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Victim Support Wandsworth and Witness Service

Victim Support Wandsworth was set up in the 1980’s and became a registered charity in 1985.  With funding from the Home Office through the National Office of Victim Support Services and Wandsworth Borough Council the charity began to support victims of crime in the borough.  Our office moved from Balham High Road to Clapham Junction in 2001.

Victim Support has grown to meet the needs of victims of crime in the borough and we currently employ 8 staff and have 25 volunteers.  We receive up to 10,000 referrals of victims of crime in a year.

There is a volunteer Management Committee  who deliver strategic planning and development for the service manage victim Support Wandsworth.  Our Co-ordinator is responsible for managing volunteers and deals with the day to day activities within the schemes.  We also have an administrator, a Hate Crime worker, a Youth Crime worker and an Office Manager.  The Witness Service has 2 Co-ordinators.  The Borough Manager is ultimately responsible for pushing the Scheme forward and works closely with the Management Committee.

The most recent development has been the Witness Service, which was set up to meet the needs of victims and witnesses in court.  Previously Victim Support volunteers and staff had been attending court with victims and witnesses but it was felt that a more structured form of support was required.  In 1989 Victim Support set up a project in 7 Crown Courts throughout England, this in turn was followed by the Witness Service being set up in Magistrates and Youth Courts.

In March 2002 Victim Support Wandsworth received funding to set up the Witness Service in the borough, which is now operating in both courts.

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