CRASAC wins charity of the year award

Buy photos » CRASAC's Charlotte Bowell, Dianne Whitfield and Sarah Learmonth with Richard Williams and Jonathan Pryce from award hosts the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (s)

COVENTRY Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (CRASAC) has been named Guardian Charity of the Year.

The honour earns the city centre-based charity £6,000 which will be spent on transforming an empty basement room into a children's unit from where counselling will take place. It will also pay for leasing costs and counselling for the first year of the service.

Some 950 worthy charities entered the awards with five on the final shortlist.

CRASAC was established 30 years ago and in October last year was given a £500,000 lottery grant to run its vital helpline, saving the jobs of four part time counsellors.

Centre manager Dianne Whitfield said: "This award will help us to give the victims and survivors that we support a more powerful voice; a voice that will help to dispel the damaging myths and stereotypes that blame the victim and excuse the rapist and a voice that everyone can and must hear."