Step up to our walking challenge this summer and help Black Country Women's Aid raise money to build new, much-needed refuge flats for women and children fleeing domestic abuse and modern slavery.

Known in the Black Country as ‘the cut’, there are more than 800km of scenic West Midlands canals to choose from for your sponsored walk.

How does it work? 

• Plan your own route and distance and take on the challenge any time from now until the end of September
• Sign up here by yourself or in a team of up to 5 people. You could be a group of friends, a family or a corporate team.
• Compete against your friends and colleagues by checking out our leaderboards. There are prizes for the person and the team of 5 who raise the most money
• Share your pictures with us on social media using the #cutoutabuse hashtag so that we can celebrate your success
• We’re asking people to please consider raising £200 each, or £1000 a team. To give you an idea of why your fundraising matters:

£200 could buy a fridge/freezer to help equip a refuge flat kitchen

£1000 could buy beds, bed linen and pillows for a family in refuge

£10,000 could pay for hard-wearing flooring for 3 refuge flats

£15,000 could pay for furniture for 10 cosy refuge living rooms 

The difference you will make

Refuge services are at the heart of BCWA, offering secure accommodation to people who have escaped domestic abuse and modern slavery. We provide a safe, supported environment where people can start again and look forward to a life free from violence.

Last year we had to turn away over two-thirds of people who applied for refuge with us. Although we supported them in other ways, securing a safe place for victim-survivors fleeing domestic abuse to live can be a vital first step in someone’s recovery.

Patricia’s story

Patricia* did everything she could to keep her children in the familiar setting of their own home and shield them from the abuse she was experiencing. Not surprisingly, this took a heavy toll on her physical and mental health. Patricia came to us after going to A & E with chest pains. She was, in fact, experiencing a severe panic attack and anxiety brought on by abuse.

The family moved into our refuge and at first the children were reticent about leaving their flat. However, they soon began to play in the garden and enjoy the fun activities that refuge staff organise regularly. Patricia was impressed by the huge effort that everyone at refuge made to make Christmas special, and her children were reassured when Father Christmas and the Tooth Fairy still knew where to find them.

Patricia is now positive about her future. She would like to retrain as a classroom assistant or a domestic abuse advocate and write about her experiences. Her children have a special name for the refuge which she’d like to use as the title of her book: “The Magical Place.”

Need some ideas as to where to walk?

Visit the Canal Trust website for inspiration.

Terms and Conditions of Entry

These Terms and Conditions (Terms) apply to people supporting Black Country Women’s Aid by undertaking a canalside sponsored walk as part of our Cut out Abuse fundraising campaign. 

1.     General

1.1       This sponsored walk fundraiser is organised by Black Country Women’s Aid (The Charity), registered charity number 1032298.

1.2       By registering either as an individual or as part of a team, you agree to comply with the terms and conditions listed below.

1.3       If you have any questions, please contact [email protected]

2.     Participation

2.1      All participants must be physically capable of completing their chosen walk. If you have a medical condition or are unsure of your physical ability to take part in a Cut out Abuse sponsored walk, you must seek medical advice from a GP or specialist prior to registering.

2.2       Participants must acknowledge and accept responsibility for any personal injury or loss.

2.3       Black Country Women’s Aid is not liable for any personal injury or loss sustained by participants or spectators taking part in or watching a Cut out Abuse sponsored walk.

3.        Registration

3.1       In order to be acknowledged as a Cut out Abuse participant, you must complete the registration form on Enthuse, the online fundraising platform that we are using for this fundraiser.

3.2       Registrations must be received prior to or during September 2025.  Any registrations received after September 2025 will not be acknowledged as a participant.

3.3       If you are under the age of 18, you must get permission from your parent or legal guardian before registering. By completing the registration form, this constitutes that you have obtained permission.

3.4       Participants under 18 must be accompanied by a responsible adult at all times when completing their sponsored walk.

3.5        When choosing to take part with children, please consider the length and location of the walk. Extra vigilance is needed to keep children safe when they are close to water.

3.6       Please ensure that you have everything you need for your sponsored walk including water, charged mobile phone, first aid kit, snacks etc.

3.7       We ask that people register for the sponsored walk in teams of a maximum of 5 people.

3.8       If you are registering someone on their behalf, you must include all of the personal details requested in the registration form. By registering them, you also confirm that you have obtained their consent and that they agree to these terms.

3.9       You may bring your dog on your sponsored walk but he/she must be well-behaved and kept on a lead at all times.

3.10     You acknowledge that Black Country Women’s Aid is unable to insure you to participate in your sponsored walk and should you require any type of insurance, that it is your responsibility to secure it.

4.        Fundraising and donations

4.1       We request that individual participants aim to raise a minimum of £200, or a minimum of £1000 as part of a team of 5, in sponsorship and donations.

4.2       All participants have a legal responsibility to ensure that all monies/donations/sponsorship received in connection with the Cut out Abuse fundraiser are paid to Black Country Women’s Aid. We ask that this be done by Friday 31^st October through the Enthuse platform. If you accept offline sponsorship/donations, please contact [email protected] to arrange transferring that money to the Charity.

4.3       You will act lawfully when fundraising and will not put undue pressure on people to sponsor you.

4.4       You will not do anything that may damage Black Country Women’s Aid reputation or act in a manner contrary to our values.

4.5       Please ensure that people know that you are fundraising ‘in aid of Black Country Women’s Aid’ and that you are not representing the Charity in any way.

5.        Changes and cancellations

5.1       If you register but are unable to participate in Cut out Abuse for any reason, we ask that you notify us as soon as possible please.

5.2       If sponsorship money was given to you on the condition that you complete your sponsored walk, but you were subsequently unable to do so, then you should contact your sponsors to ask if they are still happy for their money to be donated to Black Country Women’s Aid. Please contact [email protected] should sponsors request that their donation be returned due to you not completing the sponsored walk, and we can arrange a refund.

5.3       Entry is personal to participants and cannot be transferred to anyone else.

5.4       Black Country Women’s Aid reserves the right without liability or prior notice to cancel or postpone the Cut out Abuse sponsored walk fundraiser.

6.        Code of Conduct

6.1       When participating in your sponsored walk, please be respectful of your teammates and others including people using the canal pathways e.g. cyclists, dog walkers, local residents etc.

6.2       Participants are responsible for their own safety, actions and conduct while completing their sponsored walk.

6.3       Black Country Women’s Aid will not accept responsibility for your safety, actions and conduct, nor the consequences of your actions and conduct.

6.4       We request that you refrain from drinking alcohol while participating in your sponsored walk.

6.5       We ask that you do not behave in a way which may cause injury to you or others, cause offence to others, damage the property of others or damage Black Country Women’s Aid’s reputation.

6.6       We ask that you please respect the environment when undertaking your sponsored walk e.g. keep noise to a minimum, do not disturb wildlife and either dispose of all litter responsibly, or take it home with you.

6.7       Please do not trespass or walk on private land while taking part in Cut out Abuse. Please choose a route that is open to the public.

7.        Communications

7.1       By registering for Cut out Abuse, you agree to Black Country Women’s Aid emailing you in relation to the fundraiser. These communications help ensure that Black Country Women’s Aid can deliver relevant information to support your participation and fundraising activities.

7.2       Communications can include: support for completing registrations; fundraising tips, advice and updates; information on how money raised will be used in the construction of a new refuge; motivational updates during the period of Cut out Abuse; links to online content relevant to your participation in Cut out Abuse; Black Country Women’s Aid news that, given your involvement in Cut out Abuse, may be of interest to you.

8.        Use of personal data

8.1       Your personal data will be processed in accordance with Black Country Women’s Aid’s Privacy Policy.

8.2       You acknowledge that where necessary, Black Country Women’s Aid will share your contact details with other third parties involved in the administration of this fundraiser. We will never share your data with any other third parties, unless you agree.

8.3       You acknowledge that any photography or film footage taken as part of your participation in the Cut out Abuse fundraiser can be used for promotional and marketing purposes for this specific campaign and any future Black Country Women’s Aid fundraising activity, including but not limited to promotion on the Black Country Women’s Aid website and third-party websites, social media, in online and print media publications and other marketing materials. If you do not wish for your image to be used in this way, please contact [email protected].