about

we’re interested in what comes next

Leaving an abusive relationship doesn’t mean the impact of abuse ends. For many victim-survivors, rebuilding their lives is only just beginning.

Held By Grace exists for that part of the journey.

We recognise the extraordinary work of crisis services, but we also know that safety is only the beginning. Rebuilding confidence, finding connection, rediscovering who you are and creating a life that feels like your own again all take time.

We believe every victim-survivor deserves that opportunity.

what we do

Our work brings together community, meaningful experiences, academic research and advocacy.

We create opportunities for victim-survivors to connect and rebuild, drawing on research and specialist knowledge to inform what we do.

Alongside this, we challenge the systems that continue to fail victim-survivors, using evidence and lived experience to advocate for better protection, policy and outcomes.

Because surviving domestic abuse should never be where the support ends.

our founder

I’m Grace McPheators, founder of Held By Grace, a survivor-led organisation based in Coventry and Warwickshire.

Before starting HBG, I worked as a primary school teacher, having studied Childhood, Education and Society at the University of Warwick. I never imagined that my own experience of domestic abuse would lead me into this work, or that I would find myself having to rebuild my life in an unfamiliar place.

I received incredible support from specialist services, but I also came to understand how much recovery happens outside them. Domestic abuse can take away far more than your sense of safety. It can affect your home, your relationships, your financial independence and your sense of who you are. Finding safety is essential, but it doesn’t automatically give you your life back.

I founded Held By Grace to help bridge that gap. Through community, creative experiences and meaningful connection, we’re creating opportunities for victim-survivors to rebuild their confidence, form new friendships and find enjoyment in life again.

But I also want us to ask why rebuilding is so difficult in the first place.

Alongside our community work, I’m developing HBG’s research and advocacy, working to bring lived experience together with academic evidence, specialist knowledge and the people who have the power to influence policy.

My ambition is for Held By Grace to do two things: make life better for the people rebuilding theirs today, and help change the systems that the next person will have to navigate.

Grace x

if you need help now

Held By Grace is not an emergency or crisis service. If you are in danger, call 999. For free, confidential support, see find support.