Mayor of Darlington raises £3,624 for RSACC as 2025 Charity of the Year
Our heartfelt thanks go to the Mayor of Darlington for choosing RSACC as his Charity of the Year in 2025.
Both Mayor Councillor Bob Donoghue and his wife Maggie Donoghue, the former Mayoress, went to extraordinary efforts to raise a total of £3,624 to support survivors of sexual violence in Darlington and County Durham.
The pair had a busy year organising a series of fundraising events, including a Ball, Song Contests and a Variety Show.
The Mayor said: “We are really pleased to have been able to raise such a significant amount to support the vital work of RSACC in our community. We understand how important and empowering RSACC’s services are for survivors and hope that the total raised will play a part in securing the charity’s services for survivors in 2026.”
Recent Criminal Justice System data revealed there were 576 rapes recorded by police in Durham between October 2024 and September 2025. RSACC is currently the only service providing free of charge emotional support to survivors of all forms of sexual violence in our area.
CEO of RSACC, Isabel Owens, explained: “All our services are provided for survivors free of charge, thanks to a combination of government funding and – just as vitally – voluntary donations. At a time when demand for our services is at an all-time high, and costs continuing to rise, we are particularly grateful to the Mayor and his wife Maggie for their continuing efforts to raise money and awareness of our services.”
RSACC’s free services for survivors include emotional support by telephone and email, specialist counselling services, a free ISVA service for those navigating the criminal justice system, trauma-informed support groups and professional training.
One survivor who recently accessed the centre’s trauma-informed support groups, said: “This group has helped me massively to understand it’s normal to feel this way, that others relate to how I’m feeling and has helped me understand how I feel about my trauma.”
To support RSACC’s services by setting up a regular or making a one-off donation, or to find out more about fundraising for the centre, click here.