Fifty members of distribution centre staff at the Wincanton Group have been trained as ‘Domestic Abuse Workplace Champions’, as part of the biggest single training activity since the programme launched.
The CPD-Accredited training, which is provided by the commissioned New Era Domestic Abuse (DA) service, working alongside the Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, helps employers take action so that staff who may be experiencing DA, or who want help to change their own behaviours, feel supported in the workplace.
The Wincanton Group has also implemented New Era’s DA in the Workplace Policy and adopted the DA Pledge within their distribution centres for their customer Screwfix, to show their commitment in supporting all colleagues affected by DA.
Staffordshire Police, Fire & Rescue and Crime Commissioner, Ben Adams said: “The workplace can sometimes be the only place a victim can feel safe, which is why it’s important that workplaces invest in the health and wellbeing of employees.
“I am pleased to see that the Wincanton Group has worked with New Era and the Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce to upskill their staff; enabling them to support colleagues who may be experiencing DA.
“I encourage any organisation to contact the Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce to train their own Workplace Champions so they can provide what might be essential support to a colleague.”
Between August 2024 and August 2025:
- 11free training sessions have been delivered, either face-to-face or online
- 123new Champions have been trained, representing 34 organisations (a total of 647 champions representing 260 companies since 2017)
- 32DA pledges have been signed (a total of 240 since 2017)
- 32new DA policies have been embedded by attending organisations (a total of 234 since 2017)
- 37 Champions have also received refresher training
Education, Training and Awareness Manager at New Era, Sophie Meigh said: “It has been great working alongside the staff from Wincanton Group across the 3 sites in Staffordshire for our Domestic Abuse Workplace Champions programme.
“Training 50 colleagues shows the scale of commitment from the company to creating a safe and supportive environment for all their staff. Every Champion trained is another person equipped to listen, signpost, and potentially safeguard colleagues and their families experiencing domestic abuse.
“We hope this inspires other organisations to take the same proactive step.”
Head of Projects and Business Services at Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, Tom Nadin said: “Wincanton Group has shown real business leadership by prioritising the wellbeing of their workforce and embedding best practice through the Domestic Abuse Workplace Champions programme.
“By training 50 Champions in a single session, they have demonstrated how larger employers can take proactive steps to create safer, more supportive workplaces.
“Domestic abuse has a direct impact on businesses through staff wellbeing, retention and productivity, so it makes sound business sense to take action. At the Chambers, we are proud to work with New Era and the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner to help employers implement effective policies and training that protect staff while strengthening organisational resilience.”
Resourcing Manager at Wincanton Group, Bethany Aston said: “We are incredibly grateful to New Era for delivering such impactful and in-depth training to our new internal Domestic Abuse Champions. The training was expertly delivered onsite by the New Era team at no charge.
“Our Champions are now empowered with the confidence and knowledge they need to support colleagues and signpost them to the right help. We truly value this partnership and New Era’s commitment to helping us create a safer, more supportive workplace.”
If you are interested in New Era’s DA in the Workplace Champions training programme, call 01782 202222 or email info@staffordshirechambers.co.uk. Ongoing support will be given to Champions through regular refresher training and a peer-support Champions and a Peer support facility via Linked-in.
For enquiries about New Era victim services, call 0300 303 3778 (24 hours). For enquiries about New Era Behaviour Change services, call 0300 373 5772 (Monday to Friday, normal office hours) or access details on the New Era website.
