This year marks 50 years of Hopian, supporting adults, children and young people affected by domestic abuse across Rotherham and beyond. It gives us all a moment to reflect on our past, present and future.
We approach this milestone thoughtfully. Domestic abuse is a serious and complex issue, and our focus is not on celebrating harm, but on acknowledging five decades of commitment to safety, support and change.
This anniversary gives us space to reflect on our journey, the wider changes in society, and the work that still lies ahead.
As we mark 50 years, we are reflecting on the people who have shaped Hopian along the way. If you’ve been part of our journey through support, work, volunteering or partnership and would like to share your experience or its impact, we would welcome hearing from you, email: enquiries@hopian.org.uk
Reflections
Our Chief Executive Officer
Sue Wynne
As a charity rooted in lived experience and community need, this anniversary is not about celebration for its own sake. Domestic abuse is not something to take lightly. Instead, this is a moment to reflect on what has changed, what has been learned, and what still needs to change.
For 50 years, Hopian has existed because people needed safety, understanding, practical support, and time to recover. Over the years, our services, language and approaches have evolved, shaped by survivors, colleagues, partners and the communities we serve. What has remained constant is our commitment to working with compassion, integrity and purpose.
As we look back, we also look forward, strengthening specialist services, investing in prevention, and ensuring future generations grow up with healthier, safer relationship expectations.
Thank you to everyone who has been part of Hopian’s journey so far.
Our Chair of the Board
Chris Finnigan
Being Chair of Hopian during its 50th year is both a privilege and a responsibility that I take seriously.
I have seen firsthand the dedication, skill and compassion that runs through this organisation, from staff and volunteers who work tirelessly in complex and often challenging circumstances, to partners who share our commitment to safety and prevention. I am also mindful of the trust people place in Hopian when they come to us in moments of crisis in their lives.
The Board’s role is to protect that trust. We are here to provide strong governance, uphold Hopian’s values, and ensure the charity remains resilient and sustainable as it continues to evolve. That balance, safeguarding what matters while supporting ambition and change, is central to our work.
Looking ahead, I feel confident in Hopian’s direction and proud to support the next chapter with care, integrity and hope.
Then & now
Over five decades, Hopian has grown alongside significant social, legal and cultural change, shaped both by survivors’ experiences and by wider shifts in how domestic abuse is understood and responded to.
A short history of Hopian:
- Hopian began life in 1976, when a small refuge opened in Rotherham to support women and children fleeing domestic abuse. Built on community goodwill, volunteers, donated food and practical care, it offered safety when few options existed.
- Over the decades, the organisation has adapted again and again, closing and rebuilding when safety demanded it, centring children’s experiences, expanding beyond refuge into outreach, counselling and prevention, and creating community spaces that reduce isolation.
- In 2024, Rotherham Rise became Hopian, a name rooted in Old English for ‘hope’, reflecting an organisation shaped by learning, trauma-informed practice, and a clear commitment to safer futures.
“This time, a few weeks ago, I couldn’t see a way out.
Now I can.”
Service user feedback
“You made me feel safe when I wasn’t. Not a lot of people can do that.”
Service user feedback
At its heart, Hopian’s work has always centred on listening, responding and adapting to better support those experiencing harm.
Read more about our history in-depth here.
50 years of change: domestic abuse & society
The last 50 years have brought major changes in how domestic abuse is viewed and addressed:
- Once considered a private matter, it is now recognised as a serious social and safeguarding issue.
- Legal frameworks and professional responses have developed.
- Understanding has broadened to include coercive control, children’s experiences and long-term recovery.
- Awareness has increased — yet stigma, barriers to help and inequality remain.
These shifts continue to shape Hopian’s work, underlining the need for both crisis response and long-term prevention.
Where we are now
Today, Hopian delivers specialist, trauma-informed domestic abuse and post-child sexual exploitation services, supporting people at different stages of their journeys — from crisis through to recovery and independence.
Alongside this, we invest in early intervention, prevention and community engagement, working to reduce harm before it occurs and to improve understanding of healthy relationships.
Looking ahead: the next chapter
As we enter our next phase, our focus is on:
- Strengthening specialist services where needs are greatest.
- Expanding preventative work with children, young people and communities.
- Developing sustainable, community-based spaces and partnerships.
- Ensuring lived experience continues to inform everything we do.
Our 50th year is not just about looking back, it is about building responsibly for the future, with clarity, care and ambition.
Our thanks go to everyone who has shaped Hopian’s story, staff, volunteers, partners, supporters and those who have trusted us to walk alongside them.
Support the work we do…
To support our mission and help us reach more young people, please donate today by visiting our Donate page. Your contribution plays a vital role in preventing harm and fostering healthy relationships from the start.
Play a vital part in our future
Your volunteering support would be at the heart of our work – helping us sustain vital services and build a vibrant, inclusive community.
