify domestic abuse and refer to specialist services.
• Metropolitan PolicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership for the Women's Diversion Service and co-location of IDVAs in police stations to improve response to domestic abuse survivors.
• Hammersmith & Fulham CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding partnership since founding in 1998, working together with criminal justice and statutory agencies. Partner in the Impact Project for the Whole Justice Approach.
• CPS (Crown Prosecution Service)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Impact Project delivering the Whole Justice Approach, working together to improve justice outcomes for domestic abuse survivors.
• Chance UKsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Maia and Lift programme, offering gender responsive support to girls aged 9-13 who have experienced trauma, domestic abuse, gang involvement, or are vulnerable to various factors.
• Working ChancesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Maia programme providing bespoke employability support for women with convictions including career coaching, CV writing, interview skills, and career goal setting.
• Woman's TrustsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Maia programme providing mental health support and counselling for women who have experienced domestic abuse through workshops and therapeutic services.
• National Probation ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking closely with National Probation Service alongside other statutory services like housing and health to provide comprehensive Minerva community support for women.
• Catch 22supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Young Londoners Victim Service providing emotional and practical support to children and young people under 18 who have been victims or witnesses of crime.
• London YouthsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Young Londoners Victim Service delivering the Trusted Youth Allies (TYA) programme with training curriculum and resources for community champions.
• KoothsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Young Londoners Victim Service providing a streamlined pathway into mental health support for young victims of crime in London.
• 11 Local and National Women's Service ProviderssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with 11 local and national women's service providers alongside statutory agencies to provide Minerva community support across 6 regions: Hampshire, Kent, Thames Valley, Essex, Hertfordshire, and Bedfordshire.
• Mayor of London's Violence Reduction Unit (VRU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunder and partner for the Maia and Lift programme supporting young women and girls aged 9-25 affected by domestic abuse and violence.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Galop: UK LGBT+ anti-abuse charity providing advocacy, helpline and casework for LGBT+ survivors. Peer: complements Advance's Angelou Partnership offer to LGBT+ communities and competes for some specialist commissioning within the same VAWG ecosystem.
• Working Chance: UK charity supporting women with criminal convictions into employment. Peer: named partner in Advance's Maia programme, providing employability support to a shared beneficiary group of women in contact with the criminal justice system.
• SafeLives: UK charity focused on data, research and best practice in domestic abuse, including the IDVA model and multi-agency working. Peer: shares Advance's evidence-based, whole-system DNA and operates in the same commissioning conversations, but is more research/training-oriented than direct service delivery.
• Centre for Women's Justice: UK charity using strategic litigation and advocacy to improve the criminal and family justice response to male violence against women. Peer: works on the same Whole Justice Agenda and CPS/police reform issues as Advance's Whole Justice Approach, but from a legal-advocacy angle rather than direct service delivery.

Direct peers

• Refuge: UK's largest domestic abuse charity operating the National Domestic Abuse Helpline and a national network of refuges and outreach services. Direct peer: provides IDVA-equivalent support, refuge accommodation, and advocacy for women and children fleeing abuse, overlapping with Advance's core domestic abuse and Women's Centre work.
• Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse: Charity coordinating multi-agency responses to domestic abuse, co-founded by Beryl Foster OBE (Advance co-founder). Peer: jointly developed the Coordinated Community Response and Whole Justice Approach with Advance, and operates overlapping whole-system, IDVA and court-based programmes.
• Women's Aid Federation of England: National umbrella and direct service charity for the domestic abuse sector in England. Peer: leads policy, training, and a network of local Women's Aid organisations delivering refuge and outreach, paralleling Advance's IDVA, advocacy, and sector-influencing role.
• Women's Trust: London charity providing free counselling and mental health support for women affected by domestic abuse. Peer: named partner in Advance's Maia programme and overlapping beneficiary base; offers an adjacent but narrower mental-health-only service model.
• Nia Ending Violence: London-based charity providing refuge, outreach, IDVA, and specialist services for women, girls and children affected by domestic and sexual violence. Peer: similar London-centred service mix, including IDVA and co-located advocacy, directly overlapping with Advance's domestic abuse pillar.

Regional players

• Catch-22: UK social business delivering services for young people and adults in the criminal justice system, including the Young Londoners Victim Service in partnership with Advance. Peer: shares the criminal justice and youth victim cohort and is a delivery partner rather than a direct VAWG competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/advancecharity
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCcaOrrcdFzEmgZlnCVdxHiQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/ADVANCEcharity.org.uk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/advance-charity
• Instagraminstagram.com/advancecharity

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Advance Charity