Hestia Launches National Billboard Campaign to Raise Awareness of Domestic Abuse Support
Tuesday 27 January, 2026
Crisis support charity, Hestia, has launched a new national billboard campaign to raise awareness of the different forms of domestic abuse and the gradual escalation of risk over time. The campaign, made possible thanks to the JCDecaux Community Channel, aims to highlight the thousands of designated Safe Spaces in high street banks and pharmacies across the UK.
The campaign, created and produced by international creative agency Toaster, is timed to respond to the increased incidents of domestic abuse often reported during the winter months. According to charities and police forces, the holiday season can create an environment where abuse is more likely to occur due to factors such as heightened alcohol consumption, financial stress, and tensions due to family gatherings.
The Safe Spaces scheme, originally launched by Hestia during the pandemic as part of its UK Says No More campaign, has been backed by high street banks and pharmacies including AIB (NI), Boots, Cooperative Bank, Medicare, Metro Bank, Morrisons, Nationwide, NatWest, Progressive Building Society, Royal Bank of Scotland, Santander, TSB, and Ulster Bank, among others.
Patrick Ryan, Chief Executive at Hestia, emphasized the importance of the campaign during the winter months, stating, “Winter can be a particularly dangerous time for those experiencing domestic abuse. More time at home, financial pressures, and higher alcohol consumption can increase isolation and risk, while access to support services may be limited”.
“That’s why Hestia is launching this campaign to promote Safe Spaces, places where anyone feeling unsafe can escape and find the support they need. Everyone deserves to be safe; no one should suffer in silence,” he added.
The powerful campaign is appearing on billboards and high streets in key cities across the UK, including London, Birmingham, Edinburgh, and Manchester. The campaign is also being supported by JCDecaux UK, whose Head of Responsible Media, Chris Dooley, expressed the company’s pride in using their public screens to help Hestia bring attention to Safe Spaces and confidential support services.
One survivor of domestic abuse, Louise*, shared her experience and the importance of Safe Spaces during the winter months, stating, “In winter, offices close and clubs and community centres take a break. For victims of abuse, this brings isolation… It means there is no break from the abuse. As the victim, you are more helpless now than ever, your life more at risk. You can’t see a way out, especially when your every move is being monitored.”
“With Safe Spaces, you are not alone. You have the opportunity to reach out, put together an escape plan, and find refuge… all while visiting something unassuming like a bank or a pharmacy. Safe Spaces could be lifesaving,” she added.
The Safe Spaces scheme can be accessed by asking a member of staff at a participating location to use their designated Safe Space. Victim-survivors are then shown to a private room equipped with a phone or tablet, providing a safe and discreet way to reach out to friends and family, contact specialist support services, and start their journey to recovery. To find the nearest Safe Space, visit www.hestia.org/safe.
For media enquiries, interviews, or further information, please contact Lewis Garland, Communications Manager, Hestia, at lewis.garland@hestia.org.uk or 07717367782.
About Hestia: Hestia supports people who have experienced crisis and trauma to find safety, hope, and purpose. This includes working with survivors of modern slavery, domestic abuse, and people who need support with their mental health. There are currently over 4,400 Safe Spaces on UK high streets. UK Says No More is Hestia’s national campaign to raise awareness and end domestic abuse and sexual violence across the UK. Part of the global ‘No More’ campaign, No More Week 2026 will take place from March 4, 2026, to March 10, 2026.
About the JCDecaux Community Channel: Every day, millions of people interact with JCDecaux’s digital poster advertising sites in cities across the UK. From the top 30 cities to the highest-indexing shopping malls, major rail hubs, iconic roadside poster sites, and airports, our network of Out-of-Home digital screens is a powerful platform that is effective, inclusive, sustainable, and ‘gives back’ – with 50% of advertising revenues funding valuable public services, including bus shelters. Giving back to the community has always been at the heart of our business, ever since our founder Jean-Claude Decaux had an idea to provide and maintain bus shelters free of charge, paid for by the advertising posters displayed on them. Today, our JCDecaux Community Channel enables not-for-profit, community, charitable, and arts organizations to access Out-of-Home, in line with our
