The Survivors' Retreat runs friendly, low-key drop-in groups for adult female* survivors of group-based child sexual exploitation. The idea is simple: a warm space, a hot drink, a bit of company, and no pressure to talk about anything you don't want to talk about. We're launching in Shrewsbury and Liverpool from September 2026, and we need volunteers to help us hold those spaces well.

Our groups are sex-segregated. At present we run women's groups only, held by women volunteers. We hope to launch men's groups, held by men volunteers, in due course. If you're interested in helping to shape those, we'd love to hear from you.

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Who we're looking for

You don't need professional qualifications or years of experience in the sector. What matters much more is who you are.

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We're looking for people who are calm, kind, and quietly sensible — the sort of person others naturally feel at ease around. Emotional intelligence matters more than any credential. You'll need to be comfortable with people you don't know, unflustered by difficult conversations when they come up, and content to make tea and chat about the weekend when they don't. Discretion is essential; a sense of humour helps.

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Some of the people you'll meet have been through things most people can't imagine. You don't need to fix that, and we won't ask you to. What we'll ask is that you're steady, warm, and present.

The groups are designed to offer a safe space to talk and listen. We take an art and nature based approach as we find it offers a peaceful, relaxing environment, allowing survivors to process trauma at their own pace.  (You can read more about the groups here)

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