Croydon Council says it has offered discounted library space to a domestic abuse service after it was “forced” out of its base.

The Cassandra Centre is appealing for help finding a new home with high private rents believed to be behind the move.

The organisation has provided in-person counselling, education and support to those impacted by domestic abuse since 2007.

It was located in London Road in Norbury but has been holding sessions online for several months due to the situation.

A spokesperson for Croydon Council says:

“The Cassandra Centre are part of our local network of organisations working to tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG) and we very much value the work that they do. Since they had to move out of a privately rented space in Norbury, we have tried to help broker an opportunity for the charity to find more permanent accommodation, however the nature of the Cassandra Centre’s work with domestic violence victims and the need for privacy for their clients makes it more difficult to find suitable options. The council has a limited property portfolio and receives significant interest from hundreds of charities and other voluntary organisations for space. We do offer all VAWG charities free use of our interview and confidential space in the Family Justice Service for them to meet clients and we have also offered the Cassandra Centre some space at a discounted rate at a local library. We have provided a list of possible options for the Cassandra Centre to pursue, along with the details of property agents who have wider offering of properties, and we will continue to support them in their search for suitable accommodation.”